The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-04-10
$780,

Third Term PrOspects-The DCEIrabiIit,
ofR Free Expression or Opinion.
ftarrtn Weekly.
A Republican asks whether We thinl
General Grant likely to be nominated b,
the Republicans next year, and whether
we think it would be q wise nomination
for the party, 1t is not worth while Il
guess about next year, but VIC think that
il the Convention were to be held next
week, General Grant would probably be
nominated. This is a general opinion,
and 1t is due chiefly not to a deliberate
preference, but to the fact that those who
desire the nomination necessarily assert
tito be inevitable, while those who doubt
its wisdom are silent, The party current
now seems, therefore, to set toward it un.
checked. But whether it would be- wise
nomination is another question, which II
is not too soon to consider. There Is a
very general and very Just apprehension
OF complete Democratic cOntrolO OF the goy-
eminent, because there is nothing what
everin the history ofthe Democratic party
for more than a generation which inspires
hope OF confidence. 1t is identi.
fed with slavery, with rebellion, with
ignorance and violence, with the most
dangerous triiling with the public faith,
with frauds and terror in elections, with
reckless legislation, and with revolutionary
designs. The prospect of its complete as
tendency involves risks thatare to beayoid-
ed by all reasonable means. This feeling
has become constantly stronger us the par.
" power has increased, and its spirit has
become more plainly visible. Without
denying individual patriotism and Charac-
ter in the Democratic party, and with no
disposition toexasperate the feeling or
prolong the differences growing out OF the
war, the genuine conservatism which is
the strength and hope Of the country is in.
exorably opposed to u Democratic rcsto-
ration. The hearty union OF that seuti.
ment is indispensable to the defeat OF the
Democrats, and tho wisdom OF the nomi.
nation of General Grant, therefore, will de-
pend upon the question whether It would
tend, more than any other, to unite the
opposition to Democratic control.
This question can be answered more in
~telligently by asking another, namely,
whether the Grant Administration c%onsoIi.
dated that opposition. Facts arc not
favorable to this view. There was a re.
markabledeclinei in the Republican MAORI.
ties in Congress and in the representation
of the Northern States between 1868 and
1876. According to a recent table in the
Tribune, from the eight great Northern
States, when General Grant became Presi.
dent, there were ninety-three Republicans
and twenty.sCven Democrats; when he re.
tired from the Presidency there were fifty
eight Republicans and eighty.one Demo.
Gratis. Moreover, the Republicans bare
ly elected his successor. Mr.. Hayes failed
to receive the independent vote, which is
naturally Republican, because i. was
supposed that the influences which
had controlled the Administration Of Gen.
eral Grant would continue to control that
Of his successor. The reasons that produc.
ed such astonishing changes are still oper-
alive. The tone, the spirit, the methods,
the associations in q word, the general
character Of the Grant Administration was
unQuestionably repugnant to q large, in.
telligent, patriotic, and conscientious class
OF citizens whose political sympathios are
Republican. This is a very irritating
class to tho regular politician. Those who
compose 1t are reviled as snivelling pre-.
tenders, as impracticable and visionary
fools OF the most condemned kind. But
unhappily they have a great many votes,
and they will not cast them for
regular candidates merely because they
are regular candidates. Now the re.
nomination Of General Grant would signi.
~ to this class, and to all Republicans,
who aCquiesced In his Administration
without heartily supporting it, merely a
desperate return to q situation OF which
they are not proud. The important Ques-
ton, then, Is whether the fear OF Demo.
cratic success would reconcile all these
classes TO a third Grant term. All that
can be said in reply is that they would
probably accept it Us an alternative. But
Is it wise to make a nomination which
would compel the party constantly to ex-
plain and defend, and to argue that tho
candidate had undoubtedly changed his
views OF many mon and things, and that
there was NO reason 10 suppose that what
had been would be again2
Tho Republican candidate should be ac-
ceptable to every element OF tho opposi-
ton to the Democracy, but he need not be
the one Republican who has been most
Objectionable TO a large body Of that oppo.
slion. There is not a vote that would be
cast for General Grant which is notsurefo for
any other Republican candidate. But
there arc a great many votes that would