The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1874-05-21
A Third Term.


IA, snbit Of a Third term for Gen. Grant |
FL the p esl ntiaf chl'r is nov being agltated
i, lffarw eccentric l.tors, WHO world sitDsaa /
j merited obscfifty we-e it impossible to stir
I'D a sensation They critic:se their own iml5-
inings With pltriotic gravity all draw coaeiu-
nions from tn ,ir flncies. thatif veril'i, woIia
eonsiea to the tomb OF d9fil R,p15iics the
Amsrie IN i rye, and-all tic ptrt3.l ,rh Lila OF
his imo rial g.aadsa-. T:l-y distinctly r.co5-
nize in the reticencs of Gen. Grant upon thts
important q.lestioa 4 calculating purpose TO
watcht,le vibrations OF the popular paise, and
to follow in its wake either to honors that
might eclipse the fine OF Washin 5ton AMI his
tyo-term sloc2ssors, OF, c)nslgl hln ID tie
slal les OF private life. They associate, TOO WIN
the ambition for a third term the destruction
OF - l5lican institutions, al the sno erstr;,-
ture Of al empire, with coats-arm )riasl a the
isigna of imperial authority. 1t Is DIT a re-
hash of the campaign harangaes OF 1872. wheh
they proclaim IL that the perpatuty OF the he-
public hing suspended upoa the election OF
Horace Gfealey to the Presidency I.2 SOL
enn d,nagoyuery that sought to impose ltsei1
upon the people as the sage ded'f5tlons OF pro-
,,hetic craftsmanship ia that contest. Is repro
duce with all the stJractivaliess OF itaiic ana
s nall-cap emphasis and startling exclamation
points Invocation follows invocation TO Cle
spirits OF our departed ancestors to rise up anu
rebuke the llil.loly ambition that Would aspire
to do som ,thing that Washington shra'lk from,
and the consllmmation of what would sent
s.glimnering down the dream OF things thae
,fere',. IT, fair fabric of American Liberty, for
whic', they suffered, fought and bled.
This all does very well for a transient sensa-
ton. bit will pass off as the creation of po-
etc AMI spec liative fancy too superficial TO deal
with arg;lm ent and too insincere to TX al I'M
preston. The fact is, the American people are
not so much conc ,rned about the propriety OF
,dberino to precedent, as they are in securing
the blessing of well regulated government
Many thoughtful men, who heretofore nave not
been partial to the administration OF President
Grant. and were not favorable to his reelection
in 1872, are seriously thinking that the true in
terests Of the country, the establishment OF SOL
id peace, and the consunlmeton OF fraterhal
sympathy. can but be accomplished by the re-
tontioa of the President in the position he now
occupies, for another term. Viewing the mat
ter from present surroundings, and assuming
that there will be no great change i'll the rela-
tions OF parties and the affairs of goyernmant,
the popular sentiment of the country-that
which finds its source in the yearnin5 OF the
masses for the return OF Il liform prosperity
is beginning to crystalize around the conviction
that the public good can best be slibserved by
the reelection Of the present incumbent III
1876. Having With consunmate Skill aud I'M
surpassed craftsmanship directed the affairs OF
government through six years of unprec sdent-
ed difficulties during the existence Of assumed
q peace, and in measure harlnoaized the con-
fleeing passions growing ont Of the war, it az
pears to the popular understanding to be emf
nently consistent that he should finish the work
SO auspiciously begun and carfien OH.
If in their wisdom the people OF this country
should determine in this respect to depart iron
precedent, it would carry with it no impair
meat of the vitality of our republican institll
tons. 1t would be done through the recogniz-
ed an regular method provided in the funda
r. mental law 1t would foreshadow no depar
tnre from the principles of our government, no.
would it imply au insidious ambition on the
part of the object of this favor. The people
5 everywhere throughout the broad limits Of the
country earnestly yearn for solidity. safety ant
progress in the policy of the government. Il
+. the South especially where the effects of TIN
:. great. struggle Of '6l-65 have not yet been eff
: faced, is it essential that the impress of a con
sistent and settled policy be observed, that The
, confidence of the people may rest secure, ant
the laws be. enforced impartially and fairly
q. Stranger things have happened than the elec
ton Of Gen. Grant to a third term, and unless
sfsare are occurrences which will change the
popular current, such result is not without the
range of probability. ....r tsa