Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1880-03-25
Will 1t be Grant ?

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the ex-President, the third-term boom
could be considered fairly under way
with n powerful backing to help it
along. New York, under the able
and imperious direction of Senator
Conkling, speedily followed the ini.
tial declarations of Pennsylvania and
added greatly to the force of the
Grant movement. With these two
leading States pledged in the same
manner, and with Illinois likely to
be in line with them, it really APP
peared as though from that time for
ward until the assembling of the
Convention in June no obstacles of
sufficient weight and strength could
be interposed that would in any per-
ceptible degree lessen or weaken the
power that would demand the nomina-
ton of Grant. Powerful and appar-
emily irresistible in the North, and
with a large contingent to be relied
upon from the South, the leaders in
the movement had right, with good
show of reason on their side, to glory
in their first successes, and exult over
the strength of their position. With.
out laying themselves open to the
charge of being mere idle boosters
they could even claim, as many of
them were not slow to do, that they
would so far distance all opposition
and all competitors that by the time
the Convention met they would have
clear field, aud bring about the
nomination of their favorite in one
grand shout of acclanation.
We greatly fear, however, that thus
animated by bright hopes and blinded
with the idea of certain and easy
victory over the combined oppozitioa
Of Blaine and Sherman, the adherents
of the strong man on horseback have
not regarded any of the dangers by
which they are beset. Everything
with them has been rose colored. and
possibly they could not see the ap-
proach of any frowning shadows.
But the every day signs of the times
cannot be mistaken. They point with
unerring vividness TO reaction in the
Republican party against the first
bold strides Of the Grant progress.
The mutterings Of a coming storm can
already heard, and the adherents Of
Grant cannot much longer close their
ears to its ominous sounds. II means APP
preaching peril to the thirdtermers.
The masses of the Republicans party,
are undoubtedly opposed to Grants
nomination. They not only have
some veneration for the unwritten law
of the Republic against third term
for any man, but they have lively
recollection of the scandals that mar
red the last years of the Grant admin
istration, with lie Belknaps, it Bah
cocks and its Shephards, and fear that
II would not be we'll to 90 before the
people handicapped with the dead
weight Of these burdens. Blaine and
Sherman are not by any means inact-
i've, and the first named develops
strength that proves his strength with
the stalwart rank and file. He makes
daily inroads upon the Grant forces.
His followers are devoted and In earn.
est, and it will not be surprising If he
shows as much strength at Chicago as
he did at Cincinnati four years ago.
The question, then, comes back,
Will it Be Grant," Many wise per-
sons now say that II will not. As dis
interestsa lockers on, We may say that
we do not care whether II is Grant
Blaine or Sherman. Either one Of
these expectants is vulnerable In some
way, and We think Il matters but lit
tie to the Democracy which one re-
ceives the Republican nomination.
The odium of Grants administration,
with Its tyrannical and unconssitu.
tional treatment Of the South, its dis.
graceful jobs and scandals, together
with the prevailing dislike Of third
term for any man. will ha n heavy