The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-09-16

Besides shelving BLAINE as candidate
Tor President, driving little EUGENE HALE
10 tho shades Of private life. waking up An
ricnt nAMLIN from Rip van Winkle sleep.
aud demoralzing the Republican party on
The eve OF the fall elections, the result in
Maine has had another effect, which has not
been taken into account. 1t has blasted the
GRANT movement with an early frost, from
which recovery is hardly probable. Mr..
BLAINE recently declared for it, as rejecting
The sentiment Of present majority of the
Republican party, and other men Of promi
pence have been helping it with all their in
luenco in the most effective way.
That regular campaign for third term
was organized and directed with skill on
this side, seconded by GRANTS efforts in Eu-
rope, no longer admits Of the least doubt. If
The scheme was not planned before he went
abroad, 1t has certainly taken shape ana
been industriously worked up in the last
eight or ten months. with the artful appli
Rnces known TO shrcwd politicians GRANT
himself is cunning, and did, not require much
Instruction after the general plan was
marked out. A part of the programme was
that he should come home by way OF Cali
fornia, and he greeted with n series Of pre-
concerted receptions, on the largest possible
scale, from San Francisco to New N,rK.
> Though quite willing to take any ordinary
chances promising success. GRANr has an
Innate dread of defeat, and has no incina-
ton to Toe the scapeg at of others, or a.
lead forlorn hope, He will not need To he
told that with the foundation Of the Repub-
lcan party In New England undermined 10y
hot In. In "a
1850. II ever. he would Toe beaten a. no
other candidate has ever been, If nominated
two years hence. Tho popular rcpugnance
to third term, and the corruption, Ring
rule, and robbcrios Of Grantism. would have
crushed him in any event, had he possessed
far more strength than his friends have ever
claimed.
But this upheaval in Maine. which is tn
first blast Of an angry storm that Will carry
all before IL In several other States, Is an
admoniton which no man Ike GRANr Is
likely to disregard. He will be told that
the capitalists OF the country the national
banks, and the railroad corporations will all
unite upon him, and that their union means
nm election at any price. His instincts and
his personal associations and his tastes Ice
ing all in this direction, he Will accept this
assurance a. in the main true, the wish be-
ing father to the thought.
Tempting as the suggestion is, II has
drawbacks. combination Of wealth and
corporate power would lead almost neccs-
sarily 10 a union OF popular elements
against which they could not stand, and
might provoke a condition Of things which
all good men would dcplore IN any political
contest. Capital Is naturally conservative
and would depart from safe moorngs II il
ever consented to engage in struggle like
that proposed. National banks depend upon
Congress for their charters, and on the pco
Pile for their support Railroad corporations
have no strength to sacrifice in politics. am
are in no condition 10 invite risks
When Gen. GRANT comes 10 reflect On he
surroundings Of the next Republican candi
date, he will be very apt TO conclude tina
discretion is the better part of valor, am
refuse to 10 put up merely to be knOcke'
down like nincpin. Should he, from al,
weakness yield to the temptation, and ALLOW
himself to be conquered by the politicians
his career will probably close in clouds
like those which darkencd 1t before th
great opportunity came that Rescued hiu
from ruin, and worse. The next Republican
candidate will be the last under the cxlstin.
organization. An overwhelming defeat vii
lead TO n new formation, out of which ma
grow great party in the future, when thci
opponents shall have run in the beaten trac
Of success and proven their incapacty I
bear 1t.