Weekly Trinity journal., 1875-06-05
THE SILENCE BROKEN.

ion. disclaimng any intention or desire 9
IF securing thi,d term for himself as
President. In this the President has fol-
owed the only course consistent with the 9
dignity of the high position he occupies
1t is nearly three years now since t2e N
Y. Herald first thrust this piece OF tom
Toolery upon the public observation, and
i has indeed been godsend to every class
IF the genus politician whose sole hope OF
political preferment was based upon the
dement's, real or imaginary, Of their OPP
1t had got to be settled thing
with the Democratic press to see the
" Third Term" in every act of the Ad-
Ininistration. Was Minister or Consul
appointed to any foreign country, it was
the reward he received for being good
I" third termer." When government |
agents unearthed system Of frauds upon |
the revenue and the corrupt officials who |
had sanctioned it we're notified that their
services were no longer required, then the
cry went up that they were removed to
make way for some good Third Term"
advocates. And even in sending troops
10 cha,tise outrsges committed along the
Me xican border, the lying press saw
movement to inaugulate foreign war,
which should be made an instrument OF
bringing Grant before the people with
additional claims to their gratitude. In
short, there WINS nothing possible of ac-
compli.hment that third term" d.
rection was not given By the Democratic
organs and their flea catching indie
pendent" allies.
But the charge. no matter how 1t origl-
mated, or the motives for which it was
kept up, was not without the effect intend :
ed On tic principle that lie well stuck
to is as good as the truth, he question has
been carried into every political canvass
during the past year and although 1t had
its origin in the crazy brain of sensation
editor, its effect has been disastrous to the
Repu bican cause. And while the cool
headed leaders of the party felt that an
issue, false in itself, and false in its con
ception, was forced upon them, they were
powerless for time to repel it. 1t Is
harder work TO deal with phantoms than
realities. But we always held that when
"a fitting opportunity presented itself for
the President to define his position, he
would do so and in this we are not dsap-
!; pointed. The opportunity was offered by
, the adoption Of resolution in the State
f platform o. the Pennsylvania Republic
| ans, disclaiming against third term To-
. President. The subject had been talked
: into such notoricty that Il step Of this ma
ture became necessary to give the Presl
dent an opportunity Of declaring himself
if he saw fit, and the action of Pennsyl
= yania would have been followed speedll,
5 by every other State where Republican
= conventions are to oe held. But the m
= swer of President Grant does away, in
} great measure, with the necessity for an,
Q further declarations of sentiment upor
that subject and although it is human ma
ture to carp and pick flaws in everything
vet we do not doubt that the President
e letter will be accepted by all candid mind
t as satisfactory.
: On one point the views of the Presiden
, are expressed with clearness which Gu
G not tail to strike every logical mind
: That is in the absuIdity of the proposition
: that any President can force nomination
y of himself or that having forced nomin
alton, he can be elected. 1t is II slur o.
the patriotism of the American peopl
which should have been resented as al
insult rather than be entertained asa sub
iect of serious thought, to have held forti
q the idea that the power Of any one man
y however great his prestige, could be
% exercised rs to deprive them of the rlgf
~ ofexpressing their untrammeled Thoughts
~ And in this connection we may add th'
the remedy proposed by the alarms
9 would fall far short of effect. Whenev'
the American people become so low IN II
- scale of political degradation that de
- pot can substitute his will for theirs,
= constitutional amendment inhibiting
" third term will be found no barrier to I'll
accomplishment of his designs. Whe
The stretch of DIES ootc authority is mao
to reach so far that it will paralyze the wi
of a nation, the mere existence Of col
80 stitutional impeachment will be found
possess no virtue Is against the march
despotism. The constitution needs no a
teratiun in that respect, for it would
-, respected by good men only, and prov
- no barrier to the designs of bad one
!. We do not believe that an exigcncy in Il
h affairs of our country will ever arise wht
the popular voico will be raised in fav
-, of President being elected for one mo
term than any of his predecessors, but
80 clse that time should come, it is best
:. have not lost the power through the iea
>, 0; ftt-wittel sensatioaalists. In a Ian
- where education is so general, where Il
! power Of the press is unfettered and III
- trammelcd and where the average INTEL
:, gence of the voting population reaches
N higher s.andatd, as one year succee
y another, the full power Of government CT
- be safely left in the hands Of the peopl
>. So long as that condition exists our libe
"a ties will lie preserved and when it cease
n If it ever does oeuse, another form of go
10 ornment will be needed to suit the alter
IN condition. 1t is not the scheme of a pc
sible Caesar that we are TO guard again:
bat the reign Of ignorance, which alol
n could make his design practicable. II
r alarmists who scent danger from unhear
is ofand impossible sources, will find enoul
or to engage their attention if it is sought Il