The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1875-06-04

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From the N. 2. Herald
The Presidents Answer at Lass--Oen-
eral Grant Upon the Third Term.
The letter addressed by General Grant
to General White, the president Of the
Pennsylvania Republican convention, |
which we print this morning, is the most |
important political declaration he has
made since his accession to office. 1t will
be remembered that the state convention
of the Republican party in Pennsylvania
passed resolution declaring that the nom
ination of any president for three or
more terms would be a violation of sacr-
ed tradition of the constitution. This
resolution came as the expression of vari
Gus forms Of opinion. The Democrats had
made serious ii not fatal inroads upon the
Republican supremacy by their arguments
in reference to third term. The Republ-
cans, or that large portion of them who
with true citizenship cared more for the
country than the party, resented the lntrl-
CUES of even candidate as illustrious as
General Grant to overthrow cardinal
principle OF the republic. They saw, even
as their political opponents loudly, claimed,
that such a violation, such departure
from the solemn and immutable principles
of the constitution, would be an innova-
ton, the result of which no one could
foresee. For, while in America we are
governed by a written constitution, an
instrument inspired by the wisdom OF the
fathers, there is also in all representative
governments an unwritten law, like the
English constitution, which represents the
wisdom and experience OF generations
and has in the minds of all patri-
otto people the value of written law. 1t
is this tradition which has made the hold
ing of the presidency for more than two
terms an infringement of our liberties. No
one has ever supposed that there was any
special danger in the presidency Of Gener-
al Grant or of any other officer. 1t would
be poor compliment to our love of iber-
ty, to our devotion to democratic institu-
tons and our respect for the labors and
achievements of the men who gave us in
dependence. destroyed the naval suprema-
cy of England, aud accomplished emanci-
patton, to suppose that the sovereign peo-
pie of this family of sovereign states would
be afraid of the ambition or the power of
any one man.
We have never mad this fear. But be-
hind Grant there were elements which
could not be overlooked. Their influence
was felt more and more every day. There
was the war spirit-our almost barbariC
reverence for the conquering soldier
which gave so much power in our politics
to Washington and Jackson, Scott, Tay-
lor and Grant, and which in the times of
our fathers gave to Marlborough and Wei
lington power SURPRISING even that of the
throne. These captains we're greater than
kings, and there was no knowing where
the same spirit of inherited hero-worshiT
would lead us. There was the dislocatior
of politics, and society and finances which
came with the war. We had sheered of
from the old mooriDgs and the old charts
We had strained the constitution. We
gradually came to make light of laws anC
forms and rights which in the past were as
sacred as the tablets of Sinai t.
the wondering tribes of Israel. The
presidency had grown from dig
nifty and mere ministerial func
ton to be vast and almost irrespon
sible authority. The failure of impeach
ment, even when sustained by genera
public sentiment and the party in power
had shown the presidency to be as irres
ponslble and almost as absolute as
crown. Our politics had shown a genera
Difference to presidential wishes and yield
ing to presidential authority on the part o
members of the house, of senators. higl
officers in the army and the navy, of part
leaders, OF judges on the bench. Abov
all there had grown up corrupt publ
sentiment-jobbery in Washington, ring
in the treasury and the Indian depart
ments, railway combinations to control tn
votes of congressman and divert the pub
lie lands and the public revenues to tn
use Of venal men. Steadily, slowly, with
out check and almost without remon
STRANGE the government had grown to b
an army, with military cohesion aud dis
cipline, an army owing its life to Genera
Grant, and obeying him as the soldie
obeys his captain. Martial law was intro
duced into his party. Men were polit
cally slain for their opinions as ruthlessl
as mutineers and deserters are shot by
provost guard. And when we saw anon
these victims men as illustrious and hou
ored as Sumner and Greeley and Schur7
what opinion could be formed other tina
that the president had become create
than the part. or the people, or even tn
Republic ITSELF and that it remained wit
him and with his troops to say whether h
would be content with the honors given {
Washington and Jackson, or seek even
higher example in military careers, an
aim to be as Caesar or Bonaparte?
The letter of the president will be rea,
at the first blush as a release from thi
danger, for which he himself partly ant
Republicans largely are responsible, w
wish we could think so. This is an ex
ceedingly adroit and able letter. 1t ha
all the clumsy strength and energy O
Grants simple, numbering style. We ca
see as we read that the hand which wrot
it is more familiar with the sword tina
with the pen. 1t is meant to satisfy tn
long repressed demand of the country ]
is the surrender Of Grant to public sent
ment. 1t is his confession that Cesarsisr
is something more than Herald sensa
ton, inspired by dislike to himself an
his party. He admits that there is NOR
in this discussion than midsummer news
paper mischief. 1t is an absolute admi:
sion that, great as Grant is in his ow
person and fame, and high as he is in hi
place the press, represented in its indepeu
dence by the Herald, is higher and grea,
er. We wish we could say more tina
this, and that we could regard this as
satisfactory letter. 1t is far from being Sc
There is nothing in this letter to proven
General Grants acceptance of the pres
dency for a third term. There is no ex
preston of allegiance TO that sacred trad
ton that third term would be PRACTICAL