New-York tribune., 1885-07-24
THE THIRD TERN BATTLES.

4 Grants second triumph at che polls lin 1927
being even greater far maiorties showed than
ais first, whom his laurels as victorious General
still fresh, led of his Datterers to beeva
that he could se elected third time and perhaps o.
{ fourth, and perhaps even as long as he liyed.
Whether General Grant was ever 90 Intoxicated By
the atmosphcre Of adulation which surrounded htro
~ to b-lieyo this never he known. Rut the
tact rcma!ns tlat tho people beenme suapicous not
long after his reelection that IL was the pnrpoos of
thos. trading politicians and bessos who knew tAp
"ouid awaya control hls Administration In the dis.
tribnton OF patronage their respective States to
cc!ect MIN AGAIN. II they could. 1he public MUD
took alarm, AND the elections OF November. 1874.
went overwhelmingly Democratia, and gave
E s icSe . o, . to the Democrst for
administration element ia the party then ssw that
there could be no third terul, aud That il the suv.
posed design was not disavowed there would snon
DC DC no nepuuncan party worth mentioning. The
pennsylvania Republican Convention. which was
Controlled absolutely by tho Camerons. seemed to
i;I9rd good opportunity. 1t met on May &c, 1878.
4nd adopted this resolution:
That Wa declare firm. unqualified adherence to tho
lhwriten law Of the Republic which wisely and under
% nc sanction OF the most venerable examples limits the
service To any citizos 70 two terms and
'hs kepuplcans OF Pennsylvania, in reeosnoa OF this
ios'aency Oh any person for thira term.
This declaration came from the President, mar
tIsans. not from bis critics. and the pr0mptness
With winch he noticed It seemed to show that the
DEMONSTRATION it,.s r had been presrsnged On May 20
lent o. the Penusylvania COnvention was given to
ne press, ia which the President said he hal con-
'iderrd II beneath the dignity OF his sice 10 notice
! ne ne cry OF " Cesarism." and a" Third Tcrm," which
nah besn started by the press, a portion of nc
hostile TO the Republican party. and plrticuarly so
20 tuo Administration but he deemed il proper to
speak when the question was considered by n con-
fcn'oh OIL tho second state IN the Union He
teecte1 thc circumstances under which lie was
iected ana reelected. and said Of tho Thrl Term
= 40 not want 10 any more than [ did tho frsko
to SAID that until Constitutional Amendment
a aouia oe asopted hxing the aumbcr OF terms. the
peop.e csuia not be restricted Ia their choice by
resolution" he addcd
happen in the future history of the country that
cnanse an Executive because has been ht wears
o mar any man could elect himself President ur even
a an, 10, himself prcpo.terous To rcc tuate
nation. iToaia not accept = nomination IL ware
"a te MAXI ;s M snould come under sach circumstances
likely TO ariss. ''''""'''e"' ns'
Whlie TINS disclaimer not altogether satisfao-
ory 10 the anti-rbird Term sentiment OF the
nent OF President Grants Intentions. anJ IN ~.
residential Convention of the following year hjs
iSine % was not mentioned among the candidates.
Net long after General Grant went abroad IN
loE IL was asserted by experienced political
observers that tbcro was pan on foot to gain Tor
,,ia II ,ne Hepubhoan nomination Tor the Presidency
n lsso. itwsseven aieged that the tear aroundthe
yorid was part OF the scheme IL would take him
qt OF politics and its complications for two years.
he applause which would follow his progress about
he globe would awaken a feeling Of sr;Js ~ ~.
olntrymen, under the inanenee of which old nalit.
: ia, ira as.@0sties might melt away. These were the
aIls sscrieed to tue politicians, and the rssnit
eemed 10 show that the suspicious ENTERTAINED
we're not without foundation. The Ponsnvlyamio
,eM-i ,e York and Illinois Conventions were held in
eoruary and June. 1880, aud each ons pss.st
eesniut,ons OK instruction for Grant which vera
iaimed by his fieads as binding upon the action of
ne dsiegstea This was denied by his opponents
nd one of the great battle, Of the National Con.
ena,on sna was between the "unit rule !" and tho
s.a,vdsai rule which sndod, a. IN two former
Atonat ,Convehtions, IN the dcfest OF, tina
unit rule" The convention met IT Ch,csro'
u ane =. =: isSo. and con ted Ia session sIreusS
len sys M os oxe,temont osIeral Grants vets stood
ita w9ndertui steadiness, tho lowest during tho
arysx ballots beng S02. the highest SiS, out Of
convensloo OF zoo. Jamcs q. Biaine stood Nssr
ass 6&A Psea