National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1875-04-05

Observation-Disclosures, Polk, Fillmore, Blu
"chanan and Johnson-sought to be can
"didates for reelection, but failed even to
"get nominated for second term" Here
is more comfort, solid chunks of it, unless
one remembers that the Adamses, Van Blu
rem, Tyler, Polk, Fillmore, Buchanan and
johnson were altogether of different style
than President Grant, who, according to
the Tribune, will be deserted by the poll
ticians and office-holders in the third year
of his present term. There is no class OF
men, than the politicians, says the Tribune,
who ARE better skilled in weighing the
possibilities of elections" Sad as it may
seem, we are impelled to expose the fallacy
of this assumption by referring the Tribune
to the experience of 1872. The politicians
began at Cincinnati, and ended at Balti-
more, series of efforts to lead the people
away from the paths of principle, and the
result was their utter defeat in the Novem-
Der election.
The Philadelphia convention had but
small number of ofice-holders in its men,
bership, or politicians, and it must be ad-
mitted that those who were delegates were
patriotic enough not to abandon principle
for policy's sake. If they had been politi-
cal deserters, as their opponents at CIncin-
natl and Baltimore were, it would not have
mattered who they selected for a candidate,
the people would have repudiated their
action. Horace Greeley was well known,
more prominently known than any other
man in the country, as an Abolitionist and
as a determined supporter of extreme Re-
publicanism. For this reason the politi-
clans, the mongrel combination of disap-
pointed and soreheaded spirits in the Re-
publican ranks known as Liberal Repub-
licans, with the faint. hearted Democrats,
took him up for policy sake and made him
their candidate. The Democrats knew
they could not win on a square, fair, Dem
Ocratic platform, and they hoped by COM
promising with the Republican apostates to
be able to carry their ticket. Gen. Grant,
on the contrary, was known as an anti
6ellUm Democrat, but as a man who had
loved and served his country, who had
been magnanimous to his cOuntry's foes
when in the hour of victory his word
would have been sufficient to consign them
to cruel and infamous punishment, and when
he stood in the breach to defend the rebels
against the malignant designs of a powerful
national administration. AT the same
tine he was made the candidate for a
party acknowledged to be the exponent of
undying principles, and became the stand
ard bearer of thousands of followers who
tied their faith unyieldingly TO those prin-
ciples. The politicians, the political news
papers and, in short all the elements of
discord which could be invoked were
brought to bear in opposition to him. Ger
tain public journals, formerly acknowledged
to be influential, and which were influen-
tial so long as they remained true to estab-
lished policy and principle, were enlisted
in that opposition. But in the end not
single vote was cast in the Electoral Col
lege for their candidate and "Mr." Grant
was re. elected almost without opposition.
These are historical facts undeniable
facts. They teach lesson, the lesson of
experience. But palmer than anything
GlSeJ I0ey prove lDdl luc pOllIlCldus cry
sgainst the mere shadowy possibility of a
Third Term for President Grant is sheer
nonsense. AS the Tribune says, the
people will settle this matter for them
selves; but we add that mere politicians
are false prophets. 1t is true that the
office-holders may be selfish and interested,
may resort TO doubtful subterfuges to re-
tain their places, and may be superservice-
able, at times, in the defence of the ap-
pointing power; but behind all this re-
sides the unerring instinct of the masses
and the fortuitOus promptings of the peo-
pie, which never fails to so shape public
affairs as TO eventually secure the greatest
good TO the greatest number. If, in the
realization of this, President Grant shall
be reelected, who will object? And if
some other man shall be chosen, no citi-
zen who has any regard for the mainte-
nance of a popular form of government
will assert a dissenting voice. But the
politicians" have nothing to do with it.