American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1879-09-20
Grant and q Third Term.

The New York Herald is still engaged
in the work of ascertaining the con-
struction put by prominent politicians
of both parties upon the remarks of
ex-President Grant to a Chinese Vice
roy respecting the question of the next
Presidency. Assuming that Grant is
correctly quoted in the language at
tributed to him, it is the most natural
thing in the world for the gentlemen
whose views have been requested to be
almost of one mind in the opinion that
Grant is not personally working for
third term. This is as much as any of
them can say, and they surely could
not say less without conveying the i'm
preston that they did not believe that
Grant was honest in his expressions to
the Chinese Prince.
1t has not occurred to the Herald,
apparently, that Grant, having by the
loquacity of foreign parsonage of
high rank been placed in a position
where courtesy required him to say
something with reference to the posi-
bility of another elevation to the Presi-
dency, was compelled even if he secret
ly cherished third-term aspirations, to
express himself substantially as he did
He could not very well declare that
there was no doubt that the people
would again call upon him to serve as
their Chief Executive, and that be was
ready for the work; nor could he, with
any semblance of modesty, say that he
should enter the lists as candidate for
the Republican nomination. Even
John Sherman, who is VIGOROUSLY in
the field, has not done this. If the
thought of third term was abhorrent
to him, he could have expressed him
self in language much more emphatic
and explicit than that which he used.
But he simply indicated that he had no
desire to again assume the Responsible
ties of the Presidential office; and an
ex-President, who has been bonored
with two terms, and is ''in the hands
of his friends" could not well have put
the case differently, if he said anything
at all.
The advocates of the third nomina-
ton of Grant have nothing to discour-
age them in the utterances in China of
their fagorite. Under certain condi-
lions he will be nominated in 1880;
without these conditions he will not be
nominated; and nothing that he has
publicly said since he retired from the
the Presidency will have any influence
in either furthering or hindering his
prospects. The elections of this year
will go far toward settling whether
Grant will OF will not be the Republic
can nominee in 1880. If they should
be markedly in favor of the Democrats,
the sentiment in the Republican party
would largely crystalline on Grant as
constituting the forlorn hope of the
Republican party Then it would be
said on every hand that the exigency OF
the situation required his nomination,
and Republican leaders who, under
other circumstances, would push for
the nomination, would hasten to thrust
Grant forward, preferring themselves
to take tie chances in 1884. If the re-
suits of the election this year be unde-
cisive as between the two parties, the
probability of Grants nomination will
be greatly lessened, though posi-
bility thereof will still remain. And if
the Republicans carry the elections
with 50 boom," so to speak, there will
not be SO much as an echo of the Grant
''boom" at the Republican National
Convention. This is the belief of the
Democracy as everywhere expressed;
and the ifs, ands and butts of the Repub-
icans who have expressed themselves
show that, as a rule, it is also their
opinion. When they speak of an
exigency which may demand the nomi-
nation of Grant, they simply mean
that, with but little apparent hope of
Republican success, he will have a
clear field, and desperate attempt
will be made to conjure with his name.
1t is little more high-sounding to talk
about "exigencies," etc. That is all.
Detroit Free Press.