, 1875-06-07

TILE TH1RD-TERM GH0sT.
Wo print letter this morning from n
Republican :" who processes to DO still dis
satisfied with tho Presidents TLird-Term
letter nnl TIE Tn1puSEH Interpretation
thereof. We venture to say tint his appre-
tensions aro shared by very small propor-
tion Of tho Republican party, and his criticism
ia full Of errors that may be cinritably traced
to tl.u untlre Influence which sensational
!" C.esarjsln has exercised since it WINS first
put forth by tho New York Herald. We
sllnll note n few Of them.
Iii tic first place it WAS not tho Uc'alds
charge Of Gun. GnANrs Thirs1-Ienn aspira-
tio,ss, nor tho fact TINT it WAS not tleniod by
Con. GRANT, which caused tho defeat Of the
Republican party in 1911. There arc too
many good reasons for this defeat to seek for
any obscure and improbable explanation Of 1t.
III The prohibition crt,sndo in tho Northern
States drove OF from 25o, 900 to soc, 1000 Ger
mana who Ind always actcd with tho Ropub-
lican party, and who were among Its most
devoted md enthusiaatio adhercnts. We do
not boliore that single voter ont OF n1t the
GerH.an radicals who went over to tho Dein-
ocrats was influenced to do so by tho Third
TERM nonsense. (o) There WIS wide
spread discomfort on account OF q hard
times," which led to a very serious disaffec~
ton in tho ranks of tho dominant party.
AL political observers aro agreed TINT tho
standing aid influenco Of q party in power
are moro sorionsly affected by q commercial.
panic tlian my other circumstance TINT can
arisc TINT party has to bear the brunt Of
popular discomfort, whether Or not it ia in
any scnse responsible for tue business
troubles, {3) There WAS strong feeling
of popular anger md disgust ut the Credit
afobiler corrlsptions, at tho salary-grab,
aud Mt other evidences Of h corrupt tendency
on tile part Of tho Forty-Bccoud md Forty
third Congrcssea ~ The rascaltiea Of tho
carpot-bagSera Mt the South, the full measure
Of whose misconduct WIS Just becoming ap-
parent, had alienatcl still others who acted
with tic Republican party on principle, and
| not for tho purpose Of sustaining my un-
scrupulons oillce-ho1dors who might fasten
themselves upon tho organization. Other
minor ca1,Bos might 10 cited which had their
effect in producing tho general result, each
ono of which was infinitely more powerful
than tho Third Term accusation but tho
four ,nain causes VIC havo cited account for
the grcat bulk Of tho disa1ection, and 1t is
safs to say Aatnot per cont OF tho Ropub-
lican losses woro cauacd by the cry Of Thirl-
| Tes1nista.
In instituting comparison botween Mr.
JErrEnsoSs letter and Con. GnANT'a lettor on
this subject, our correspondent admits thnt
JEFFERSON did not disclaim any aspirntionA
for reelection ut the close of his second
tsr1n until ho Ind been "urged to become
his own> SUCCESSOR for the third term by tht
Legislatures Of North Carolina. Vermont
Virginia. and numerous other political bod
ies Tho only possible provocation which
Gen. GnAxr could havo had for IN uttorauct
on tho subject, prior to tho resolution OF the
Pennsylvania Convention which called Oh
his letter, was m iudorsemont Of the Third
Term idea by Convention Of carpot-bag
gors md misfed negroes In South Oaro
lima about d yonr ago. Aa till
notion was not repcatad by any other conven
ton or political body. any reply which Gen
GRANT might havo mAle at that time woult
haye boen subjected to ridioule. The Repnb
licans throughout the country would hay'
aaid that Con. GnANr might better hay'
waited until le received Bonae respectable as
auranco that ho was wanted, and tho Demo
Gratis would llayo misconBtrlod Ills letter thol
~ they Aavo done now.
Our correspondents criticism on the phra
soology Of Gen. GaANTs lettor will not boil
: any betsor than the other partsof tho confirms
lie socks to establish between 1t and A1r, JEr
; FEnBoS'a letter. Gen. GnAAr says that Il
would not accept nomination It
y wero tcudoroa to him unless It came undo
such circumstances as 10 make It Tan impo1
ntiyo duty" which he conB!dora to DO highl
: improbable. Would not JErrgasoN have at
~ ceptel a thirl term in such an event? I'll
patriotic tono OF bis letter ccrtaiuly indicate
that ho would, il llo conceived 1t to DO esset
tial to the weltars Of the country. JErrEl
Son did not discusa this phase Of the cue
- :. ton, it Ia true, but 1t was because ho was r
- plying to certain political bodies who liz
= urged no national necessity nor great cine
- genoy, and who were prompted only by I,
- !. litical preferences or partisan attaeh,nei,
~ Hail 3fr, JxrrEnsox believed 1t to 10 du
=, to his country that he should ren,nIn In oil
= under SONS mouacing circumstances, OF h
~ such necessity been set up aud ha had discrs
y, ~ tied it, Lila letter would in all probablli
~ have beon Of tho same tenor Of Con. GRANT
=, II popular sonti,nent Is opposed to thi
= torm under any aud all cirou,nstauces, til
~ tho people should have moved for an amen
mont to tho Constitution prohibiting Il; b.
d. rs they do not, there Ia no reason to csitici
e- Gen. GaAAg's treatment OF tho subject. T
at people layo never moved for such cons
I'd tutioual amendment, aud probably uever vi