The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1874-08-05
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Pho Third Term and the South.

= XIV - A&&A "a SS>>~
: There has been of late more frequent
discussions in Southern journals OF the
s,nestion of re-electing General Grant
for a,SThird Term. and more frequent
declarations from Southern statesmen
cal the subject. The latest utterances
are from the Hon. B. II. Hill and GOV.
James Smith, of Georgia, who are rep
resented by the correspondent OF lhe
Cincinnati Commercial, as not only ia
xoring it themselves, but as declaring
that it will be generally endorsed by the
Southern people. This accords with
the VIEWS of other Southern Statesmen,
and is supposed to have been brought
about BY the persistent efforts when
have been made to press the ClVii
Rights Bill, and which, in their OPINION
would lead the people of the South 10
support General Grant, regardless OF all
past customs or future consequences.
ON this.po Governor Smith and Mr..
Hill are represented as holding similar
opinions, and though believing thatln
such election there would be no depart
IRE from established usages, yet that
tiiey would be willing to risk such de-
parture in the effort to secure a strong
ruler, who would do full justice to their
section. ..s....a a... IN
These views, however, do not seem to
receive the endorsement of the Southern
journals generally, who find nothing in
the past record of General Grant to en-
courage the hope that q third term would
witness change of policy toyaNs the
South. They urge that he has sustained
misgovernment in Louisiana, Misslsslp-
nj. and South Carolina, and in all the
Southern States, and has lent the power
Of his Office to encourage and support
the oppressors of our section; and that
no honeyed words now of change OF
Dolicy can lead us to ignore the past,
and kiss the rod of the soldicr-chieftain.
finch arc the views of leading Southern
journals, as tho Richmond Dispatch,
the, Atlanta Constitution, and the Au'
pusta Chronicle G. Sentinel, who claim to
represent the public sentiment of their
sections.
The New York, Herald expresses sur
prise that any Southern journal should
k1ppose that President Grant would
attempt to do in a third term what he
has not yet attempted to do during his
two terms-that he has left the recon
struction of the South to settle itself
and has devoted himself, TO the acqulsl
'tion of territory and to the finances
and, as a consequence. that the finances
are in worse condition than ever, thai
annexation is dead, and that reconstruc
tion has become long-standing ulcer
.sapping the foundations of the nationa
life-that Grant has but followed the
,.iead of his pxrty in disfranchising ant
depressing all of those statesmen OF the
South who gave character and influence
to their section, and turned their noble
commonwealth over to the mercy O
Shameless adventurers-thate even if re
1elected as the friend of the South, he
zyould be still under the control of in
fiuences which would make his admin
jstratiop helpless from the beginning
and powerless in our behalf
r The support of leading Southern
= statesmen, however, is based upon very
opposite conclusions, and is extended t
the President in the confident belle
that he has not only the will but tht
mower to effect Southern restoration
that he is the.only man in the country
who Is strongerthan party organizations
and thati elected as the peoples can
didate, he will correct the short-coming
ST the past, and by giving peace to TIT
South. remove the chief obstacle III th'
way of the prosperity of the country
Next to the election. of Democratic
or Conservative candidate, we believ'
that the Southern people would prefe
The reelection of General Grant, ever
for a third term, and concur fully in tn
views of the Georgia statesmen, Messrs
Hill and Smith. ..', ,as..r.
9. BAD ROADS. - Our friend, Nllhaa
WickHffe, of the Centre of Gravity