The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1874-10-31
hon ne baltimore Amsrse.n, OF. esd.



Tho time is past when we eau feel that
our fate depends on one man or set Of men.
Since the millions are educated and the
great men come up in legions to the sur
face, there is DO demand for the Cesarism
Of imperial Rome or France.
Nor is there any special disadvantage in
a change. II is not as when, in the dan
gers Of the late war, the friends Of Lin
coins reelection urged with force that ait
Is not good to change horses while crossing
stream" We are in profound peace
both at home and with all the world. No
unsettled issues or extraordinary difficult
ties remain which require the same hand
to adjust them that inaugurated them.
There was never a TIME when change
could be made more easily or with less
disarrangement to any part Of our system.
Furthermore, it is more in the spirit Of
republieanism to change; for while it is
true that our system does not require us
to change our officials merely for the sake
Of a change, yet we might justly be charged
with monarchical spirit and tendency if
We persisted in keeping an incumbent in
Office merely because he is in, as we would
do ifw should reflect Grant Our sys-
TEN contemplates change every four
years, so that the people may come anew
into power By their appropriate represen-
tatiyes.
The only force Of the third term move
ment, and the only reason why any con-
siderable number desire it, is that it would
keep in Office the same class of subordi-
mates as now, whereas these would be
routed if there were new President
This is why the ofieeholJers under Grant
are principally the movers in the third
term project-the members Of the Cabinet,
the Foreign Ministers and Consuls, the
Custom House and Revenue employees, the
Postmasters and the like. We may al
ways expect this class, out Of selfinterest,
to work for the return Of the President
who put them in power, because even il a
President Of the same party should be
elected, the prominent places, at least,
would be given out TO others. No new
President, for example, would keep many
Of the present Cabinet officers in power.
Grant has generally gathered weak and
incompetent men about him, to the ex-
clusion Of better men. No greater minds
or leaders have challenged his admiration.
The best people Of our country have been
ignored in the public appoin tments. The
great lawyers have not been appointed to
places calling for lawyers; the great finan-
ciers to places of finance; the great bust
ness men to places Of business; the great
diplomatists to places Of diplomacy. The
result has been remarkable deficiency in
many of the departments of government,
and general shipshod management as
compared with other nations; as for exam.
pie in regard to the Attorney Generalship,
Chief Justice, Vienna Commissioners, &c.
Again, Grant has been easily managed
by politicians, though no politician himself
1t was the hope Of our people that his lack
of acquaintance and sympathy with poll
tics would give US an bipartisan admins
tration, free from the fayoritisms and bases
common to most of his predecessors But
when man has no political sentiments
himself, he will be led by those who have.
The business of the President is, however,
to deal with politics, and unavoidably to
act through politicians Grant has cast
himself as fully into the hands Of the Re-
publican party as the most strenuous Re-
publican could do, and doing this without
the conviction and thought necessary to
thorough understanding of republican prin-
ciples, he could not but act in slavish
and unnatural position, We would rather