The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-01-18
Vice President Wilson'S Advice 4
President Grant.


Vice President Wilson has again spoken of
the republican party with the frmness of .
physician who knows the disease and is not
afraid to apply the remedy His letter to
Mr.. Samuel Bowles is one of those can
did declarations which the people approve
and which the administration would do well
to heed. The party, he thinks, is suffering
from the thi I'd term cancer, and he appeals to
the President to excise it. This is true, for it
has long been felt that the republican party
has not cheerfully borne the domination
of General Grant, and the reluctance of the
President to explain his position on the
third term-an event which largely led to
the overthrow of the organization in many
of the States-has not been forgotten. The
leading men speak with bated breath, but
firmly, of the selfshness OF the President, his
ignoring the interests of the party, his ten
dency to make his administration personal
matter and to regard the republican organiza-
ton very much as he regarded the armies
under his command, as having no other
mission but to obey his will. Mr..
Blaine is one representative of this spirit
of independence, and has the honor
of having saved his State of Maine
in season of crushing, cumulative disaster.
We see his hand in Mr. Hales resolution for
a new election in Louisiana and we see it in
the appointment of Messrs. Foster, Phelps
and Potter as a committee which would not
become mere tool of the administration.
Now Mr.. Wilson has rendered his tes-
timony to the general mismanagement
in holder and even more efficient
way than Mr. Blaine. He would have General
Grant at once disavow any purpose Of being
q candidate for third term, and thus remove
the principal cause of republican distrust.
He would have him change his Cabinet,
and appoint men in whom the
people can believe, and he would
have him adopt a policy that would not
irritate the South nor alarm the North. If
these things were done Mr.. Wilson believes
that the republican party would resume its
place in the confidence of the nation.
But will they be done by the President?
We think not If he did not now intend to
run for third term he would surely say so,
1Or QOuOr anu gratltuOe DOCn cal1 upon MIN 10
speak. He will not change either the Cabinet
or his policy. If the republican party is to be
saved it must save itself, we think, and not
wait upon late repentance of Grant A
deathbed remorse will not save the party
from the results of life of hesitation
and completely with Presidential wrongs.
There is some hope for it in such blum
ders as the rejection of Carl Schurz by the
democracy, and in the aroused conscience of
such old republican leaders as Henry Wilson.
The spirit of inquiry and rebellion
seems to be moving upon the face
of the republican waters. It would not
surprise us to find that the time for
calm submission is past, that the leading
men are beginning to think for themselves,
that the apathy which submitted to the third
term iniquity is at an end, and that, admon-
ished by defeat and by the signs of what may
be irretrievable disaster, the republicans will
throw aside the military letters that have
bound them and enter upon a new and indie
pendent path.