San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1880-05-01
VIOLIN. SATURDAY,


How About . Foarth Ternas
The question Of the expediency Of q
Fhird Term directly inolves the expe-
diency Of . Fourth Term also. Con
Grant had scarcely retired from the
Presidential chair before his olosesl
personsl friends began the demand
which has since grown 80 loud, for his
return to the Office. During all the
years that have followed, the Ameri-
can people have been kept wondering
whether he desired, or would accept .
third election. A single word from
him would have shown them just what
they had to expect, but he did moi
choose to speak IL. They know NOW
that he is . candidate becanse he
makes no effort to check the efforts oi
his friends to nominate him. The 81
leuce Of years remains unbroken. fsa
Let us suppose General Grant NOM
mated, elected, inaugurated. Does
any one doubt that history will repeat
itself? Can any one doubt that the
men who began the present agitation
for third term would. in due time, be.
gin another for a Fourth Term? We
should be told that the emergency he
had been placed in Office to meet was
not yet ended that his work would
be left unfinished if he were compelled
to retire at tho end of one term. The
absurd claim that he is the only strong
man in a nation of freemen would be
revived. Let any one who doubts this
reflect that many men who are now in
office and will be in office until March
4th. 1881, owe their places to Geuer-
al Grant. (This is the secret strength
Of tho Third Term Lett be remem'
bered also that every man who Is 10
Office after March 4. 1881, would owe
his continuance il Office to President
Grant. Itwould be astonishing, un.
der these circumstances, if. with tho
precedent of a Third Term already set,
there were not a loud cry for q Fourth.
Gratitude has been defined on high
authority "a lively sense Of favors to
come"
Who can doubt that, if all this
should come to pass. Gen. Grant
would maintaintain the same absolute
silence he has observed for the past
three years? Who can doubt that
the American people would be allow
ed to speculate for years about his in
tentions, only to fud OF last that be
would not refuse . reelection, if he
could possibly secure itP Is any
friend of General Grant authorized to
soy that. ifhe is elected for Third
Term, he will not be o candidate for a
Fourth? Will General Grant himself
sayso? We think not.
There are many sincere men who re-
gard such fears as cxaggera ted and un
wise. We point them to the recent
speech of so atle and patriotic, though
q man an Henry Ward
Beecher. Mr.. Bcscher's mind, clear
as it usually is, is so dazzled by the
arguments for Third Term that he
sees no harm in Fourth, a Fifth. .-evep
a Seventh Term for General Grant.
If disinterested men are liable to such
dangerous error, what are we to expect
of men who will think that their bread
and butter depend upon their adoption
of it? Before the Chicago Convention
meets. let.the Republican party consid-
er, 10 all soberness, whether they are
ready to propose to the American peo.
pie a Fourth Term for anybody, or q
Fifth Term. or an indefinite number
Of terms. And this question can be
considered without bitterness against
the great soldier, No ono can blame
him for wanting all the honors he can
get. Hc is not George Washington,
and there has been only one 10 Amer
lean history. But 1t is far question
for the leaders Of the Republican party
10 discuss-whether, under the circum
stances, the nomination Of General
Grant would be wise. or eyen safe.--N.
Y. Tribune. f.