The New York herald., 1876-07-01
Dangers Ese.ped-The Political si'u-

There is o larger view Of politics than the
contest for Offices, and in this larger view
thoughtful men will find reasons for salts
faction and subjects of congratulation Ill the
present aspect of the Presidential canvass.
Within the last two years there has been
so much occasion for anxiety and appre-
hension, and the dangers which threatened
the country have so happily passed, that
few words of retrospect may not be out OF
place. Since the action of the national con-
ventions of the two political parties great
deal of distrust and misgiving is removed,
and we may confidently assume that there
is nothing more serious in the immediate
future than one of our old-fashioned con-
tests between two political parties, both OF
which mean we'll to the Republic.
1t is partly owing to accident and good for
tune partly to the sound sense and patriot
ism of tho people, that we have escaped the
peril which loomed up as a lark cloud IN
the political horizon in the form of Caesar
ism. That portentous and formidable
spectre cast at one time SO malign an infiu-
ence that the whole country was uneasy and
disturbed. Its approaches were at first 80
stealthy and insidious that they attracted no
notice until the HERALD raised notes of
warming and sent them far and wide through
the country. The people came slowly to q
perception of their danger, but within
eighteen months from the time when the
HERALD excited the jeers of the thoughtless
by its persistent cries of danger the press Of
oil ho1 70 10 fhn hIr6
term the most prominent topic OF polit-
| ical discussion, and even republican
conventions in half the States of
| the Union uttered protests more or less
| feeble or more or less forcible against so dan
| gerous an innovation rs the third election
of President If the overgrown federal
patronage could enable President to break
u uniform line of precedents which had
come to have almost the force of constitu-
tiona provision, it might enable him to get
himself elected not merely third. but a
fourth and fifth time, and all barriers
would be broken down against a President
for life with power to designate his successor
| There was too much ground for the alarm
which at length came to pcrvade the whole
country ON this subject. That President
Grant was really aiming at third election
every intelligent person had ceased to doubt
The remarkable letter to citizen Of Penn
sylvania, in which he SO stoutly maintained
the right of the people to re-elect the same
President as often they please, opened
tho eyes of all who had affected to
underrate the danger. Any President who
respected the example or the authority of
Washington and Jefferson-one Of whom set
| the example and the other gave cogent writ
ten reasons why it should be permanently
binding-would have given the whole weight
of his influence in support of their opinion,
instead of offering arguments to refute it.
General Grant cherished hopes Of third
election until after the meeting of the pres
| ent Congress The Indictment. trial and
disgrace Of his private secretary gave the
| first check to his ambition, and the impeach-
ment of Secretary Bellknap put final ex-
tinguisher on the Pickering fame. Previous
to these humilitating exposures he was the
strongest man in the republican party,
and, with the solid support of the South
ern delegations and such reinforcements
as the ofice-holding brigade might have
brought to his support, he could have
controlled the national Convention. BY
concurrence of circumstances, dis
graceful in one view but fortunate in
another, the nomination of President Grant
was made impossible, and the country es-
capped the greatest danger which has ever
threatened its institutions, with the one
exception of the Southern rebellion.
The HERALD, which first deserted and pro-
claimed the danger, may be permitted to
congratulate the country on its deliverance.
We are bound in candor to say that the
action of the Cincinnati Convention has
freed the country not merely from Grant,
but from Grantism. The nomination of any
of the stronger candidates might have per-
petuated the system while discarding the
| man, but the nomination Of a modest,
quiet, discreet, unambitious man, like Gov
ernor Hayes, brings perfect relief from
that source of danger. Governor Hayes,
even if he had General Grants stubborn
will and strong thirst of power, has not the
brilliant solid and fruitful services to plead
| in his favor which General Grant rendered
in the war for the Union, and which the
country can never forget or undervalue with
out ingntitude. 1t would have been hard
to deny anything to a man to whom the
country is deeply indebted for the preserva-
ton of the Union; but Governor Hayes is
merely one of hundreds of citizens who are
equally honest, able and patriotic, and there
will be no reason for perpetuating power in
his hands when there are SO many others
who are every way his peers in
talents and public services. The danger
/ of Cnsarism was the joint product