The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-06-01
The PeIiticaI EHert OF President
Grants Letter.


Although this tardy letter keeps open line
Of retreat and comes in direct collision with
the Pennsylvania resolution by which 1t was
extorted, it will, nevertheless, have very
considerable political effect. 1t is SO worded
as to admit OF two interpretations, but 1t is
only the sense in which it is accepted by the
republican party that has any very close bear
ing on practical politics. The republicans
viii unanimously construe it as an I'M
equivocal deelination by General Grant
OF a third nomination for the Presidency
! All their party leaders aud newspaper organs
are certain to put this Interpretation on the
letter, and TO hold its author bound by his
declaration in the sense in which they prefer
TO understand it. They can be relied on to in
terpret it in accordance with the interest and
wishes of the party, which has long been anx-
ious to cut itself loose from the third term
milestone without an open rupture with
the President OF late their sense OF
danger has become SO active that
they were ready TO cast off the dam
aging imputetion, even at the risk OF
such quarrel. They will make the most of
the Presidents public declaration, and their
strong instinct OF self-preservation will impel
them to scout all reasoning founded on the
equivocal language Of the letter which tends
to convict its author OF shutting insincerity.
| As religious sects interpret the Bible 10 sup
port their own dogmas so the republicans
will interpret this letter in accordance with
their sincere wish to get rid of the third term
incubus. 1t is obvious that the political ef-
feet of the letter will depend on the republic
can, not the democratic, Interpretation.
Nobody has ever supposed that Grant would
be run for third term unless by republican
nomination. The democrats would be glad
TO see him brought again into the field, be-
cause they think him an easy candidate to
beat but the democratic party will not make
the republican nomination. Unless his own
party dominates him Grant will not be again
a candidate, and as If is notorious that they
do not want him there is no room
to doubt what construction they will
put upon his letter. They will maintain
that it is a remuneration which binds
his honor. which he could not violate without
a plain breach Of sincerity If he did not in
tend to make final withdrawal why did he
write the letter? In spite of its reservations
and its open line OF retreat the republicans
will say and say with unanswerable force,
that it would be egregious trifing for the
President to break his long and stubborn
silence merely to leave the question as un-
settled as it was before. Unless he meant TO
put it a. rest his letter is a solemn imper-
Thence. Respectful courtesy to the President
will constrain his own party to disregard his
equiyocations and treat his letter as an abso-
lutte renunciation Of further political aspiIa-
tons. If they desired his third election his
letter would interpose no obstacle to another
nomination; but as they deprecate the idea
and feel that the party is imperilled by leav-
ing the question open they viii treat the
letter as an irreversble declaration by
General Grant that be will not again be
| candidate. They are entitled to accept it in
this sense, because the only valid excuse for
writing it at all was 10 settle the doubt
4 1t is the certainty that the whole republican
4 party-the certainty that all its accredited
organs and recognized leaders VIII insist on
this view Of the letter-that gives il political
| importance The party viii hereafter repu-
I date and scoff At the idea Of third term
without any seeming want Of deIcacy to
/ President Grant which is great point
4 gained, considering the general belief that he
! had set his heart on a third election. The
I friends Of every rival republican candi-
I date FOR the nomination in 1876 will
7 be free 70 prosecute an active can
! yass in lis favor, and they VIII take
( good care that the reservations Of the
letter are not interpreted by the party in the
sense in which they were doubtless intended.
/ Neither Grant nor his ofice-holding brigade
viii venture 10 utter breath Of contradiction
\ TO the sense in which all his competitors for
the nomination will insist upon understand
ing his letter. The party will appeal from bis
actual language to the exigency Of the occa-
l sion, and judge his utterance not BY the letter
(which killcth,' but BY the spirit which
"giveth life" II be intends to be 4 can
didate his letter Is dishonest, and the re-
pubicans are justified, in spite Of its reserva-
\ tons and its open line Of retreat in treating
\ it a. a square remuneration Of all further
political pretcnsions. They will unquestion-
ably put this face upon j. because
/ il is for the interest Of their party;
aud when tie whole party Is brought
10 believe that Grant has pledged
his honor not 70 be again 4 candidate il will
\ be out % the power Of . prmtorian guard oil
office-hoIders 10 make him one. However this
letter may have been intended, it settles the
third term question, because the republican
marty will hold the President to his ostensible
Withdrawal When the republican party pnts
Inn beyond the psle a choice no other party
can step in end make him . candidate. Every
thing, therefore, depends on the sense ia
which The republicans accept the Presidents
letter. ii they regard i IS an absolute and
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