American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1880-02-28
The Harrisburg Convention.


The Harrisburg Convention. J
We are afraid Che result at Harris
burg is one of those victories that are
said to be worse than defeats. When a
Republican Convection in the second
State in the Union instructs its dele
gates for Grant by a vote of 1873 to 113
the bottom may be said to have dropped
out of IS the tremendous popular enthu-
siasm" of which we have heard SO
much, and that carefully worked-up
humbug vanishes into the thinnest of
thin air. An ordinary candidate could
afford to be content with bare major
ity of twenty, but Grant is not an ordi-
nary candidate. Not only is he weight
ed down with the scandals of his eight
years Administrations which
produced formidable revolt in his
party-but he is endeavoring to over
turn and override a precedent which
Washington and Jefferson established,
and which has heretofore been consid-
cred not less sacred than the organic
law of the land. Thus incumbered his
chances of success in the Presidential
race are at best but small, and if to
enter the race at all he is obliged to
bring discord into the Republican
|
gether and he is beaten in advance.
The third-term movement originated in
the idea that Republicans were practi-
cally unit in favor of it, and that
Grant could not consistently refuse to
yield to the unanimous pressure;
pressure which justi6es him in doing
what none of his predecessors had VEN
tured to do. Twenty majority in Penn
sylvania pricks the bubble of falsehood
and reveals the real truth of the mat
ter: which is, that to nominate third
term candidate at Chicago he must be
literally rammed down the party throat
Now while there is no sort of doubt
that Grant strongly desires the nomina-
ton, and from the day he left the Ex-
ecutive chair has arranged all his plans
with a view of returning to it, yet per-
haps he is wise enough to know that
he cannot afford to scramble for the
coveted prize, even if absolutely sure of
obtaining it. 1t would be suicidal folly
in him to descend into the political
arena and fight for ticket in the>Presi-
Dental lottery. If he drew the prize It
would lose half its value in his own and
the worlds estimation. and if he did
not draw it his reputation would suffer
irreparable injury. Such, at least, is
tHe OpIulou lately cApTeSSco ny Sonlo
of his most intimate and unselfsh
friends, and we will assume that he
agrees with them. But we may be en-
tirely mistaken, and a very few days
will decide the question. If, with the
result of the Pennsylvania Convention
before him, Grant still allows his name
to be used, the case will be perfectly
clear, and Democrats, may prepare to
enjoy the Republican circus and a
very large and lively circus it promises
to be. Hitherto the santi-third- term
Republicans have had no rallying
point, and apparently no disposition to
rally. But the battle at Harrisburg, by
displaying the latter in unmistakable
form, has provided the former. The
hundred and thirteen anti-tlfird- tefmers
there will crystalize the opposition eve
rywhere; give it pith and purpose,
loud voice and a strong arm. Those
who have been backward in coming for
ward will draw courage from this ex-
ample, and not only step boldly to the
front but make themselves felt as well
as heard. But we trust that the change
of "the boom" into boomerang will
not entirely destroy the third-term pro-
gramme. We trust that Grant will not
be frightened off the track, and that in
every Republican State Convention the
machine may operate as nicely as it die
in Pennsylvania, and pull him through
.'by the skin of his teeth-"-leaving
Chicago to cap the climax in the same
fashion. Then the people will have an
opportunity to sit down vigorously upon
third-termism and all the other odorous
ssisms'' which attach to Grant ; and
that this opportunity will be promptly
and satisfactorily improved is about as
certain as anything in the future can be.
Cameron and his clan are entitled to the
thanks of every Democrat, for the Penn
sylvania performance--ifG Grant will only
stick-insures Democratic success next
November.-St. Louis Republican.
CARBoLIC ACID AS PREVENTIVE OF
SCARLET FEvER-Mr. C. E. Wright,
of this city, has been experimenting with
carbolic acid as a prophylactic of scarlet
fever, and is favorably impressed with
its efficacy. 1t seems to abort the dis
ease In numerous cases persons in an
infected household who took the acid
have every one escaped infection, while
all who failed to take it were attacked.
In the family of Mr.. C. L. Divine, fore
man of the Journal composing-room,
all who took it escaped, while the serv-
ant girl, who refused to take it, is now
down with the disease. The subject is
one worthy the study of every physician,
and, if the theory is established, the
discovery is one of the most important
ever made in medicine. The Doctor
puts five drops of acid in a half-pint of
water, and gives n teaspoonful four or
five times day.-IndianapOiiS Journal.
A YOUNG man ut Canton, o., has
sued his own mother for $4,000 for
damages. She circulated report that
he was drunken and thicvish.