The Indianapolis journal., 1885-07-24

do not think any genius can excuse crime
like that The third Napoleon was worse than
the first, the especial enemy of America and
liberty
HIS ESTIMATE OF BLAINE
Speaking of the canvass Of 1876, the General
said one day: 81 had only ore candidate for the
presidency as my successor, and that was the
Republican candidate who could be elected.
Mr.. Blaine would have made a good
President My only fear about him was that
the attacks made upon him at the time would
iure his canvass To me personally Blaine
would have been acceptable. He is a very able
man, | think perfectly honest man, fit for any
place; but his enemies had opened line of
attack which would have made his canvass diff
fculk"
HE NEVER SOUGHT THE PRESIDENCY.
At another time he said: II never sought the
Office for a second, even for first, nomina-
ton. To the first was called from life posi-
tion-one created by Congress especially for me
for supposed services rendered to the Republic
The position vacated 1 liked 1t would have
been most agreeable to me to have retained it
until such time as Congress might have consent
ed to my retirement with the rank and portion
of the emoluments which I so much needed. to a
home where the balance of my days might be
spent in peace But | was made to believe that
flee. Without seeking the Office for second
term. the nomination was rendered to me by a
unanimous vote of the delegates of all the
States and Territories" In still another
conversation he said: when you take up the
question of second or third terms and pro
pose permanent ineligibility afterwards, you
are encountered with the argument that in a free
government people have right to elect whom
soever they please. and that because man has
served his country well he should not, at the end
OF his term, be in the position of an officer cash
Tered from the army. What you want to avoid,
it seems to me, is not re elections but frequent
elections L think the best plan, one that would
go further to satisfy all opinions, would be one
term for six or seven years, and inegbilitv to
reelection. Practically this would settle the
question. Eligibility after an intervening term
would not be of much value, for, in our country
most of the men who served one term would be
past the age Of election by the time another had
intervened"
OBJECTED TO THIRD TERM.
On yet another occasion he said II did not
want the presidency, and have never quite for
given myself for resigning the command of the
army to accept it: but it could not be helped I
owed my honors and opportunities to the Repub-
; lican party, and if my name could aid it. l was
, bound to accept. The second nomination was
almost due to me-if may use the phrase-be-
cause Of the bitterness of political and personal
opponents MY re elecllOn was a great SratlHca-
ton, because it showed me how the country felt.
Then came all the discussions about the third
term. 1 gave my views on that in my letters to
Senator White, Of Pennsylvania 1t is not
known, however, how strongly | was pressed to
ter the canvass a candidate. I was waited
upon formally by distinguished man represent
ing the influences that would have controlled the
Republicans in the South and asked to allow my
name to be used. This request was supported
by men in the Northern States whose position
and character unquestoned. | said then
that under no circumstances would become
candidate. Even if nomination and election
were assured. would not run The nomination,
if ran, would be after struggle, and the re-
suit would be far different from what it was be-
fore. If | succeeded, and tried to do my best,
my very best, should still have crippled ad-
ministration. This was the public view.
never had any illusions on the subject, never
allowed myself to be swayed for an instant from
my purpose. The pressure was great But
personally was weary of office. / never wanted
to get out of place as much as / did to get out
of the presidency. For sixteen years. from the
beginning of the war, it had been a constant
strain upon me. So when the third term was
seriously presented to ne, L peremptorily de-
clined it,.