The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1878-08-08
Grant Opposed TO . Third Term.
Interview with n. Y. Herald oOrro,pondent.l

Interview with N. Y. Herald correspondent
The General continued in this vein,
aud our conversat on took & peisonal
turn. ~ was never more delighted at
anything" said the General, ''than
the close of the war. 1 never liked
service in the army-not as q young
officer. / did not want to go to West
Point. My appointment was an acct
dent, and my father had TO use his
authority to make me go. / never
went into battle willingly, or with
enthusiasm. l was always glad when
battle was over. i never want to
command another army. take no in
terest in armies. When the Duke OF
Cambridge asked me to review his
troops at Aldershott / told his Royal
Highness that the one thing l never
wanted to see again was military
parade. When l resigned from the
army and went to q farm | was happy.
When the rebellion came l returned To
the service because IT was duty,
had no thought of rank; all / did
was to try and make myself useful.
My first commission as a brigadier
came IN the unanimous Endorsement OF
the delegation from illinois. do not
think knew any of the members but
W ashburne, and did not know HIM
very well. 1t was only after Donelson
that began to see how important was
the work that Providence devolved up
on me. And yet after Donelson was in
disgrace, under arrest, and practically
without a command because of some
misunderstanding on the part of Hal
leck. / do not know what would
have come of that had not the country
interfered. You see Donelson was our
first clear victory, and you viii, remem-
Der the enthusiasm that came with 1t.
The country saved me from Hslleck's
displeasure. When other commands
came l always regretted them. When
the bill creating the grade of Lieu
tenant General was proposed, with
my name as the Lieutenant Gem
eral, I wrote Mr.. Washburne, OPP
posing it. did not want it.
I found that the bill was right and 1
was wrong, when came to command
the Army of the Potomac-that head
was needed to the army. did not
want the Presidency, and have never
quite forgiven myself for resigning the
command of the army to accept it, but
it could not be helped. l owed my
honors and opportunities to the Repub-
lican party, and if my name could aid
it, was bound to accept. The second
nomination was almost due to me-if /
may use the phrase-because of the
bitterness of political and personal OPP
ponents. My re election was a great
qualification, because it showed me
how the country felt. Then came all
the discussions about the third term.
gave my views on that In my letters
to Senator White, of Pennsylvania. 1t
is not known, however, how strongly
/ was pressed to enter the canvass as a
candidate. was waited upon for
mally by distinguished man repre-
septing the influences that would
DnsARtnAHsa, thssP epublicans in the
nameSsos Used. This request was
supported by men in the Northern
States whose position and character
are unquestIoned. / said then that
under no circumstances would l be-
come a candidate. Even if nomina-
lion and an election were assured /
would not run. The nomination, il /
ran, would be after a struggle, and be.
fore it had been unanimous. The cleo
ton, if / should win, would be after
u struggle, and the result would be FAR
different from what it was before. II
1 succeeded and tried to do my best 1
should still have a crippled admins
tration. This was the public view.
Personally l was weary of Office. /
never wanted to get out Of place as
much as did to get out of the Presi-
dency. For sixteen years, from the
opening of the war, it had been a con
slant strain upon me. So when the
third term was seriously presented to
me l peremptorily declined it,"