Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1875-02-10
Will President Grant Resign ?

NihS w e''''Nj III 'hC phCociII Slutc w.
our information, that His Excellenc,
will "make haste slowly )" but it shall
not be our fault if he is not fairly sup
| piled with all the pertinent reasons fol
guiding his Judgment, If he should
finally make q wrong decision the re
sponsibility will not be ours. If he
would consent to be governed by Other
wishes and other judgments than his
own he might be speedily relieved of
all embarrassment in so difficult Il
question. There is no point on which
public opinion would be so nearly
unanimous fpublic opinion could de-
eide it, Both political parties would
testify their gratitude and vie with
each other in browning him with hon
ors if he would do this great act for
the good of his country. His Re
publican fellow-ciizens would greet it
with welcoming plaudits, because it
would bring true and tried Republl
can into the Executive Mansion.-
Vice-Presideut Wilson has always
stood high in the confidence of the
party, and never higher than at pres
ent. His recent wise and excellent
letter shows a true appreciation ofthe
dargers which beset the party, and
points out the means of extrication
which would have the fairest promise
of success if he were elected to the
Presidency in pursuance Of the Con-
stitutional provision for vacancies. -
Mr.. Wilson has not bound his sense Of
consistency by following misguided
counsels, as His Excelleucy has. 1t
is against all probability that Mr..
Wilson, as President, would make
Acknowledgement Williams his legal
adviser, and it is certain that he would
be under no bias in favor of an office
holding brother in-law in Louisiana. -
He would be quite free from past COM
initials and be disposed to decide all
grave question on their merits, after
consultation with the most prudent and
sagacious of the Republican party
With the exception of the ofice-hold
ers the party would hail with delight
the access to the Presidency of an
original, consistent Republican and
cautious statesman like Mr.. Wilson.
The Democrats would not be quite so
well pleased, as the change would dim
the brightness of their party pros
poets. But even the Democrats would
be- glad Of an assurance that the sword
OF a military chieftain cannot be put
into orc side Of the political balance
in the next Presidential electiou.-
They would be willing to see His Ex
ce'lency's original motto, "Let us have
peace" accepted at last in the public
councils. His Excelency's resigna-
ton would be the most popular of all
his great services, and it would be the
unanimous verdict Of his countrymen
that nothing reflected so much lustre
on his public life as the act OF leaving
it. 1t is alike desired by his friends
and his enemies. We will not dwell
on the reasons of the latter, for the
arguments ofenemies are seldom per-
suasivc. If His
Exce'lency is really emulous of Wash
ington's great fame he is quite free to
follow his magnanimous impulses un-
restrained by the wishes of protest
ing country. 1t may be said, indeed,
that the question which held Wash
ington so long in hesitating perplexity
was whether he would consent to a
second term against his inclination,
not whether he would resign in the
midst oft. But if the country had
desired his resignation the would have
been promptly gratiIied, Hamilton
said to him in the letter from which
we have already quoted, Il think it
will he more eligible to retire from
office before the expiration of a term
of election than to decline a re-elec-
ton" There can be no doubt that
Washington would have so retired in
the midst of his second term if he had
rot felt assured that he would thereby
have crossed the unanimous wish OF
the country. His Exccllency may
fairly be excused from any similar
feelings of delicacy as to wounding
the love and trust and thwartipg the
wishes of his fellow-citzens. He has
an opportunity to complete the paral-
lei between himself and Washington
by surrendering the extra hundred
| thnnsnnl dollnrn urhinh fnll 70 hin, h..