The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-07-16

dull season by getting up scare about
General Grant. The somewhat unexpected
result will not only amuse but fatter the
General if, during his journey through
Northern Europe, he should catch the drift
of the discussion now going on in the West
about himself The Cincinnati Commercial,
which undertook to manage this exhibition
of Grant as Bogy, is disagreeably startled
at the result. 1t led off with an exciting
account of a supposed plot to renominate
the ex-President in 1880. and a lively de-
scription Of the triumphal march he is to
make across the Continent on his return
home by way of Siberia, Behring Strait,
Alaska. and San Francisco. If anybody
will believe the Commercial it is all pre-
arranged plot, and the designing Grant
went abroad, in point of fact, only that he
might come home again.
Unluckily for the inventors of this alarm
ing report they have not scared anybody
A considerable part of the republican press
is delighted with the suggestion OF Grant
for another term many OF the democratic
journals express their satisfaction at the
prospect of his denomination; and, on the
whole, only few papers of either party
disapprove of it. A good many are silent,
and this is but natural. The republican
party contains considerable number Of
middle aged and elderly gentlemen who
think we'll OF the White House as
place of residence, and would like to
date their letters thence for at least one
or will
names, but dozen or twenty eligible
republican candidates will occur to almost
ybody-aside from the more numerous
list of public functionaries ofwhom nobody
thinks in this relation but their intimate
friends and themselves, but who, neverthe-
less, continue to hope that lightning may
strike them, 4" as the phrase goes. Now, no
body who has even remote apprehension
of some day getting nomination thinks 1t
safe to live without an ''organ," and OF
course these organs do not welcome the
unfortunate suggestion Of Grants name
They maintain judicious silence. Every
BODY understands that Grant is not their
first, though he may perhaps be their
second, choice.
Well, the Cincinnati experiment shows,
at any rate, that the exhibition of Grant as
Bogy is failure. The republican party
and tho country edo not scare worth a
cent" to use the language of that prince OF
showmen, the late Artemus Ward. AS
success the experiment must be said to be
failure, though as failure it is magnif-
cent success. II one should add together
the people who would like to see General
Grant renorhinated and those who do not
care whether he is or not he would count
up nearly the whole voting population OF
the United States for Of the large number
who would not vote for him the greater part
think that he could be beaten at the polls
as easily as any other republican candidate.
But there seems to US to be soSt OF in
decency in this dragging Of General Grants
name into the political field Even if he
were the insatiably. ambitious man many
pretend it should yet be remembered that
he is travelling abroad after as long and
severe tour Of duty as any public man
ever had in this country; he is enjoying a
pleasure to which he looked forward for
many years; he has not put forth any,
the least, pretensions to denomination;
and he is entitled by his long public SER
vice to be at least consulted before
he is discussed as candidate. We
say this not only to his opponents.
but to those politicians who pretend to be
his friends or adherents, and most Of whom
are using his namo mainly to bolster up
their own fortunes. Those who really de-
sire to see Grant receive the republican
nomination in 1880 know very well that
they ought not to speak of it SO early as
this. Candidates are easily ''talked to.
DEATH" and, besides this, no real friend OF
the ex-President would now bring out his
name, because nobody can foretell what
changes the next two years may produce in
the political field. There may be an en-
tire reconstruction of parties; in the pres
ent condition of American politics it is
impossible to predict what will happen
or who will control, or be desired
by the people in 1880. No true friend OF
General Grant would wish to see him re-
nominated only to be beaten, though we
suspect that number Of republican
leaders are precisely of that mind, and will
push his nomination if they are con-
WINGED that their Candidate is sure OF de-
feat, but unite against him if they imagine
they can carry the election. 1t would be
notifying circumstance for Grants friends
to discover that their ill-judged zeal had
prepared the way only for such ster-
lie contamination as this. 1t is n
misfortune for him that, while there is a
general and real desire for his welfare and
happiness, disconnected from any wish
for his further political service, the men
who arc just now Jealous for the Gen.
erals denomination do not as q class stand
very high in the public esteom or con-
fdence. In Illinois, for instance, General
In. I1x..os.