National Republican., 1880-05-04
TIE THIRD-7ERM BUGBE1R.
A ForoIble letter from John S. Mosby.

Ihe following letter was received in this eli
yesterday:
IIoNG KoHG, CniHA, March 90, 1880.
DEAR SIR: have read with interest your IN
letter, III which you discuss tho prospects for th
next Presidency Nothing could be more absur
than the objections urged BY the thrd.term alarm
lists against the election OF General Grant, VIII
affect to see In II the spectre Of monarchy. Sue
persons. as Dr. Johnson said Of the no-Popcry mo
OF his day, would nave cried fire in the midst 9
the Hood. There is really no sincerity in thci
ciamOr. The same men had the samv vision whcl
he was Il candidate. both for his first and secon,
terms and Frnlk Blair predicted that If lie one
got INTO the While Housc he would never come on
alive. But time has demonstrated how much re
lianco con be put in such prophets. Their iayort
argument is the example Of Washington in re
tiring at the close Of his second term This is Hp
pealcd 10 as proof of his opinion agRn't the elcC
ton OF man three times to the Presidency. II
applying precedent you must always first ascer
tain the reasons on which II is founded Now /
any one will show me when or where Washington
ever said or did anything inconsistent with tn,
principle involved in such an election then vii
admit That we have tho authority of Washington
against II. lie gave his reasons for retiring in hi
farewell address, and Mt the same time some ad
vice about cherlshing the Union, to which anothe
generation pNid very little respect. Washington
says he declined a reelection for purely persona
reasons. But Il the example OF Washington is tC
be sort OF bed of Procrusles and furnish for us
standard o! conduct IN everything, then no ono
ought now to ride on Il railroad or take a dose o.
chlOrofor1n, because Washington never did IL: ant
as he wore his hair powdered, with short breeches
be insisted that we ought TO 10 the same.
The Chinese, who do everything now just as 1
was done in the days of Confucus, can furnish tht
opponents Of General Grants election with ful
assortment Of arguments against II.
Mr. Jefferson was in Paris when tho Constitution
was adopted, ana wrote many letters predicting III
failure because the President being eligible to re-
election, would use the power and patronage Of III,
office indefinitely TO re-eeCt himself lie said the
President Of tho United States would only be q new
edition of a Polish king; but time falSifcd all OF
JenGrSOnS predictions. who not Ouly nCgQptpd "A
second term, but declared his Willingness to accept
third. The fact Is, that no men ever lived who
Ind less reverence for antiquity than the founders
of our Government Their chief title to the ad-
miration and gratitude of mankind is due to the
fact that they were not blind followers of tradition
and precedent. They knew like Calico that
when they were gone The world would still
move"
Those who imagine they see the phantom Of i'm
perialism in the election of General Grant arc
fond of imputing TO him the ambition Of Caesar. !
con iCss that can see nothing in common in the
character or the action of the man who laid down
the power of his high Office, In obedience to law
and that Of the great pro-consul of Gnul when he
crossed the Rubicon and marched OH Rome A
suggests more OF contrast than re.
semblance. C;DSar was elevated on the shields OF
his cgiony Grant disbanded his soldiers aud sent
them ~ their homes
hut II is said that Republican conventions In 1876
declared against third term. The point of the
resolutions was against the longer duration OF
power in one mans hands than eight successive
years. The reason wns the fear that President
might Use power ntl patronage Ot his Office to
re-elect himself Now, General Grant is the only
one spoken of in connection with the nomination.
against whom no objection can be urged on this
ground. The influence of patronage instead of
being IN his favor Is against him For years he has
been traveller in foreign lands, without official
rank, and mixed up with none Of the intrgues for
hc Office. i cannot SEQ how we would violate
Republican tradition in electing him any more
Ihan any other private citizen, while believe that
his experience both ut home and abroad would
make him far better President than he wns be.
lOrl. | cannot see how nU would have
power simply because he had once been President
10 overthrow the institutions OF the country even
ii he desired 1t. But 1t Is urged that the South
suffered much from misgovernment during his
administration. So it did, and also from yellow
fevor-and General Grant is no more responsible
for one than the ether.
Much WAS the natural and inevitable conse
quence of war ana conquest; we had played for
great stake and lost IT, much was due 10 the bitter
of slavery, aud the fierce passions IL EN-
Gendered, aud last but not least, TO the satanic
policy that the South was led TO adopt, (which If
not victory, is yet revemge.' But these evil days
have passed away | hope forever and men have
grown wiser Us their passions have become cooler.
II elected, General Gruut would now have the ben.
et OF the counscls of the best men Of the South 10
lirect him; he would certainly bO rid OF the In
tGence of those whose interest it was TO lead him
he wrong way.
In judging General Grant we must always bear
Il mind the condition Of the South as he found Il
md what IL was when he turned II over to the con-
rOl of his successor | know 1t will be said he
usiainea tho carpet-6as governments; 50 he did,
hey were none the less the lawful governments of
he States,
As President he had nothing to do with deter,
mining whether they were good or bad The
Southern people had acted so unwlscly us to allow
he rascals to got the advantage of having the law
N their side. General Grant simply took the
ide of the law He did not send troops to south
'aroliua ana Louisiana on the requisition Of their
Governors when they were In Il state Of chaos and
evolution for the purpose Of setting up or pulling
lown any faction but 70 save society from dis
olution and anarchy. If they had been sent there
II the interests OF any party, they would have
it in power. President Hayes justi-
led his recognition of the Hampton aud Nichols
governments on the ground that he found
hem IN actual possession OF the governments of
heir States. II General Grant had desired he GER
ainly could have prevented this. Virginians have
Oriiod President Hayes for taking General Grants
dvice and Withdrawing the troops from those
tatcs when the reasons for keeping them there no
ongcr existed but have forgotten that General |
rant Withdrew them from their own soil. hope |
nat In the next election Virginans will remember |
bis, and also that peace cannot be restored between
he sections as long as they beat the Confederate |
'ar drums through the South. l said this four |
ears ago, and my words arc now prophecy ful |
He'd. II feel u Just pride in their glory and as |
le as any man on their side. a generous foe |
'ould not ask to deprive Us OF II know that |
are not the proper element 10 control |
ur political conduct, which must be shaped with |
eiereace 10 the present and the future and not 10
he past. see no reason why men who stood 10. |
'hy those once opposed in arms should not now |
iarCh all one way. A great many forget that we |
re going to elect President of tue United States
nj not Of the southern ConfederaCy." Tho late |
olitlcnl revolution in Virginia was not so much |
n expression Unpopular sentiment OH the question
ominally Rt issue Us revolt against the despot-
m of party rule.
! he victOrs have certainly not made magnanl
ous use OF their victory but those who have been
reaching merciless prescription Of diSSeneTs
ardly have right TO complain when "the
lisonGd chalice Is commended to their own lips"
lille condemning the extremes 10 which the new
Irty has gone, men viii recognize in them the
me nveuging Nemesis as In the ferociOus JOY u
e mob that howled over the agony Of JcilTeys.
lch excuses have always been the first effects OF the
action against tyranny. "ThG bazo Of truth and
jeTty" says MnCgulay may at frat dazzle and
'wdor nations which have become half blind in
@ house Of bondage But let them gaze on. and
oy will soon be Rble 70 bear II, In q few years
en- learn to reason. The eXtTonie violence of
Union subsidies Hostile theories correct each
her. The scattered elements OF truth cease to
intend and begin to conlcsce. ana at length
STEM Of justice aud order is educed out of
oas."
| believe a brighter day is dawning when Vir-
mans, breaking away from the eternal cycle of
ldition and habit will once more lead the ad.
lcG OF liberty and progress.
mot in vain the distance beacons.
Forward, forward let us range;
let the great world SPIN forever
a. ri iNfrfp ar, gf Oh. Z