Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1875-04-23
Third.Term Fol.de.rol.

Inc OlcNelanu LLHfutU mas sue
ceeded in attracting some attention
to itself by the recent publication of
the following paragraph:
In Il number of instances, gentlemen
supposed to be near the President have
declared he does not seek third term,
but in every instance it has been proc laim
ed, after much avowal, that no man has
right to speak for the President. The
consequence is, it has come to be very
generally believed that the President does
seek third term. All the affectation of
modesty that suggests that the President
cannot properly decline to run third
time until asked by a Convention, and all
the pretensions that the third term is
bug bear, do not amount to shucks in the
light of the suspicion that everything
points to the fact that the President does
desire third term, and that the official
and personal friends of the President are
working for that end.
The reason why the paragraph has
attracted attention is not merely be-
cause the Cleveland Herald is a Re
publican journal, but because it has
been regarded rs commonsense,
matter-of-fact newspaper, not given
to sensational journalism. We fear
it cannot repeat the sentiments ex-
pressed above without forfeiting its
claim to this reputation.
If we credit all the sentiments
herein attributed to gentlemen "sup-
posed to be near the President" and
admit, for arguments sake, that "thc
President does desire third term,"
what then? The Office of President
is not an appointive Office, and it is
not in the power of Gen. Grant to fix
himself in the chair by his own indi-
vidual will. If Gen. Grants desire
to serve third term has even taken
so strong a hold upon him as to ex-
ercise an influence over his personal
and official friends (of which we have
never yet noticed any evidence), we
do not see how these friends can
dictate Il nomination to the Rcpubli-
can party unless there is a majority
sentiment in that party in favor of a
third term. Or, if the Republican
party should be overcome by Gen.
Grant and his friends, we do not see
how its nomination is going to elect
Gen. Grant for third term unless a
majority Of the people of the United
States want to elect him. When we
have reached this point, it must be
admitted that majority of the peo-
pie have right to elect Gen. Grant
for third term, if they see fit; but,
without their consent and co-opera-
ton we cannot see what the indi-
vidual inclinatlons' of the President
and his friends can possibly have to
do with the matter.
The real question, then, is: Do a
majority of the people want Gen.
Grant to serve third term? The
Cleveland Herald may make up
reasonable estimate on this in its own
neighborhood. How many voters
are there in Cleveland who are in
favor Of third term? How many
people are there in Ohio who advo-
cate it? Are there thousand? Are
there fifty? Are there half dozen?
Has the editor of the Cleveland
Herald heard Il single individual ex-
press himself in favor of Il third
term? If not,-and we assume not
then Third-Term is political will
o'-thewisp, and the HeralePs declar-
alton amounts to nothing. more than
that Gen. Grant has been deceived
by it. Of even this a good many
people will continue to doubt.
What we have assumed to be true
of Cleveland and Ohio is true of
every other section in the country
where the Republican party is in the
majority or likely to be at the next
Presidential election. There have
been good many declarations
against third term, but no declara-
ton IN .facor Of it have come under
our notice. Congress has given no
indication Of such preference. No
State Legislature has declared in
favor of it. No political convention
has Endorsed it. Not single news
paper in the country is advocating it.
We have never yet heard an individ-
ual voter express himself as either
desiring or willing to vote for third
term. Then where is the danger?
Is it probable that Gen. Grant enter
tains so palpable delusion in view
of the universal sentiment in favor of
the two-term principle, manifested
daily in such a variety of ways?
There is but one theory which adj
mits of the possible nomination of
Gen. Grant by the Republican Con
vention, viz: That all the Southern
States will scnd full delegations
pledged to him, and that the half.
hundred additional votes necessary
En- ,o,,,ino4n him will ho sacurod