The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-07-06
From the New York Tribune, 3d.
FyetuDer,s Apology,

It is bardIysWorth while soWaste m l 81
| ingenuity in assigning motiyessfor governor !,
Kemper's letter giving what may be calied
for want of better word, his views 10 re
oard TO second rejection of General Grant
I He seens 10 be o man oflimted Intelligence
ami unlimited personal vanity, with s
stronger taste for public life than is justified
by his capacity for it. He has evidently
been greatly pleased by the gossip current in
Richmond that he and his friend Colo
mel Mosby were arranging third
| term movement which would carry
the Southern Conservatives in O
body over to General Grant, and
seizes the opportunity to define
| his position. In that fussy Insurance Of
| diction so dear to men of his calibre, he
| wraps bis intentions away out of sight, and
leaves no hint Of any purpose be may have
| in future. But as there is good deal too
| much leisure at this time in the South, his
letter will be read and talked about in many
thousand bar-rooms and on countless pave
ments in the twilight, by citizens with open
collars and tilted chairs. and hearts devoted
to the public good. "Kemper's position"
is thus made matter of public interest, and
as long as kemper walls it in mystery he is
sure Of wide and gratifying notoriety.
He is, of course. opposed to third term
on principle; but in view Of certain contin-
gencies, if General Grant would come out
strong against the civil-rights bill and then
somehow get nominated against some mis-
creaDt who is in favor of it, and then if the
Conservative party, as whole, should go for
Grant, then kemper would also go for him,
"but with protest on his lips against the
third-term principle" This is no new posi-
ton for kemper. He said sometime ago TO
his friend Mosby, and was so greatly pleased
with the saying that be prints it anew, sit
were better to elect Grant the third and the
seventh term than go under Hughes and his
negroes" This is the only point OF Mr..
kemper's manifesto. His friend, Colonel
Mosby, may be presumed to bave brought
from the White House the assurance I" that
Grant is no more niger than you or me. "
Indeed, the impression was general among
the Conservatives in Washington that
the President would have vetoed the civil
rights bill if it had been passed by
Congress. Acting upon this -SuppoSlflon,
the Governor declares that though he does
not believe in third terms as regular things,
and does not like the Presidents financial
action, nor his interference in local aifIlrs at
Petersburg. yet if it should come to square
issue between Mr.. Sumner or Mr.. Wilber
force and General Grant, and the General
were running on the straight Conservative
ticket, he would be compelled to vote reluc-
family, to use his own expression, for the
"thrd-termer."
The Governor has also been much graft |
fed at the public notice given to his visit to
the President while in Washington. He |
seems to think there was high degree of
moral courage involved in the act, and has |
no hesitation in saying that the interview |
g. was creditable both to himself and the |
President" Each OF them INDUCED in n |
style OF conversation which the Governor |
characteriZcs as "square and manly; and !
yet the Governor, in referring TO the inter-
view, appears to think that it was rather
mira dig. for him to call on the President, |
and he shelters himself behind the ConSeryu-
tive platform to excuse the eqliYocal act. |
The tone of bis explanation is that of Il pros
porous grocer who tells you he had poet to |
dinner with him yesterday, and adds, airlly, |
" like to know all Sorts
The letter is OF no consequence except as |
showing the kind of influences at work to
effect the reelection of the President, and
the utter absence in the minds OF the second
grade of politicians of any idea that there is |
such Il Thug rs principle involved in nomi- |
nations to high Office, or any relation be- |
tween the candidate and his antcccdentS. |
Here is the Governor of an important STATE,
one of the few which have not fallen entire |
" into the hands of the ra>cals who have |
plundercd and robbed tue South, elected |
solely 70 oppose the tendencies Of the doml-
nant party, whose leader and representa-
tive is The President, now cOolly suggest
ing that the President sha! hold bis |
tongue on the cyil-ri@htS bill, and seek |
Il Democratic nomination. for Il third |
term, rc>eryin@, however, the privilege of
voting for him or not, us he miy think pro-
per when lie time comes. So far as General
Grant is concerned, there is 10 reason why |
he should not be nominated by one party |
with rs much propriety lis by another. He
accepted the Republican nomination in 1868 !
merely because he was sure OF an election. |
If be should imagine that the Democrats have |
Il fair chance OF eiccting their candidate next !
time there would be no especial moral wrench !
for him in running H. their ncmncc. Bat
this consideration will probably not stand |
materially III his way in the work OF manip- |
ulating the Republican nomination in the
mean while, and rs Mr.. kemper has only adj
vertised rather than committed himself there |
is no harm done OF either side.