The New York herald., 1875-12-14
Iho Opening OF the Campaign 90
the PresIdency-Is IL To BE . Cru
sades

fact that he denies having said that should
President Grant be reelected the people
will have done wisely" The attempt to
saddle the nomination of President Grant
for third term upon Bishop Haven, as
an indiscreet man with radical convictions,
| given to injudicious actions, is not success
full 1t was not the work of bishop, but Of
a convention composed of three hundred
laymen and priests. A most respectable con-
vention; much more so. we fear, than any that
will be apt to assemble under the call OF the
republican or democratic committees.
1t would be folly to ignore the significance
of this movement. Never before in the his
tory Of the country have the political parties
been so Indifferent to the Presidential ques-
tion as at present, remem bering, too, that IN
a few months we must settle the question
The democrats wait, as the party out OF
power, to profit by the mistakes OF their OPP
ponents That is their privilege, and we
may say their duty in political sense,
They can only move after their oppo-
nents have taken ground. Then 1T Will be
time for them to name their candl-
date. But the republicans seem to have
fallen into an apathy which cannot be
broken If any name is mentioned but that
of Grant there is the howl of ''disloyalty'
and all manner of invectiye about going
back on the party and playing into
the hands of the democrats. Here and
there mildly whispering republican like
Mr.. Curtis or Mr.. Blaine ventures to say that
the party will never never, never consent,
and so on, and that as for the President he
is too patriotic and self-denying, and so on,
to even think of such thing, and that those
who say 'sNay" are men who speak without
authority, and that the mind of the President
is far above any such dreams. But every
man who has any influence with the Presl-
dent is either silent on the subject or openly
in favor of the third term. Who has heard
Mr. Fish or Mr. Bristow or Mr.. Pierrepont
or even Mr.. Jewell say word that would
make it impossible to vote for Grant for
third term or to remain in the Cabinet should
he continue in power for four years more /?
Mr. Blaine himself, with all Of his budding
ambitions, is at liberty tomorrow to stump
Maine for Grant for third term. In order
that lie may not be taken at a disadvantage
he has given US his platform namely, "Free
schools and no Popery." The republicans
rest under the spell Of the third term even
as the Egyptians of old rested under that
plague of thick darkness which for three
days covered the land.
In fact, there is no light upon the canvass
but which comes from Boston, and no voice
out of the darkness but that of Gilbert Ha-
ven, calling upon Grant to lead the people as
their protector and !" saviour as the repre-
sentative of the American people and true
Christianity" We have lived nearly
hundred years. We have had wars with
England and other Powers. We have sup
pressed the greatest rebellion known in his
tory. We have lifted these struggling pro-
vincial colonies into the position of one of
the greatest Of political Powers. Our flag is
feared and respected all over the world And
yet we are really so weak and 50 far removed
from the true attitude of free and great
people that we must have a protector-a
Lord Protector" And this g Lord Pro-
tector" is to be found for US by priests and
soldiers, who are really alarmed lest we
rebels or vanquished by the Pope 1t
reads like the burlesque of politics to
speak of such issues. But here they are
as they have been before, and as they will
always be while ignorance or passion find
place in the human heart and demagogues
only too glad to take advantage Of them for
political or personal ends. We have no issue
now before the country, 50 far as Grant is
concerned, but the rebellion, or what re-
mains Of it, and what remains of that re-
ligious fanaticism, which unhappily we of
Anglo-Saxon blood have inherited from the
fierce, brave, stern men who founded this
Republic.
And this is really the danger, 50 far as the
present political situation is concerned. 1t
would matter little what Gilbert Haven or
any priest or number Of priests would
say if they did not appeal to that SEN
timent sometimes dormant but never dead,
that furious sentiment Of religious con-
troversy which comes with our race.
Grave, wise men, men who would dis
dain any thought Of hatred in their political
actions, grow fierce at the thought of an
issue which calls to their mind all they have
read about the fires of Smithfeld, the massa-
cres of Piedmont, the Inquisition Of Spain.
TO their minds the spirit which one would
think had died out before centuries Of light
and reason is as much living thing now
as IN the days Of Philip III. and the
! Duke Of Alya SO when in respect
able religious convention we have Grant
nominated for the third term as saviour"
protector and the champion Of true Chris
tianity, i means that this tireless and clear
minded dems,S,0:g,pae means to retain power
by appealing TO a sentiment which has never
been invoked in vain among English speak
ING mnn Rnt if we are nninn into liz h,,.i