The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-08-06
The Third Term

The Third Term
The public had become somewhat '''.u "
this phrase, We suppose, but the Ne" ION
poro,d,s Long Branch correspondent Das
s;v,n il flesh interest By reporting MAJ
p,es;dcu, GRANT is said to have commun''
Gated to Liberal Republican from the west
To;s Long Branch Interviewer may p'
shooting out of "long bow" but we 'p.
prebend we shall not 5000 kno" any oe''''
Tor. as a friend says. General GRANT WIZ
hardly deny the accusation II anyoouS W..
% charge that he had poisoned ms mo'hei T.
If he is correctly reported by the el'c' :"
.hc Herald which we published yesterday
poornjnc. "the great silent man . was for
once in quite taking mood.
Take the reported interview with the LID
ora, Republican as we may, it will create
stir. and add much to the excitement ane
the maruuvrcs in the political arena. IL
willincresse party confusion, and cause much
uncertainty and indeciSioa amongst pollti
clans.
Speakipg for the present, We are net clear
what is best, and we remain unc"mmrttea
That the presidential term Will be EXTENDED
by some one at time not far in the future
we feel satisfied. Every country has shord'
ed an example of this. This Government i
roo strong to allow for any great perled Inc
principal officer Of government TO be di''
placed, and succeeded by another every ioul
wears. The motives for holding on to power
will be too strong, and the bead OF the GOV
erpmfn. will he 100 we'll sustained BY the
authority he wields, and the patronage ne
controls, to allow the term OF ofhee 10 NC
limited 10y mere custom. Public op'nion
will be unable to keeps check upon personal
ambition thus powerfully fortified.
7. is therefore. TO reflective minds absurd
for p.ople 10 say that there Derer VIII DC
third term or tnat the Presidential office
will never be extended. We cannot nope
for apv such exemption for this country
from the fate of ali rations. The PIeSden-
rial office must at sometime be extended ahd
the ruler of the country will possess and
syprcise a power that will as much exceed
that exerted by the Federal PRECEDENT since
the war as that power has exceeded the SIM
ole powers OF President aS defined and eXer-
c,sed by the fret Presidents Of the Union.
Entertaining these opinions. We have felt
no great and undying respect for one ancient
Usage after seeing so many just as sacred dis
carded and tlampled into the dust. And we
have said that for really good, honest, i'm
partial. and wise President, We would be
happy to see the old custom disregarded by
Iii. reelection any number of terms.
This is what We believe would be the
best for the country. We know that the
Presidential a. pirants who are numerous
aud their friends will fight hard fight for
;he "spcient CUSTOM" and that because they
want to get to the White House they will
uake loud professions OF veneration for
,be "ancicnt custom" which they do not
eel. But in spite OF all this there will be
fight before long for the third, and possibly
tLe fourth and fifth term.
We have never minated disposition 10
support General GRANT, and we shall by no
means DO 80 now. But We repeat what we
have often said, that if the country could
get proper President for third or fourth
Term il would be better off than it can be
with the fearful agtations and corruptions
of the presidential canvass every four years.
We hope the discussion will proceed. 1t
strs up the tXpcciants, and sets new sails to
catch popular currents. 1t will help to pu-
siiy ;he political atmosphere, and reform the
puhlc policy with better regard for the
general welfare and less for the spirit of IA
na,icis,n ard the dictates OF bigolry and Sec
rinr:.i ulnlirc