The New York herald., 1874-10-26
The Third Term Question and the
Public Press.


title to attention, have been, for the last two
or three weeks. discussing the third term ques-
ton as the gravest topic OF the period, might,
perhaps, soothe the vanity of the HERALD
II its only object in pressing this subject
on public attention had been to create tran
sient sensation But we disclaim such trivial
motives in dealing with political question OF
the gravest magnitude. We thought it our
duty to raise voice of warning against the
most portentous peril which has beset our
free institutions, and the satisfaction we feel
in the recent Endorsement of such ''cloud of
witnesses" as is furnished by our contempo-
raries consists in the hope that we are to
have able and jealous allies in rous-
ing the public mind to a sense of dan
ger. 1t seems to us that the journals of the
country have not yet grasped the whole extent
of this question; that they stick in the bark
instead of penetrating to the pith of danger
which threatens to subvert republican govern
ment in this country. Nothing could be more
superficial than to regard it as mere question
of President Grants personal ambition. And
yet this is the vein in which our contempora-
ries are discussing it They are at length con-
vinced, after pouring SO much shallow ridicule
on the HERALDs warnings, that there is real
danger of third term; but they do not per-
ceive that the source of this danger lies far
deeper than the personal aspirations of the
President now in Office. They accordingly
seem to think that the whole peril would be
averted if General Grant would publicly dis
avow the aspirations he is supposed to cherish
in manner so unequivocal as to bind his
personal honor to refuse third nomination.
With all due respect we think this q very
superficial view Of the subject 1t is not
what General Grant may personally de-
sire, but what the condition of the country
may enable him to attain, that is the real
ground of apprehension and alarm. The
philosophy Of this question is not yet under
stood; but the recent public awakening
against Grants aspirations and the deep
interest with which the question is lately dis
cussed afford some ground to hope that we
may gain the serious attention OF the country
to deeper philosophical probing than this
question has yet received. We shall be greatly
mistaken if the arguments we have yet to pre-
sent do not make profound impression.
But our present purpose is merely to call
attention to the great prominence the third
term discussion has lately assumed in the
public press The most noteworthy instance
is recent able leader in the Evening Post,
written as we are assured on trustworthy
personal information, by Mr.. Bryant himself.
1t is needless to say that q gentleman of Mr..
Bryant's eminent standing in the literature
and politics of his country and his fastidious
sense of personal dignity would not me
out of his retirement at his advanced age
to indorse o mere newspaper sensation.
This eminent patriot who is one of the bright
est ornaments of American letters, and the
only survivor of the distinguished body of
New York journalists who so powerfully in
fuenced public opinion in the last generation,
has better title to be heard than almost any
other public writer. Certain it is that he
would not take up his pen, SO little used Of
late, on any subject which he did not think of
first rate importance. Mr. Bryant has evil
dently become convinced that the third term
question is serious peril, and if younger and
more alert journalists were first to descry the
danger, it is all the more creditable to his
ing at SO late q day, when no other motive
than slow and reluctant sense of public dam
ger could have called him to the front. The
admirable article to which we allude. and
which proves how fully the vigorous faculties
Of early manhood are in his case preserved
at an advanced period of life, closes with this
frank declaration:-" causeless, however
is this innovation upon the settled usages of
the country, so inexcusable on any pretence
! OF present necessity and 80 pregnant with
danger for the future, that we feel ourselves
bound frankly to say that from whatever quar-
ter the nomination of President Grant for a
third term may proceed, it will meet no sup
port from this journal"
In view Of the tone of scofing ridicule with
which the HERALD's first notes Of warning
were greeted the earnest Endorsement of q
publicist SO able experienced and respected
as Mr.. Bryant may well console us for the
fippant obloquy of small journals which saw
nothing in this great subject but transient
newspaper sensation. But we feel less salts
faction in some other attempts to support the
position of the HERALD. We are assured, on
authority in which we have the fullest con-
fdence, that Judge Pierrepont, an intimate
and confidential friend of the President, did
actually say what has been attributed to
him in conversation at Congress Hall,
in Albany. The names of the gentlemen with
whom he had that conversation have bee
communicated to rs, with free permission to
use them to authenticate the conversation.
We trust it is scarcely necessary to say that
the HERALD declines to avail itself Of such a
permission. In our judgment the cas-
ual conversations of gentleman in
hotel, uttered in the freedom of