The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-08-03

puzzling-and the tone OF comment they
have elected, make curious study for the
political observer. There is nothing since
the cable announcement of Stanleys great
and browning discovery in Africa that has
been SO universally copied by the American
press, and not even that brilliant and
browning contribution to African geography
occasioned so much editorial writing. Ihis
extraordinary interest in conversations
which seem, on their face, to possess
only historical value, discloses
remarkable state of public ieeilng
which seems to pervade the whole country.
1t is not SO much anything in the CONVERSE
tons themselves as the almost unconscious
working of the general public thought
that has secured SO unusual an amount OF
attention for the utterances OF retired
public servant. There are chemical sou-
tons which, up to the very point OF satura-
ton, remain as clear and pellucid as simple
water and are undistinguishable from it by
sight or touch, into which If there be let
fall single drop of another liquid the
substance in solution crystallizes at once
into separate and visible form. There is
something similar to this in certain states
of the public mind, when q very small
incident suddenly develops latent feeling
into great distinctness These conversations
of General Grant which would seem to q
foreigner to possess only retrospective
interest and to furnish mere materials for
history, are calling forth a great mass of
speculation respecting the next Presi-
Dental election. Thoughts which had
been dimly moving in the public mind
have been suddenly crystallized into
definite shape by tie extraneous drops
which have fallen into the solution.
Why is it that the American press is so
widely engaged in the discussion of future
political possibilities for General Grant
His conversations disclaim all ambition of
the kind, and if the country thought he
had no chance to be again President it
would take him at his word. 1t is
because there is widespread and growing
belief that the republican party would make
q stronger canvass in 1880 with General
Grant than it could with any other candi-
date mt the head of it's ticket that oil he has
said is regarded as the utterance of
sphinx who speaks riddles. The conceded
strength of General Grant as Presidential
candidate in 1880 is partly consequence
Of the division and distraction brought into
the republican party by the policy OF Mr..
Hayes. OF the merits of that policy there
are widely different opinions; but that it has
been source of discord and weakness
a 4. a. = 4.
any diversity ofviews. Mr.. Hayes and MI.
Evarts have meant we'll but they have
not had the TACT or at least not the fortune,
TO unite and satisfy the republican party.
The controlling minds of the party-that is
to say, the active politicians are SO pro-
consent TO such on experiment as was made
in 1876 when the conflicting claims Of the
more prominent candidates caused the selec-
ton of new man. The result of that ex-
pertinent does not encourage its repetition,
and yet the rivalries of competing candi-
dates may make agreement on tried states
man as difficult as it was in 1876. It may
be found easier to compromise on General
Grant than upon another new man like
Mr.. Hayes. There is growing feeling
that the running qualities of General
Grant are superior to those of any new man,
and at least equal to those Of the strongest
of the old competitors The republican
party has become SO weakened that it can
not afford either discussions or blunders in
the next campaign. General Grant is the
one candidate who could heal dissensions.
Another new man, like Mr.. Hayes, is not to
be thought of, and the friends of each of
the prominent candidates would prefer
Grant 10 any other rival. The Conking
men prefer him to Blaine the Blaine men
prefer him to Conkling, and so on to the
end Of the chapter. General Grant is the
first choice of many republicans and the
second choice of all such as have some
other pet candidate. A man of whom
this can be said at SO early day is the one
most likely to secure the unanimity which
is indispensable in the declining state of
the republican party. 1t is because the
political drift is strong In this direction
that General Grants recent conversations
have awakened SO pervading an interest
We notice that some Of our contempo-
raries impute to the HERALD an intention to
bring forward General Grant as candidate
tor another term. They might with as
much sense accuse our accomplished
meteorologist of being the author of the
storms which he predicts. Indeed, it
is not ourselves. but our contem-
poraries that are SO earnestly engaged
in the new third term speculations.
When we published the conversations OF
General Grant we abstained from all COM
ment which was not purely historical 1t
was our contemporaries that SO promptly
sought to give them a political interpreta-
ton, being melted thereto more, as we be-
lieve, by existing political tendencies than