The daily gazette., 1876-12-02
Does the President.
Mediate Treason?

= 'etN w ". Hefuu, DeC' l..
Tie Pres lent has an obvious motive |
ior Getting ngs into such muddle as to |
require j inter ention. If Hayes should
b. declared elected, in spite OF a general !!
b.l.af Thai ! zen is entitled to the place,
ii an woul. have every advantage for
, tH1sra. & his own power. His en-
p'g.aait Of IL army to defeat Tilden
co1cl..ates the republicans, and the ex-
pccto5 democratic resistance to manifest
LAID and injustice will enable him to
Civ. The quarrel such a shape as will suit
his views and hopes. Is he intending to
step in at the last moment, swallow the
oyster and award the shells to the claim
ants? If he does not mean to fellow Mr..
Cushing's suggestion and do this what
does he mean?
The military interference with the Lou
isiana Legislature nearly two years ago
had suspicious and ugly look, being re.
garded at the time as first step toward
bringing the politics of the country under
military control. 1t was said in the in
dignation meetings which followed that
military interference with Legislature,
that uAtho same pretext President might
| employ soldiers to control an Electoral
| SOlltSt Snu Tc-cltCt inthoCu. Al 0fahe
instead of Hayes had been the republican
candidate in this election the recent mill
tary intermeddling in South Carolina
would have admitted but of one interpre-
tation. Everybody would have regarded
it as violation of the constitution by
President Grant for the purpose of re-
electing himself. On the face of the facts
he seems to be violating the constitution
now in the interest of another. But is it
really for another? Does he care so much
for Hayes as to be willing to trample the
constitution under foot to promote his
election? If he did this to force his own
election it would be perfectly Ineligible.
1t would accord perfectly with the inten-
tions ascribed to General Grant while he
was seeking a third nomination by the
republican party. Has his former ambi-
tion been re-kindled by recent events and
by the artful suggestions ofthat shrewd
sycophant Caleb Gushing? If he expects
to retire to private life on the 4th
OF March why should he stain his fair
fame by illegal military violence? II he
intends to remain in power after the 4th
of March his otherwise unaccountabls
conduct is perfectly intelligible. Know.
ing what we do of the history Of human
ambition we can easily understand why
bold and successful soldier might grasp
at empire when so dazzling prize seem
ed to be within his grasp. History
abounds with instances Of men whe have
not scrupled to 'swade through slaughter
to THRONE" and there is nothing in the
career of President Grant inconsistent
with the idea that he may be of the mum
r lber. If he can get Hayes counted in b,
a fraud it is by no means a wild expecta
: It.on that the democratic House of Repre-
| sentatives will resist, and President Gran
\ can then give such a shape to the contro
= versy aswill afford him pretext for keep
= ing possession of the government unit
I another Presidential election. If he hold
: over on such pretext we shall neve
have another Presidential elec
Y ton. If there should be pretence o
!, one the Caesar at Washington woult
, manage to have the present difficultie
l come up again 70 afford him the same ex
cuse for not relaxing his grasp. If h
' |tramples the constitution in the dust fo
! such a creature as Chamberlain what as
: surance can we have that he would no
90 to greater lengths for himself.