The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1880-04-16

terviewed by New York Tribute re
porter. The following is an extrac
from his views as given in that paper
"What is the feeling in Vermont re
garding the third term?" asked tn
reporter.
''Opinion is divided on that subject,
said Gov. Smith. "Grant has not los
anything in the last three months
There is an impression that the Soutl
is not to be trusted. The country doe
not feel secure that its policy is chang
ed. The present quiet attitude of tn,
Southern leaders may he merely lull
Should they again become FESTIVE
Grant is the best man 10 handle them
"What is the attitude of the Repnbli
can press of Vermont"
"The press is DIVIDED" said the gov
ernor; 1.-TWO of the prominent dailie!
are for Grant"
On this tho st. Adams Messenger
comments as follows:
Gov. Smith might have said that the
two prominent dailies to which he al
luded are about the only Grant papers
In Vermont, and even their booming
has toned down wonderfully Of late
The governor is certainly mistaken in
tho opinion that Grant has not lost any.
thing in the last three months. He had
but little TO lose in Vermont, and has
lost most of that. IfGov. Smith would
lay aside his railroad business for O
week and 90 ont among the people, OF
read attentively the 80 or 40 Rcpubli.
can papers in Vermont, he would find
that there never was greater unanimi.
ty Of sentiment upon any subject, than
there is here now against third term
of Grantism.
The Messenger states the truth exact
ly. There is nothing more noticeable
in conversing with people than the al
most entire absence of desire for the
nomination of Gen. Grant. On the
contrary it is very common to hear
prominent Republicans assert their de-
termination not to vote for him if he
should be the nominee. There does
not seem to be so much opposition to
Blaine as to Grant. All the sophistical
arguments intended to lubricate the
third term project, SO as to make it ego
down" more easily, have failed to inn
press the mass of Republican voters.
They know and feel that however able
Gen. Grant is in his profession of SOL
der, he has not succeeded in q civil ca
pacity so brilliantly as to render it plain
that nation Of fifty millions of people
can show no other statesman who could
do better.
There is reason and safety in refusing
to set the precedent of third term.
There must be the strongest of reasons,
the most pressing of necessities to war;
rant setting aside this tradition of our
government. What is the chief reason
advanced in favor of Grants renomina-
tionf "a strong man is needed to cope
with the threatening embers of rebel
ion and anarchy lingering in the Dem
ocratic party" Admit the danger of
an attempt by the Democratic party to
trample upon the will of the people ex-
pressed in next falls election: will
Grant have any more power in defeat
ing the wrong than Edmunds, Blaine
or Sherman viii the patriotism of
the country rally to his support more
enthusiastically than to theirs? Would
not Grant, acting under the orders of a
rightfrlly elected president be far
stronger to achieve constitutional tri-
umph for his party than if he sought to
secure il for himself? And certainly
il he is all the third term advocates
claim, his powerful sword will be
welded for the right regardless of self
ish aims. The people admire him and
respect him as soldier and as citi-
zen, his triumphs have been their tri-
umphs, his glory has been their glory,
and they believe lie will continue to be
true and able servant of the republic.
Notwithstanding this feeling there is
still stronger feeling that this republic
does not exist for the sole purpose of
honoring him, but for its own well-be-
ing, safety and perpetuity. To be
president did not and cannot enhance
his fame. Small men have filed the
chair. Grant to-day occupies a higher
position than If he were president, or
would, If a suspicion of undue ambition
did not attach TO him in consequence of
the efforts made for his denomination.
TO seek the presidency and obtain It
will not add to his fame; TO seek 1t
and fail will sadly dim its luster.
name. Give Gen. Grant all the honor
due him, but do not for that purpose do
away with an important tradition of
the republic, in the preservation of
which is safety TO our government and