New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-05-11
KEEP COOL.

ldVOr OIL lIeeuOuls
KEEP COOL
1t is perhaps not improper under the circum-
stances 10 remind the supporters Of the third
term movement that patience is one of the
highest virtues, and that it is sometimes more
becoming to exercise it ones self than to recon-
mend it to others. 1t is very fresh III our minds
how at the beginning of the boom its pro-
motors addressed themselves to those who, it
might be supposed from their previous political
course, would oppose it, urging tho Importance
of keeping perfectly cool and self-possessed'
and of saying nothing that would require to be
taken back or need explanation i'll case the eX-
President should be nominated, as they SAID
he was sure to be- beyond all peradvcntuTe.
1t was excellent advice, we admit. General
Grants previous administrations had excited
in the minds of great many sincere Republl-
cans very deep seated hostility. There was
strong repugnance TO the methods pursued, the
tendencies developed and i'll great measure to
the personnel of the Government and many
things among his surroundings. The new
movement seemed to be largely directed and
inspired by men who had heretofore proiited by
their relations with him, and whose motives III
the present undertaking could hardly be mis-
understood. There was danger in this state OF
affairs that the opposition to his nomination
might become cmbittcrCd to an extent TO i'm
peril the harmony Of the party and its future
success, and it was accordingly wise TO exercise
the greatest patience and selfrestraint in the
discussion of the subject. All of us needed to
remember and to keep it constantly in mind
that the essential thing was union and har-
mony, whoever should be the candidate, and
that no personal considerations toward any
probable candidate could outweigh the necessity
for Republican success.
Speaking for q large number of the opDO-
nents of third term, and from pretty wide
and careful observation of the utterances Of
those who agree with us on this subject, We can
confidently say that of all the candidates that
have been named none has received such uni
formly courteous and conslderate treatment
the ex-PresIdent toward none has there been
such careful avoidance of anything like personal
unflicndliness or partisan bitterness. That
there should be an organized opposition to the
principle involved in his candidacy was to be
expected. But even In the demonstrations of
those who have united in this movement we
are glad to he able to say there has been hardly
perceptible sign of personal hostility. That
movement has been directed not 80 much
against the ex-Presdent as against the idea Of
third term. These gentlemen are many of
them irrecOncilably opposed to the ex-Presi-
dents candidacy, and would not probably under
any circumstances give him their votes. Not
withstanding this fact they seem to have taken
care TO base their opposition to him simply
upon the dangerous principle they believe him
to represent and not upon any personal un-
Griendlness. The canvass against the third
term has been carried on fairly and frankly, and
even generously. From the beginning we do
not recall circumstance that could give the
distinguished soldier against whom it has been
directed the least annoy aDCe or pain His OPP
pOnents have borne constantly in mind the
great services lie has rendered his country, and
have been thoughtful of his reputation as n
National possession. They have even Telralncd
in great degree from criticism of lis civil adj
mnistratiOn directing their arguments chiefly
against the principle of the third term.
1t seems to US that, considering all the circum-
stances, no candidate ever was treated more
generously. The opponents of third term
have been patient, cool, prudent. Confident
that the people were with them. they have
contented themselves with simply disputng
| the ClU0S VI CDc lllilu lCIHl uuFOCdUtBJ UHu
submitting the question to the judgment of the
facts. From being a candidate who was to go
in on great wave of popular enthusiasm
which could not be resisted or stayed, General
| Grant has como to be very doubtful candi-
date, making u hard struggle to keep up, and
with all the signs pointing to his defeat. In
| this aspect of the matter it may not be amss to
recommend to his supporters the counsel they
offered SO freely few months ago-to be patient
! and keep cool, and say nothing under the spur
| of disappointment for which they may be sorry
| O month hence. If their plans for giving the
ex-President the solid votes of New-York and
! Pennsylvania have miscaried, it is simply be-
cause they had ovcrestimated the popularity of
the movement. 1t turns out that tho ex-Pres-
| dent is weak candidate among the people,
and that they were too sanguine with regard to
the popular wave in his favor. Somebody WIS
mistaken that is all. Aud now is the time
when they want to exercise self-rCstraint and
patience themselves. Their advice to the anti
third term men was followed. On that side
everybody has been patient and waited. Let
| thele be the same prudence on the other. The