New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-03-23
ILLINOIS. ND a THIRD TERN.


ILLINOIS IND 4 THIRD TERN.
Obviously it Is wise to expect that the skilled
and able politicians who are managing the
third term movement will do their best to sue
coed They have secured instructed delega-
tons from New York and Pennsylvania,
though in disregard of the will of the Republic
can voters. They intend. no doubt, to capture
the delegato from Illinois if they can Having
especial advantages in that State, because 1t is
the State in which General Grant formerly
resided, they first proposed early action there
surprising that success would not be dllncuit'
The willingness of the advocates of the third
term TO have action in Illinois postponed has
been accepted as an acknowledgment that there
was not so strong popular feeling in favor OF
General Grants nomination rs they had ex-
pected. But it would not be wise, as our Wash
ington correspondent has observed, to rest in
the belief that the effort to secure the delega-
ton from Illinois for the third term has been
abandoned. 1t is evidently believed that there
will arise a stronger feeling in favor of General
Grant after his return to this country; and since
defeat IN Illinois would be- well nigh fatal, his
managing friends prefer not to risk all by IN
effort at a time not the most favorable.
This delay, though dictated by prudence, may
prove fatal to tie third-term movement Many
other States will have had an opportunity to
express their choice, before the Illinois ConFen-
ton will assemble The fact will not be for
gotten that the action in these other States will
affect public opinion in Illinois. If, for example,
the Republicans of Ohio and Wisconsin decide
that the nomination of the ex-Presldent would
be unsafe and unwise, no sincere Republican In
Illinois will rashly insist upon that nomination
at the risk OF losing two large doubtful States.
1t will be noticed, too, whether support for
General Grant comes from Republicans who can
give him electoral votes, or only from States IN
which the Republican party Is pOwerlcss. Votes
in Convention viii count the same, IL Is true,
whether cast BY Republicans who can do moth
ing or by others who can do much 10 elect the
candidate, but the eff ct upon public opinion
in Illinois, and in other states which elect dele
gates at a late date, will be very different If
it should appear, when the Illinois Convention
meets, that General Grant had not the support
of single State III which the Republicans could
expect to succeed, except Pennsylvania and
New York, or in those States had not the sup
port of the majority of Republican voters, it
would be n very hard matter to convince sin
cere Republicans of Illinois, who love their
country and feel that its welfare can b. Sc
cured only by the success of the Republican
party, that they ought to insist upon nom
nation deemed dangerous by the Republicans in
all the doubtful States
To this complexion it may come, before Hi
nois chooses its delegation. Ii IL possible, AID
even probable, that the only delegations then
chosen in behalf Of the ex-Prcsdent besides
those Of New York and Pennsylvania, will BE-
from States IN which the power of the Demo
Gratis is practically irresistible. 1t is possible,
and even probable, that delegations earnestly
and ardently favonng other candidates, and
prepared to give very strong reasons for be-
leving the nomination of the ex-President I'M
wise, will then have been selected from other
States in which the Republicans have reason
able prospect of success. Illinois will think
twice before committing herself to the nomi-
nation of President Grant in such a case.
Indeed, General Grants most active and con-
spicuous friends will think twice. They ear
nestly desire success, not merely at the Con-
ventiOn, but at the polls. 1t Is a mistake to
suppose that they are of the temper to ruin
unless they can rule. However strong their
personal preference, they have no desire to be-
como responsible for a Republican defeat. 1t
would be the end of any Republican leader,
however strong, If he should force upon the
Convention candidate against the protests of
every Republican or doubtful State and then
that candidate should drag down his party with
himself to defeat. Senators COnkling, Cameron,
and Logan are courageous men, but they are
much too shrewd to run the risk of committing
political suicide in that way. If they become
convinced, before the National Convention
meets, that the nomination of General Grant
would involve serious danger, they will be the
first to look about for some other and safer
candidate. And nothing will be as likely to
convince them on that point as the earnest and
unbr0ken opposition of the Republicans from
all the doubtful States. Even if delegations
sufficiently numerous to nominate General
Grant on the first ballot should be- chosen, these
leaders would nevertheless take counsel very
soberly together, before exposing their party
to serious danger of defeat through their lead