National Republican., 1875-06-03
WHAT'S cEsARIsMl

C8Sarlsm has been raised IN this country,
when, in a Republic, this clamor is as be-
reft of sense as the brain that could have
conceived such an idea. In this country
the people rule, and there is no measure of
personal ambition or cunning or ingenuity
that can devise or contrive an agency Of
sufficient power to circumvent the popular
will The ancients conceded that "the
voice of the people is the voice of God, "
and it is not possible for the designs of men
to overturn the plans and purposes of Om-
impotence. Hence, if the people, the Re-
publican masses of the United States, shall,
in their cool and determinate judgment,
decide that Gen. Grant is the most accept
able and available candidate for the next
Presidency, no measure Of prejudice, hate
or bigoted hostility can raise Third
Term" clamor that will intimidate or deter
the popular will from pursuing its own
promptingS to the end of the canvass. In
such an event we have no fear that the
public veal is TO be in any degree jeOpar-
dized.
If Gen. Grant was prompted by an amb
ton as limitless as that of Caesar of old, he
has no power to pcrpetuatc his own rule,
aud the greater the demonstration of that
thirst the less would his chances grow. In
this country the people rule under a COnsti-
tuition which limits the terms of President
only by disqualifying age, II the found
ers of our Constitution had discovered or
apprehended the danger which this Third
Term hue and cry cOntemplates, they
would clearly have defined limit which
would have bounded the national good
with safety. This they did not do, for the
reason that they trusted the intelligence
patriotism and honesty of the people. They
foresaw that a wicked ruler could not, by
any ambitious agencies of position and
power, deceive and mislead the popular
judgment, and thus perpetuate kis own
rule. For this very reason, when the ques-
tion of limiting the tenure of the presiden-
tial office to a single term of seven years
was raised, it was determined, under the
wisdom of the statesmen of that day, that
the term should be limited to four years,
but that no barrier should be placed be-
tween wise and just President and any
number of terms that the people might de-
sire for him within that period when age
becomes a defined disqualification for the
trust
What we say now on this question is
only in consideration Of it abstractly. 1t
is not whether General Grant shall become
a candidate for another term. That ques-
ton is with the people, and in the womb
of the future, to be solaced in accordance
with the promptings of the popular judg-
ment when the proper time shall arrive for
its determination. 1t may be that the peo-
pie will speak on this question with dis
tinctness and power not to be disregarded.
Then may arise the circumstance" so
wisely alluded to by the President in his
letter on the Third Term" proposition,
when an imperative sense Of duty will
point to an acceptance of the Presidency
for the third time. If the people do not
want General Grant for another term they
will not have him, no matter what his per-
sonal aspirations may be. But if it shall
appear TO be the popular judgment that his
denomination and reelection will best sub
serve the public good, then he can decide
the question of acceptance. Until then he
has only to await the action of public SEN
timent and the expression of the popular
will. This he will do with marked COM
plaCcncy, believing in the justice of the
people and in the wisdom of that overrul-
ing Power which shapes and presides over
the destinies of nations, and has borne this
Republic through all its trials in safety
There is no sound and legitimate argu-
ment that Can be urged against the re-elec-
tion of wise and Just President for three
or more terms. Experience, allied to
wise sense Of justice in administering pub
lie affairs, adds greatly to the usefulness of
the President of Government which COM
prises more than forty millions of people.
This experience, held in such relation, is
Of inestimable value TO the national well
fare, and presents a strong reason for con-
tinuing in place one who has shown him
self TO be honest and capable beyond a
question; while, on the other hand, when
a President has proved himself wanting in
capacity and honesty, the people know it,
and will soon determine his fate, and limit
his power TO the term IN which he has be-
trayed his real character, and where public
respect and confidence cease TO exist.
We trust that this Third Term bugaboo
has spent itself and will no longer haunt
the Republican party. Its duty is plain,
and no false issue should be allowed to in
terpose TO defeat or divert its action in pro-
viding this Government with Republican
President for the next four years at least
This is the pivotal point upon which the
future peace and prosperity of the nation
hangs, and must not be lost sight of by the
friends of good government and human
rights.