The New York herald., 1879-08-30
What DO tho Republicans Meant

We ask pardon of General Grant for even
once more dragging his name into politics,
but it is made necessary by the peculiar
attitude of certain prominent republicans
That General Grant sincerely and posi-
lively refuses to re-enter political life Is
now generally accepted fact. few over
suspicious democrats, like Senator Eaton,
OF Connecticut. refuse to be comforted, but
the country at large is convinced-even
the Grant movement people, who IKE
the devils of old time believe and tremDie'
What may be called one and the hrst
element of the Grant movement is there
fore laid aside. General Grant does not
want third term of the Presidency. he
has already turned to another and very
great undertaking. in which he is certain
to win the good will of all nations, and last
ing fame and glory.
But now turns up the second element OF
the Grant movement. A number OF repub-
lican jourAAls of large influence and a
number of republican politicians say:-"We
admit that General Grant does not wish a
third term in the White House. We believe
he is entirely sincere in this. But yet cir
cumstances may arise which will make it
necessary for US to nominate him; the
country may need him in the Presidency to
keep down the South and the democrats
There may be emergencies which would
compel him to accept call even against
his will.
That is to say, Grant does not want to be
President again; but these republicans be-
lieve that they may want him to serve again
even against his will. General Garfield, q
very prominent and influential republican,
for instance, says:-"Whether Grant will be
renominated depends largely upon the be-
havior Of the democrats next winter in
Washington. If they show a determined
purpose to break down the safeguards
of national elections, determined pur-
pose to count in democratic President
and to subordinate national authority to
State supremacy, republicans may say,
we must take man who, If fairly elected,
will take and administer his Office If such
o contingency as that arises the republican
party will suppress q considerable dislike
to the third term principle and take Grant"
Senator Hoar, Of Massachusetts,, says sub
stantially the same thing. Mr.. Frye. OF
Maine, repeats almost the same words; and
we find the same sentiment in number of
republican journals.
If these public men and newspaper
organs speak advisedly they seem to us to
be uttering very grave threat against the
IUa ;-11 hot
they are talking what is called "bunkum,"
for we do not like to believe that the lead
ers of the republican party are deliberately
looking forward to contingency in which
they would violate the constitution; and
paying General Grant the poor compliment
OF selecting him as their instrument
for q premeditated act of usurpation.
1t is necessary to look this matter
squarely in the face. The republican party
will have been in power twenty years when
Mr. Hayes term expires-much longer than
the democrats had held the government
without interruption when Mr.. Lincoln
came in in 1860. Everybody understands
that the love of power grows with its dura-
tion. The republican leaders do not mean
to surrender the authority they have held
for twenty years if they can help it; that
is only human nature; and all their
actions show their vigorous grasp and
ardent love of political predominance.
We do not blame them for being human; but
they ought to be careful not to alarm the
country with such sinister threats as are in
volved in the reasons they give for insisting
on Grant. There is profound and just
belief among Americans that we owed the
rebellion to the unscrupulous love of power
and political predominanoe which had
grown up among the democratic leaders,
and if these had been accustomed at
more frequeat intervals to period in the
minority We might have been spared o
bloody and costly war; But sensible peo-
pie do not forget that the republicans have
in their turn had long lease of possession
in Washington. The country has not
failed to observe the naughty, intolerant,
domineering spirit OF the republican lead
ers at the capital during the last winter
and spring, and it will not be safe-it will
be very unsafe indeed-for these to 20
any further in showing the American
people that they are seeking excuses for re-
sisting the popular will if that should next
year elect to depose them, and in preparing
the way and the means for an act of usurpa-
tion. If that once gets into the heads OF
the voters they will sweep the republicans
from power, and they ought to do SO. We
cannot afford to keep servants in the house
who refuse to go out and begin to barricade
themselves inside.
contingency or emergency which q civil.
ian could not do as we'll ana betteri
''Kcep down the South?" How do the re.