American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1879-09-13
How Grant Declines.

A wonderful bit of news is presente d
through editorial Interpretation by the
New York Herald. 1t exultingly an
nounces that General Grant is out of
the race by his own declaration. and
says: cit remains now to be seen
whether the celebrated Grant move
ment can get on without General
Grant. For General Grant positively
declines to re-enter the political field"
We are not sure that the ex-President
will be grateful to the journal that has
observed and recorded his movements
with 50 much assiduity and enterprise
for thus torturing some very guarded
expressions of his in a reported inter-
view with the Viceroy of Tientsin; and
If he should repudiate entirely the Of
ficious service that has been rendered
him it would not be an inconsistency
that any one could criticise. If Grants
interview with the Viceroy has been
correctly reported-and it is upon its
published report that the Herald bases
its remarkable inferences-he is as
deity coquetting for the Republican
Presidential nomination in 1880 as he
ever was. 1t would have been very
easy for ga plain, blunt man." even
though conversing with q fowery-
tongued Chinese dignitary, to say
in SO many words that under no
circumstances would he accept an
other term as Chief Magistrate of the
American people; but upon that point
he was very careful not to commit HIM
self, though he was given every oppor-
tunity to put himself in perfectly un-
equivocal position. Diplomacy is
good thing, but General Grant en-
ployed it too lavishly for simple an
swer to plain question. Borie fol-
lowed the great man around for six
months to sound his mind on this topic,
and learned just about as much as the
holder questioner learned in a much
shorter time.
If there is any definite inference to
be drawn from the interview it is that
Grant is laying his pipes deep down to
come out at last with brilliant and
startling effects. In response to the
complimentary wish of the Viceroy for
his reelection to q third term, he said:
IS Your Excellency is very kind; but
there could be no wish more distaste-
full to me than what you express.
have held the Office of President as long
as it has ever been held by any man.
There are others who have risen to
great distinction at home, and who
have earned the honor, who are worthy,
and to them it belongs, not to me. 1
have no claims to the office. 1t is
place distasteful to me, place of hard
ship and responsibilities. When was
a younger man these hardships were
severe and never agreeable. They
would be worse now" In his whole
treatment of the subject there was moth
ing more positive or definite than that.
All that he said was very true, but
it did not so much as squirt at re-
lection of an offer to return to power.
On the contrary. it has a decidedly
Cheap John aspect. He intends to
disparage the office and disclaim any
ambition to fill it again in order at the
last to work the element of self-sac-
rifice up to larger and more imposing
proportions-tO come out finally with
the well-worn phariseeism about the
Office seeking the man and the call of
the people being SO strong that he can
not resist, and, putting away private
considerations, consents to put himself
again in the way of accepting rewards
and honors. The Herald must show
a declination in more unmistakable
language than any it has yet quoted
for its conclusions before it asks others
to join in jubilation over the fact that
Grant is not in the political field. just
now, so far as glimpse of his purpose
can be obtained from his replies to the
questions of a pagan prince, he is
heading as directly as possible for the
Republican nomination, though Tent
sin seems queer starting point
BOSTON Post.