The Weekly Kansas chief. [volume] (Troy, Kan.) 1872-1918, 1880-02-26
THIRD TERM.

Mr.. EDIIoR:-four course on the question of th,
next Presidency meets my entire approval. in SO IA
aims at offering again to General Grant the nomina
ton OF the Republican party. With many reasonl
adverse to that policy as must array themselve,
proportion of Republicans should have been led
away by ts upholders, from the clearest dictates
! q wise political sagacity.
| presented for the Office, because
First it 10 an admission Of weakness Of Republican
strength in the country which can only be supplied
by enthusiasm for distinguished man.
Second. it 10 no less glaring concession that the
| Republican party does not contain grand and able
statesmen, whose names would command admiration
That who has already serv ed two terms should
be taken from the dignifed retirement TO which ey-
proudly withdrawn, and again. in the face Of these
numerous presidents be put before the Ameraican
people . Presidential candidate, admits of NO
oaher possible view than that those presenting him
hope by the influence of his name rs great benefac-
tor in the past to allure o great military chief
tain. to the public sentiment his support
system Of which he shall become the exponent
IL this likely to address itself to the awakened
thought Of an educated people-likely to their
apprOvslf Or. on the contrary, it escape their
discernment that is fraught with most dangerous
tendencies to their dearest interestst
Ii might do very we'll under Q system Of govern
ment less enlightened with people less open the
influence Of popular defamation, aud the tremen-
dous activity of an untrammeled press. But with
these there IL no visible limit to the potent influence
that will be exerted in hostility q candidate with
all the surroundings of General Grant.
Ii il only the fact that his predecessors have
=. stated. quietly withdrawn from third term. but
what Of far greater interest the fact that this has
been done after the example Of him whom are all
accustomed to speak of the Father Of his Country.
an unwritten constitutional usage, with scarcely less
power than written constitutional prohibition.
While the force of this sentiment has never been
tested by an attempt to in opposition to it, We
n hal tram RpsOn
will break forth. when candidate shall be placed
before the American people in direct opposition its
long cherished and venerated teachings.
A it could never have been anticipated before the
era of the rebellion. with what unhearof unan-
unity and enthusiasm the whole people outside of its
power. and even immense mnorities within il, would
rally around the standard of the Union. So do not
those who are frantcally proposing themselves
in opposition TO this INV rtten tradition. foresee with
what a sweep of deuunciation. with what a tornado
OF detestaton, they are tanpering, when they
TO rely upon mere name TO undo the teachings and
the cherished memories of a century,
IL - not so much question of the inherent wisdom
OF the policy, as of the sentiment which has become
enshrined in the American heart As in the long pc
riod of ecclesiastical succeeding the Refora
ton. especially in that most enlightened Kingdom
where its ravages all the fright because
of the alternate ascendency of the other of the
men ought to have learned, that deeply seated
victions Of religious political will sway and
control the minds of their devoees despite the loti
est eminence the most tyranical prosecutions of
those in power. How readily they forsook and with
what bitter and relentless animosity they denounced
those who were traitors to their creed is written in
every page Of Englands history, from Henry VIII.
till long after the Revolution of loss; and with only
modified bitterness until o very recent date.
Will not those who favor the nomination of General
Grant, and will not General Grant himself, if nomi
mated, hold the unenvable position of traitors 70
this recognized creed Have they all, in their
CONVICTIONS and in their acts. avowed their cher
islcd doctrinef Why. then, it will be asked,
scind now repudiate il Is it because the of
General Grant is eminenty meritorious that no |
inhibition. written or traditional shall stand in his
wayf Possibly such q case might exist, far, ut
least as TO exempt from merely traditional USAGE
but another paper will be required to consider wheth
err his be such q case L.