The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-07-02
and with plenty of cash can we wonder that
another pilgrimage is spoken Of?

The Tn1rd Term Idea and the Presf.
dents Opportunity.
We print elsewhere letter from Governor
Kemper, Of Virginia. in which he favors the
nomination of General Grant for third term.
The Governors letter is an extraordinary con-
tribution to the current literature on the sub
ject He does not believe in q third term for
its own sake; but there are other things which
he believes in to lesser degree. He wants
''to save society and decent EXISTENCE" to
save Virginia from barbarism and ruin"
This declaration of the Governor is another
among the many indications that the third
term discussion has passed beyond the
chrysalis state; that it is full blown with life
and on the wing, and that the time has come
for President Grant to give the country ON
expression of his own opinions on the subject
1t would naturally be supposed that an illus
trous soldier, who relinquished the permanent
position of General-in-Chief of the Army
to accept that Of Chief Magistrate cares
more for honor and distinction than for the
emoluments of Office. For so young man
as General Grant it was pecuniary sacrifice
to surrender the great military position which
he might have held for life and accept the
temporary Office of President for four or eight
years, with its burden of vexatious cares and
its exposure TO INSCRIPTIONS criticism, and
then descend to the rank of mere citizen.
1t is fair to presume that nothing short of the
hope Of acquiring new distinction in civil
Office by rendering eminent service to his
country could have induced him to embark
on the stormy sea of politics and commit his
reputation to the license of evil tongues. We
award him the credit of this honorable and
laudable ambition, because it is difficult to
explain his willingness to accept the Presi-
dency on any other hypothesis. The part he
acted in the war was not that of q mere routine
commander, and it cannot satisfy his ambition
to be mere routine President. Unless he
can distinguish his administration, as he dis
tnguished his command of the army, by great
and memorable achievements, it was mistake
in every point of view to quit the army for
the highest civil Office. We would fain hope
that his destiny as a statesman may, even
yet, run parallel to his brilliant career as
soldier. As he came in, in the last years of
the war, to take supreme command and
crush the rebellion, after many failures by
other generals and the extinction of many
regulations, let us try to believe that he
will, at corresponding era in our civil diff
culties, succeed after SO many others have
failed, and fight his way through the financial
Wilderness and crown his career by civil
Appomattox. The path behind him is strewed
with financial wrecks as the history of the
war before he came East was with military
failures. The Boutwells, Richardson's Nor
tons and Shermans of finance have their
parallel in the Popes, Hookers, Hal
lecks and McClellans who demonstrated
the necessity of placing the army in new
hands. Mcclellan and Haleck were reputed
to be far more scientific soldiers, and doubt
less would have given more learned instruc-
ton to the classes at West Point on the theory
of war, as We have more deeply read scholars
and acuter reasoners on scientific finance than
President Grant But they have all lamentaby
failed, and we need vigorous successor who
will go straight to the mark, as the crcuitous
strategy of reaching Richmond by way of the
peninsula was supplanted by fighting the way
through on direct line
In the war nothing was accomplished by
refined, elaborate strategy, but when this had
ignominiously failed success came at last by
General Grants vigorous hard fighting,
not nearly so wasteful of life as the
strategy Of his predecessors and far less
trying to public patience. Grants merely
scientific reputation as soldier was not
much superior to his scientific qualifca-
tions as q political economist. But he has
as much book-learning on such subjects as
was ever possessed by his intrepid military
predecessor, Andrew jackson. Yet General
jackson established new monetary policy
which gained the confidence of the country.
There is nothing in the present problems be-
yond the rear5 of ordinary good sense. For
aught we can see President Grant is as COM
made such subjects special study. In the
first place, he is incapable of setting any value
on the ingenious cobwebs which have been
spun around the question by ingenious theo-
rists. 1t is fortunate that mere subtleties
can make no impression on his mind. In
the next place, he has q secure guide
in the practice of commercial nations
Congress is not in session. But in all finan-
cial matters so much depends upon admins
tration, upon the management of the Treas
ury, that the President can, even in the recess,
and as q matter OF executive will, force upon
the country policy of imitation or contrac-
ton.
The only thing that can materially obstruct
the success of the President in crystallizing
this policy of contraction and enforcing it upon
the country is the grave apprehension of tho
country that he is planning for q third term
an apprehension th} is strengthened by the
grotesque proclamatons of men like Kemper.
He can secure public confidence and indorse-
ment only througAa belief that he is proceed