New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-01-04
THIRD TERM DISCUSSION.
CONVICTION THAT GENERAL GRANT DESIRES

THIRD TERM DISCUSSION.
CONVICTION THAT GENERAL GRANT DFsiREs The
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES AMONG MEMBERS OF
coNGREss-A MOVEMENT ON THE PART OF
MRssRs BLAINE AND SHERMAN EXPECTED.
IFnoM TIE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE rRrhUNR
WAsurxGToN. Jan. 3-Nobody in Washington
nny longer entertains doubt that General Grant
desires third term of the Presidency
The Philadelphia reception. while 1t was
ostcnsibly non-potical in its character. was
by no means free fr0m political tinge; and,
looking back upon IT, the experienced politicians of
the National Capital cannot escape from the belief
that the managers Of the Grant " boom " had
hand in all the arrangements. If the ex-Prcsident
did not indeed declare himself candidate as
many expected that he would do at some time dur
ing the Philadelphia festivities, he has not for
mally Withdrawn, as he certainly would have done
before his departure for Cuba, had nc not desired to
fill once moro the executive chair. At least this is
the way in which shrewd politicians here read the
signs of the times
The argument that General Grant cannot desire
TO enter again tho troubled of politics and in
vito once more the friendly criticisms the savage
assaults of political opponents ut time when If he
stands aloof he il sure to receive nothing
but honor and kind wishes from the whole
American people, loses all its force IN
the light of the events Of the day. Some men OF
great influence in the Republican party who are
not in the habit of entering upon an important
contest without knowing what they are about.
are openly and earnestly at work to bring about
General Grants denomination. They know whether
he desires third term or not. and they would not
waste their labor in his behalf if he was not can
didate
can understand very WE'LL" said one Republi-
in pit
"whv it would be gratifying to Grant to be Presi-
dent again. if the offer Spontaneously from the
whole Republican party or from con
siderable majority of il. third Tcrm
of the Presidency is honor 7hich
has never been conferred upon any American citi-
zen. and II would not be IN human nature that any
one should decline It If it was voluntarily rendered
but 10 enter into "a contest for the place with such
candidates as Senator Blaine and Secretary Sher-
man. uncertain as success will be. would, it seems to
me- be dstasteful to the General"
"Is il not possible" asked the other. THAT Grant
postpones definite declaration of his wishes In
the expectation that the call upon him may yet be-
come spontaneous aud generaf And may 1t not he
that those who are managing his campaign 1or
him are under Instructions to push it far enough
10 ascertain whether the boom will be
strong enough to carry him through or
not and to stop before he is actually committed, IT
the response Of the people is not enthusiastic as
they hope 1t will be | can see why n third term
would be especially acceptable to General Grant.
lie closed his last administration under something
of n cloud. There had been four years of
investigation and fierce criticisms and his friends
even deplored somo things that occurred. II now,
after an interval o! four years, the Republican
party should again call upon him To be
their candidate, and should elect him, 1t
would be vndication of his former admiuistr"-
tons. and he might well accept it evidence that
the people, on sober second thought. have changed
their minds in regard to the events Of ls60-77.'
The candidacy of General Grant being accepted
as a fact. the question has very naturally arisen,
and has been frequently put: What are the lead
ing Rcpublicans-what the other Republican
candidates for the nomination going to do about
itf There is no trouble in ascertalnlng
what the most influential members of
Congress think about n third term for General
Grant if they asked their opinion privately and
are promised that what they sag shall not appear IN
the newspapers. The third term men i'll Congress
NAV almost be counted on ones fingers and they do
not attempt to conceal their preferences. The
remainder believe that TO put up General
Grant IA n candidate would be grave
mistake; but they do not wish to say
il in public. correspondent of The
TRIBUNE cOnvcTSed with AT least nalI
dozen Republican Senators on this subject III one
afternoon. just before the holiday recess-Senators
Conkling and Cameron not being among them.
Every one gave evasve answers at first; but, when
assured that what ne s1id should not be printed.
every one spoke most cmphatically against the
Grant movement. 49,
If the sentiments of public men in Washington
could be given expression, 1t would certainly be
disconraging to the promoters of third term but
everybody seems tO.be waiting for some one else 10
faK he
begins to be expectation that Messrs.
Blame and sherman, tho strongest candidates,
will soon strike the keynote. An editorial para
praph i'm TIE TRIBUNE the othor day, In explana-
ton of Mr. Shcrman's position, has been widely com
mented upon and has been received rs authoritative
but some definite direct declaration from him and
from Mr. Blaine on the subject is looked for al no
distant day a. of the most important and ofec-
tive moves in their campaigns. IL L. W.