The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1876-12-14
VIVA IS HIS OBJECT ?

President Grant has been regarded
as a sphinx, but now he becomes q
riddle and his motives for lately at.
tacking the Constitution resolve them
selves into knotty questions. 1t can
make no difference to him whether
Tilden or Hayes be elected, if he con-
template retiring to private hte. If
he intend giving up his political power
and becoming one of the people, what
explanation can be given of his late
action in South Carolina ? The people
have learned to regard the country as
drifting toward Cesarism, and it is
even now proUable such opinion may
be properly grounded. On this sub
iect the New York Herald believes and
says:
1t is probable that the Senate will
claim that Mr.. Hayes is elected, and
the House that Mr.. Tilden is elected,
and that with two claimants for the
Office an excuse may be found for cut
ting the knot with the sword. If the
dispute comes to that pass the man
who wields the sword will be master
of the situation. We have too much
confidence in the good sense and SELF
command of the American people to
believe that there will be any resort to
force unless there should be deliber
ate shaping OF events to that end by
the cnmmander-in-chief of the army.
The main source OF anxiety in this con-
lecture is the, fact that the country has
no confidence that President Grant
will refrain from employing the army
in violation of the Constitution. What
was done at Columbia shows too
plainly that he has no scruples as t.
the employment of troops. If he Is
ready to violate the Constitution in
South Carolina, VIII 1t guarantee can we
have that he wJdld not trampie it un-
der foot everywhere2 If events shoulI
reach such q pass in Washington, IN
the latter part of February, that Mr..
Hayes is dependent on President Grant
for his Inauguration, how can VIC have
any assurance that he will not attempt
to put aside both Hayes and his com
petitor, and make that final stride to
C9sarism which would then be in his
power2 When the Constitution ceases
to bind him, what limit can be set 10
his military boldness2 If he has no
hesitation IN using the army Illegally
to support a man like Chamberlain,
why should he hesitate to use it for
himseli2 From the moment that the
'RubicOn is passed, from the moment
that the Constitution ceases to be a
restraint, it depends on the mere will
Of the President to decide how far he
will go.
The military interference with the
Louisiana Legislature nearly two years
ago had suspicious and ugly Loo X, be-
ing regarded at the time as first step to-
ward bringiny : the politics of the coun-
try under military control. 1t was said,
in the indignation meetings which fol-
lowed that military interference with
legislature, that oD the same preseAts
q president might employ soldiers to
control an electoral college and re-elect
himself. If Grant, instead of Hayes,
had been the Republican candidate in
tins election, the recent military inter
meddling in South Carolina would
have admitted of but one interpreta-
ton. Everybody would have regarded
1t as a violation of the Constitution by
President Grant for the purpose of rt-
electing himself. On the face of tie
facts he seems to be violating the Con
sfisuti0n now in the interest of another.
But Is it really for another2 Does he
care so much for Hayes as to be willing
to trample tue Constitution under foot
TO promote his electionl II he did this
TO force his own election it would be
perfectly ineligible. 1t would accord
perfectly with the intentions sscribed
TO Gen. Grant while he was seeking q
third nomination by the Republican
party. Has his former smbition been
rekIndled by recent events and by the
srtful Suggestions of that shrewd syco-
phanL Caleb Cushipgl Knowing what
We do of the history OF human ambi-
ton, we can easily understand why a
bold and successful soldier might grasp
at empire when SO dazzling = prize
seemed to be within his grasp. His
tory abounds with instances of men
who have not scrupled to ''wade
through slaughter to q throne" and
there Is nothing in the career of Presi-
dent Grant inconsistent with the idea
that he may be of the number. II he
tramples the Constitution in the dust
for such . creature as Chamberlain,
what assurance can We have that he
would not 20 20 grester lengths for
himselfi