New-York tribune., 1874-07-24
GRANT FOR A THIRD TERN.

THE NEW GRANT PARTY IN THE SOUIH.N
A rRRMEDITATED AGITATI0N-GEN GRANTS CANDi-
DACY ADMITTED by HIS FRIENps-PIANS TO Sc
CURE SOUTHERN SUPPORT 10 BALANCE NORTH |
ERN DETECTION N-CoMPOsITIoN OF THE THIRD
TKpM PARTY ITS REPRESENTATIVES, MEN |
STRENGTH AND PROSPECTS OF THE MOVEMENT.
~IrRoM A SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBuNE1 |
RICHMOND. Va. July 2o-rhe sentiment of the
South on the question Of the second reelection of
Cen Grant to the Presidency has doubtless been
misrepresented and there may have been exaggera-
tion of the interest manifested in the matter by the
people of this section But it is no less true that the
question is attracting much attentions; and there Is
reason TO believe that powerful influences are at
work to keep it under discussion. with a view not
lessto familiarizing the public mind with the ldea
of a third term for Gen. Grant than TO ascertain
whether Southern sentiment can be nodded 20 meet
the wishes and satisfy the ambition of the PRESIDENT
The two or three prominent politicians WIN Wnoii
Gen Grant hell sweet counsel when he was III " est
Virginia last month unheStatingy say that TIC
wishes and expects third term and it is their be-
lief that only the most formidable opposition Will
deter him from candidacy. The unfavorable COM
rnents of some of the Republican journals of the
North based upon the bare mention of the idea OF
his denomination by their party lead him TO turn
southward for reGnforcements to supply the
gap likely to be created by Northern detection
Hence his coQuetry with ex-Confederate leaders,
particularly the Generals, and hence his
newborn sympathy with the oppressed OF
those States in which he has no brothers
in-law OF particularly intimate friends. Hence also
il is that persons whose relations with the President
are supposed TO be intimate vaguely suggest TO
Southern men with whom they come in contact that
after all Gen. Grant is not black as he is painted
that he is about TO free himself of the thradom OF
evil counselors and that in the near future there is
good time coming in which the spoils OF Office ana
the fat jobs of Government advertising VIII De
awarded no longer only to the loyal OF the North
and the renegades of the South. Is 1t surprising
that such startling suggestions should cause rattle
among the dry bones of played-Out politicians ana
poverty-stucken newspapers, and cause to rise pe-
fore them visions of coectorships, postnasershiPs
and consulshps varied by an occasional dazzling
appartion Of an ex- Confederate General no longer
prescribed but arrayed in all the dignity of mem-
Der of the Cabinet or of an Envoy Extraordinary
and Minister PlenipOtentary
ELEMENTS OF THE THIRD TERN PARTY IN THE SOUTH
At present the Southern advocates of Gen. Grants
reelection for third term may be divided INTO three
classes. The first embraces few willy politicians
who. regarding the name of Grant as synonym for
victory have long been eager to attach themselves
to his reinue of supporters with an eye to place and
perquisites and now find the first opportunity of
social prescription which has hitherto followed de-
sertion from the party in which the whites of the
South have been united. In the second class are
found few prominent men who have had their
heads turned by little attention from Gen. Grant,
and few Others who sincerely desirous of bringing
the South into pleasant relations with the General
Government have allowed the friends of the Presi-
dent to cajoe them into the belief that this can only
bedone by getting the right side of Grant himself,
q = H. nf
third class is anomalous, but this class is so much
more numerous and influential than the others that
am surprised to find that it has hitherto escaped
notice in discussions of the third term question 1t
includes the influential papers of South
which seem to have come suddenly into the support
of Grant, and whose unexpected declarations in his
favor have received so much attention from the
Northern press Two OF three of the ablest papers
in Virginia one in Georgia. and perhaps more than
one in Louisiana, have taken this tack so mex
plicable to those not in the secret. The simple
truth to their position is that it is not sincere
The editors and their advisers argue in this way
No man whom the ex-COnfederates of the South
support can expect also the support of the
North however satisfactory TO the North may be
his record or his platform. The candidacy of Hor-
ace Greeley proves that this Is so Grant is obJec-
tonabe to the South and il is to interest to pre-
vent his denomination for a thrd term by the Repub-
licau party. Southern support Will weaken him III
the North and rumOrs of an alliance between him
and ex-Rebels for the perpetuatiOn of his power
will be still more disastrous to his hopes. The
South can lose nothing for its position cannot be
much worse than it is now. and all the chances are
in its favor for either of results is probable
that Gen Grant will be defeated and Temanded TO
private life that remaining in office he Will be
1attered into friendliness toward the South These
are the arguments seriously advanced III reply to
those who express surprise at the somersaults of in
fuential Southern journals and which begin TO be
freely uttered ON the streets with knowing winks
and mods Thus il happens that Gen. Grant appears
TO be gaining strength in the South for while there
is really little if any sympathy between the two
classes of third term people first mentioned and the
third. the latter is effectively if unconsciously
PLAYING into the hands of the other two.
PROMINENT ExPONENTs OF THE THIRD TERM IDEA.
Ex-Gov HebeIt of Louisiana may be fairly called
representative of the first class, though far better
man than many of his associates, and though his
friends NAV claim for him position in the second
DIVISION of the second class i am not personally
ACQUAINTED with Mr. Hebert, but have estimates OF
his character aud motives from those who know
him well They give him credit for honesty and
moderate abilities but say that he has an irrepres
sible longing for place and prominence and is lack
ing in all the requisites of high craftsmanship His
early distinction was gained by good service in the
Mexican war and four years after his return from
Mexico he was elected Governor Of Louisiana. Since
the war between the States he has been prominent
in some praisewOrthv efforts to redeem bis State
from misrue, but policy has 50 overshadowed prln-
cple in his political career that he has not enjoyed
the entire confidence of the people of Louisiana, and