The Portland daily press., 1874-08-07
"Clifford. why don't you speak.v

The New York Herald is working itse.f in-
to an ecstasy of importantly that the Presi-
dent should declare himself on the subject Of
the third term. Cesarism is the Herald's
pet invention. 1t has not only disported
itself thereupon with prodigious redundancy
for twelve month, but it has had the salts
faction of seeing half the newspapers Of the
country take up the theme with every appear
aDce of being quite serious and in earnest
about it. 1t is doubtful whether there ever
was so tremendous a flood of speculation
emitted from so diminutiye fountain of rea-
sonable probability.
But Gen. Grant distresses the Herald by
pervarsely adhering 10 his rule Of silence. 1t
is an inveterate habit OF his, and there seems
to be no way of curing it. When those
amiable organs Of public opinion which boast
30 loudly OF their independence were wont TO
air their playful humor by intimating that
he was fond of low company, addicted to bad
habits. inclined to venality, with alarming
tendencies to larceny and various other
crimes he maintained the same infexible
taciturnity, in spite of the most ingenious and
persistent efforts to beguile him into print.
Occasionally some specific and circumstantial
lie about him was coined and put in circula-
ton, accompanied by the query, ''if this isn't
tlue why doesn't he come out and deny it?'
No use! He was not to becaught in that way.
Ii he had once begun TO defend himself
against malicious aspersions, he would have
enlarged the market for SANDER, to such an
extent that no one man, nay not a hundred,
could have hunted down the caumnies which
would have been aimed at MIN. Besides that
the defensive is no part of Gen. Grants
policy. 1t never was. Alike in military and
In civil life he moves on the enemy's works,
Instead of waiting to parry assault.
The old line of attack having been aban-
doned altogether, the new offence attributed
to the President is inordnate ambition. He
Is charged with the purpose of ignoring a
precedent which has acquired almost, if moi
quite, the force of written law, by allowing
himself to enter the lists for another election.
There is nothing under heaven to base this
fantastic conjecture upon. Not thing he
has ever said or done gives the smallest war;
1hiit iOl IL. NO ildu was CfCL uOiC luulllGr-
ent to the arts by which places are supposed
to be gained or retained. He vetoed the cur.
rency bill, when the idea prevailed that the
entire West and South had gone stark mad
about imitation, and would never forgive the
man who hindered it. He refused to throw
to the mob single peace-offering when
concerted howl was yociferated against GER
tain officials of the government in whose in
tegrity and worth he had confidence.
The simple truth is that Grants popularity
has come of his never having shown any in
dications of anxiety to make himself popular.
He has pursued the even tenor of his way
with such self-respecting manliness and cour-
age, that his course has met with very gen.
eral and hearty approval. He has certainly
had an inordinate share of the abuse which
it is the vice OF our times to visit upon prom
hent men in public service, but it has proved
as harmless as it has been groundless. The
press has been largely against him, but he
has lived in the sight Of the people, and they
have believed in, trusted and honored him.
We have always treated this third term
nonsense as a harmless jest, and are still in.
disposed TO lift it to the importance implied
by deliberate discussion of it. But we hear
some well-meaning people re-iterating the
old question, 'sif there is nothing in it, WHY
isn't the purpose disavowed?' To which we
respond with the answer which seems to us
conclusive, ''it will be time enough for the
President to speak when the period arrives
TO- discussing the succession.'' Just now
we deprecate the Consideration of any names
In connection with the next Presidency
Tie moment is nopportune, the agitation
premature. AT the same time, we give Gen
Grant credit for the possession of great deal
of common sense, and that is reason enough
why we are immovable in our conviction
that he has not, and never had the slightest
idea of :ncurring the wear and tear of another
campaign. He has enjoyed all the honors
which the Office can confer. He has endured
the semi-maltyrdom which candidacy en-
tails. Blackguard tongues have wagged with
unrestrained license, and backguard pens
have been driven with preternatural ferocily
In his dispraise. Through this simeon of un-
reasoning detraction, he has walked III
seathed. The future to him is full of prom
ise. The rest beftting his retirement will
Be sweetened by memories of the great dra-
ma, in which be has played the leading part.
and by the esteem of his gratifed country.
men.
We cannot but regard it as impeaching the
wisdom of Gen. Grant, to entertain for a mo.
ment the fancy that he has the smallest svm-
pathy with the discussion which connects his
name, With an innovation, which would be
sure to iniuse a confusing element into our
national politics. But we are quite sure, no
arts or appliances will avail to extort from
him an authoritative utterance on the sub
]cct He is not that sort of person. The
great silent man. whose reticence has with |
stood SO many temptations to speech, may be
relied upon to hold his tongue till the proper
TINE comes for his voice 10 be heard. Then !