The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-07-06

ing Unsurpassed intention to be again a can
didate for his present high office. When the
Governor of an important State, who is on
! friendly terms with the President and has
been favored with confidential interview at
the White House, comes before the public to
defend himself against the imputation OF
favoring third term, and his defence is a
virtual admission of the truth of the charge,
it is time tor General Grant to interpose and
set the question at rest There are methods
enough by which he can do so without any
violation of official decorum. Among others,
he might, without any breach of proprety,
address letter to Governor Kemper, inform
ing him that his discussion proceeds on
mistaken basis. inasmuch as the present occu-
pant of the Executive Mansion will not, under
any circumstances, consent to be again can
didate. He might strengthen his dis
claimer and secure undoubting belief In
its sincerity by cogent statement OF
the reasons why the faith OF the
country in the permanence OF our In
stitutions ought not to be disturbed
by so alarming an experiment. 1t would be
becoming and reassuring thing for the Presi-
dent to say repeating and endorsing the Ian
guage of Jefferson 81 should unwiilingly be
the person who should furnish the first ex-
ample of prolongation beyond the second
term of Office" AS Governor Kemper is the
first official person who has publicly dis
cussed this question he has furnished good
occasion for such a contradiction by President
Grant as will extinguish this controversy and
relieve the widespread public apprehensions.
The Governor of State whom the President
invited to his house for confidential inter-
view is not beneath his notice, and letter
correcting the misconceptions of that func-
tionary would be fit and timely. But if
General Grant should think some other
method of quoting the public mind more
consistent with his official position the coun-
try will be too glad Of the substan ce to cavil
on the form
AS the occasion for distinct denial on the
part of the President seemed clear after the
publication of Governor Kemper's letter, it
must to all seem well nigh imperative, in view
of the utterances of Senator Gordon, of
Georgia, which we give in another column.
Senator Gordon, upon his return home, was
interviewed by an Atlanta journalist and this
topic was somewhat largely dealt with.
Gordon spoke of himself as 'very intimate
with the President almost as much so as
any one'-and he declaredi it as his conviction
that the President was exceedingly anxious
to run again" This sounds almost like
feeler OF public opinion directly from the
IA Nth ryiv
glimpse Of what it would perhaps not be in
accurate to call a programme. Grant, he
says, does not care to make his third run as a
party candidate, but as peoples candidate.
Fortunately we all know what in such cases
the people candidates are. If a man can
not get regular nomination OF either party
he has himself put up by committee of his
personal adherents with loud declarations
( that the people demand this candidate and no
other. General Grant has adheren.s enough
in Office to play this game in very respectable
style, and he should not by his silence give
strength to the opinion that he will profit by
| such course.
Washington, who first set the wise prece-
dent of declining third election, thought
/
communicated to the people Of the United
States in a public address. No President
ever cherished higher and strcter notions,
either of his personal dignity or the
dignity of his Office, than Washington;
but his views of propriety were not
SO fastidious as to require him to wait until a
third election or third nomination was
offered him before publicly declining it. The
occasion of his celebrated Farewell Address
was his determination to retire from Office at
the close of his second term. He published
it at an early period, before any steps had
been taken for the next election. His illus
trious example would shield and vindicate
General Grant from the unseemliness of de-
clinng an honor of which there has been no
E. responsible proffar. Washington rightly
judged that the people were entitled to know
the intentions of the highest officer of their
government The first paragraph of the
Farewell Address is in these words THE
period for a new election of citizen to ad-
minister the executive government of the
United States being not far distant and the
time actually arrived when your thoughts
must be employed in designating the person
who is to be clothed with that important
trust it appears to me proper, especially as it
may conduce to mora distinct expression of
the public voice, that should now apprize
you of the resolution have formed to decline
being considered among the number of those
out Of whom choice is to be made" If it
was consistent with Washington's dignity
to make such an announcement previous to
the opening Of the canvass it cannot be de-
rogatory to General Grant. The similar
declaration by Jefferson was equally public
and still further in advances Of the election.
The justification, in both cases, consisted in
the TACT that the nnssihilitY of another ra=elec-