The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1876-02-02
will tlic President Answer Com
grCSS?

VIII sac President Answer Con-
grcSS?
Congress understands its business
too well to waste valuable time in pro-
claiming distractions and platitudcs in
the form of resolutions. Its worst fol-
" has never taken suchashape us this:
"RcS0lved, to be virtuous is to be hap
py,' Resolved twice two are FOUR
Resolved that economy is wealth"
Yet the House might just rs we'll have
passed any of these resolutions as have
adopted the anti-third-term resolution
of December Is, if it simply intended
the latter TO be the utterance Of an alb
stract opinion upon the rei-.g lican gov
eminent. The House declared then,
by the decisive vote of 232 yeas to IS
nays, that, 1.-THE precedent established
by Washington and other Presidents
of the United States in retiring from
the Presidential Office after their second
terms has become by universal concur
renee part of our republican system
Of government, and that any departure
from this time-hOnOred custom would
be It1iwise, unpatriotic, and fraught
with peril TO our free institutions" Is
this merely a purposeless truism! If
it is no more the House might Us well
have been silent and spared the country
the humiliation of seeing two hundred
and thirty-two Jack Bunsbys in mean,
ingleSs council.
But Congress had definite purpose,
and the resolution has n practical APP
plication. The danger to our republi>
con system Of government is immedi-
ate, not remote. Grant is accused of
intending TO make this unwise, unpa-
triotic and perilous departure from the
time honored custom which requires
a president TO retire ut the end of his
second term. The resolution is meant
for him personally, and that gives it its
only value. Republicans as well as
Democrats voted for l., and it cannot
be regarded as partisan measure.
There has been no legislation this ses>
sion more important, because it is 4
plain declaration on the part of Con-
gress that it believes Grant wants 4
third term, and that he impcrils the
Republic in seeking it.
For over two years Grant has rest
ell in silence under the accusation that
he was planning to remain in office.
He has refused to answer his party
leaders, lis party conventions and the
press generally. His friends have de-
Tended this gloomy silence ON the
ground that it would compromise his
official dignity to answer unauthorized
questioners. This excuse is not valid
now. Congress is the immediate rep
resentative Of the people, and in pass
ing this resolution it speaks with the
authority Of the nation. The resolu-
ton is nothing less than a demand that
the Executive shall declare his inten-
tons, and il is Il demand that cannot
be cvaded. We do not see how Grant
can refuse TO meet this issue without
compromising that very dignity OF
which his friends talk so much by con,
Tossing that he is afraid to be candid.
Nor can We understand how Congress
can recedc from the position it has as
sumed, or rest contented with the ST
lenee of the President upon a matter
which it officially declares is "a peri
to our free institutions" 1t canno
compel the President to speak, it i.
true, but it can make the people under
stand that he has been asked by thei
direct representatives, and won't
Ne,O Vol; Herald.