The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1875-06-03
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We shall be surprised if the country accepts
this as satisfactory. declaration from the
President. 1t is an evasive letter. 1t would
have been much better for his fame, and even
Tor the welfare OF the party which he proposes
to serve it. he had not written it.-Nelc York
| Herald.
This manifesto is an act of the greatest po-
itical cruelty on the part of the author. At
one fell swoop it Gisposes of all the election
eerng capital which depended upon the
"third term" humbug-Boston Transcript
"He put it by" said honest Casca, making
his report of the scene in the market-place,
"but, to my thinking, he was very loath to
lay his fingers off it," Tha. is what is the
matter with President Grant. He is very
loath to lay his fingers off it-so loath, indeed
| that even the suggestive rap across the
knuckles administered by the Pennsylvania
Republican Convention doesn't work conyic-
tion. 1t is evident enough that he is very
angry that the Convention should have taken
such aliberty.-SprinatfeLd Republican.
| In this letter, announcing his fealty TO the
unwritten law of the land, Gen. Grant but
| says what his friends have said for him all
| along. 1t is therefore nothing new. 1t is
proof however, of Gen. Grants strong devo-
| tion to the Republican party when, to do it a
1
| al feelings and undertake the distasteful task
to gentleman of denying silly SANDER
| Philadelphia Press.
Although somewhat Dephic in its phrase
ology, this letter will probably be regarded as
finally Withdrawing General Grants name
| from the list of candidates for the next presi-
| dency. He does indeed take pains to indi-
cate that there might be circumstances under
which he would accept nomination, if ten
dered, but these, he thinks, ,sare not likely 10
arrive.-New York Tribune.
1t is utterly preposterous for him to pre-
| tend that he has not sought denomination,
| when his representatives in congress have
| been urging the enactment of measures
| which notoriously and almost on their face
had no other purpose but to enable him 10
| reflect himself, and when his little ridiculous
organ, the Washington Republican, which
has no other reason Of being than to do his
bidding, was going on underehis nose all last
session in the most frantic appeals to every
| body in Congress to help him to third term.
-New York World.
1t is unfortunate that Gen. Grants obsti-
macy has prevented him from denying public
ly what he has stated privately, because it
has lost the party many votes. Gen. Dix
WAS defeated as governor of New York SIM
ply by the cry of "third term" when the
President ought to have spoken and set for
ever at rest, what spoken at this late day will
look as if the announcement was forced out
OF him, Elizabeth IN. J.) Journal.
The persons who originally raised this cry
Of ''Third Term" will not be satisfied with
| the letter-they will pick holes in it here and
| there; they will take out detached sentences,
and twist them into Specification which
they do not properly possess; they VIII say
/ - Al De- .to4 Iok ha
cept third nomination if it were offered to
him, and that he is evidently still intent up
on it. And if the public think p.oper to con-
denim a man who, in the main, has served
them faithfully for many years past, on the
strength of such attacks. then General
Grants position will be no better than it was
before he wrote this letter. To US, we must
confess, it does seem that the letter ought to
be accepted by all just and fair-minded men
as absolutely putting an end to the whole
question. 1t is a manly, Straightforward let
ter, such as the President OF this republic
need not be ashamed to address to the Amer
ican people.-N. Y. Times.
This deliberate utterance was doubtless ins
tended by President Grant to promote har-
mony, and TO set at rest distracting discus
sion. That it will be so accepted by the
country is a matter for hope rather than as
surance.-PhiLGdelphiG Inquirer.
This should place the whole subject beyond
question. President Grant frankly says he
does not want the office, and is not candi-
date for reelection. What can be palmer
than this language? But he is too good
| citizen and too sincere a Republican to thrust
| himself in opposition to the interest OF the
country to which all his service is due. He
belongs to the nation. 1t may be there are
no contingencies which call for reelection
| of President Grant; that is an open question.
| But we insist that there is nc constitutional
or other objection to third term, and the
attempt to brand it as sort of crime against
the Republic, and to cover with odium who
ever thinks the public good requires more
stability in our administration, is unreason-
able and pernicious.-The Graphic.
Relieved of unnecessary anxiety on this
head, the Republicans should now permit
the question of candidacy for the successor
ship to General Grant 10 slumber for a
twevemonth; and the gentlemen who seek
that position should be made to understand
that the 5arty has no relish for htrigues
designed to secure 1t. The first business of the
party is to secure the ground it has lost, ,coorect
the abuses and remove the prejudices which
made losses possible. After that it may
select a candidate with reasonable prospect
of electing him; and the candidate is likely to
! De tQ6 mdQ WHO III Jue WUIh
plays the most zeal and shows the most
power.-Boston Trdeeller.
The letter is characteristic of the President
-laconic, plain, and to the point. He has
said what he means, and said it in terms so
concise that the wayfaring politician, though
a fool, may comprehend.-Chicdgo Tribune.
The Presidents "third term" letter comes
better late than never. Is is open to verba
criticism. But the common sense of the
people will construe the letter, and rightly, as
an unequvocal disavowal of all purpose or
desire of denomination to the Presidency.
IN. Y. EreningPost.
The people have right to re-elect man
for thirteen terms, If he should live SO long
and they should like. The essence Of the
thing is in the election, and not In the term