The New York herald., 1874-08-21
The Pennsyivania Convention and
the Third Term.

In the pennsylvania convention tnere were
three distinct declarations on the subject of
the third term; and all were not
only firmly but emphatically and ener-
getically against it. Before the resolu-
tions were read a man supposed to be a
postmaster requested the Convention to
declare in general terms its approval of the
national administration and to pledge the
support of the republicans OF Pennsylvania to
General Grant 'sin the event OF his being
candidate for q third term" This seemed
sufficiently guarded. 1t contemplated the
'third term only as a contingent possibility,
and it asked the stanch countrymen OF the
keystone State to make one of those cheap
and vapid declarations that it is generally
thought bind nobody, and may readily be
trampled under foot when the occasion re-
quires.
But the very subject incensed the mass and
excited an angry and violent opposition, which
closed the case against the postmaster by
common impulse of hostility to the topic that
seems so sweet and pleasant in the nostrils of
postmasters and other ofhce-holders. But the
subject came up again in way in which it ne
ing as part of its proper programme In the reg
ular resolutions there is no direct reference to
General Grant and no direct allusion to the
third term: but the Convention declares it's
opinion that Governor Hartranft is "qualified
to adorn" the Executive Office and would be
the best imaginable candidate for 1876. Now
Hartranft is not Grant, and that, it seems, is
f1,o = ba,i ikokad
to pronounce the straightforward words that
might sound like an uncalled-for imputation,
and so assumed that Grant at the end Of two
terms was necessarily out OF the race, and
that candidate was to be chosen from
the number of other prominent republicans.
In fact the Convention is not unlike
Mr.. Beecher in its caution. When that gen.
neman was asked what he thought of some
recent statements as to the late scandal pub
lished in Chicago paper he said he ''thought
that Jupiter was noble god.' So in Plu-
tarch, when an eminent ancient was asked
which was the better of two flute players, he
said, ''Polysperchon is the best general" Here,
now, is all the Long Branch colony from
Jones, ofNevada to Murphy of any place you
please, and here are all the postmasters and
collectors Of the country wondering and wait
ing to hear what the Pennsylvania repubi-
cans have to say to Grant for q third term,
and. instead OF satisfying this noble curiosity,
the Convention answers Hartranft is good
man for '76.
By the adoption of this resolution the Con-
vention pronounced distinctly against the
third term, therefore; but as if this were not
enough, it SO pronounced by distinct vote
on the proposition to strike out the reference
to Hartranft In favor of the suppression of
this part of the resolutions there were only
dozen votes, and all the rest OF the body were
in clear sympathy with the thoughts of the
member who said that ''the precedent of
Washington was the common law of oil par
ties"
Pennsylvania and the Pennsylvania repub-
licans are entitled to be heard on the subject
of the third term. Their one hundred and
thirty-seven thousand majority for Grant in
I 1872 may be regarded as fair warrant for
r the expression of an opinion. And if there
is any Northern State where the wirepullers
and great office-holders may be supposed
capable of controlling party action and Of
forcing political programme in defiance Of
the people it is, perhaps, the Keystone State;
for the people there depend upon the general
Congress for legislation in their favor, which
they know to be contrary to he interests of
the people of the country at large. They de-
pend upon their party leaders to secure that
legislation, and they have been in the habit
of assuming on national subjects any attitude
that their party leaders told them they must
assume as the price of continued protection
to Pennsylvania industries. But they will
not accept the third term, even as price for
protection. They viii have nothing whatever
to do with it.
Will this open the eyes of the President to
the position into which he has been drawn
by an intrigue of mere hungry aspirants for
spoils and plunder? He has refused to speak
for himself, and Pennsylvania has spoken to
him in manner which cannot be misunder-
stood. The significance of this utterance is
evident when we remember that the American
people have never insisted upon third term,
and the bankers, capitalists, manufacturers
: and business men generally who are said to
desire it, have never given it any support Of
q popular movement to re-elect General Grant
there are no indications. IT, therefore, he
has contemplated the possibility of renomi.
nation, his sole reliance must have been upon
the politicians Of his party. Now here is q
politicians convention, controlled by the
leading republicans of Pennsylvania, and il
does not hesitate to treat the third
term movement with open contempt.
! To substitute Hartranft for Grant is
} to coolly dismiss the latter from the
list of possible candidates; it is to assume bis
political non-existence at the end of his pres