Year: 1874

ing to the researches of our correspondent,
which it is due to him to say are given with
reserve, ''an intelligent and responsible man
has been inhaling the Presidents condolences
on the third term, and has had with the
second Washington ga free interchange OF
thought and suggestions" in which His Ex-
cellency quietly dismissed the republican
party as having survived its usefulness, and
intimated his willingness to run as the
candidate Of an Independent movement
If the President has really made
these declarations their Importance can
not be exaggerated We shall probably
have all manner of denials from chorus
Of home statesmen, and angry rehec-
tions upon the correspondents for misrepre-
senting the President. Upon this there is
only one thing to be said. So long as General
Grant does not deem subject which interests
the whole country to be worthy of an explicit
declaration from himself as to his views and
intentions we shall have random statements,
and perhaps Misrepresentation. There is
nothing in anything the President has said or
done inconsistent with the conclusions Of our
correspondent If there is any member Of the
seaside clambake Cabinet who would not sup
port General Grant for third term we have
not heard of him.


Evidently this third term discussion will not
die. That far-seeing journal, the Indianapolis
Sentinel, takes q just and comprehensive
view of it as it now affects the coun-
try 1t recognizes the important point
that there is no constitutional provision
against third term, and that nothing stands
in the way of ON aspirant but the example Of
George Washington. Only q man Indifferent
to political decency would touch the nomina-
ton, and only RECKLESS public sentiment
would permit it's serious consideration. The
fact that the President has never denied the
imputation that he desires another term is
looked upon as ''presumptive evidence that
he would not decline the nomination. This
point is strengthened by noteworthy his
torical incident "When General Grant, says
the Sentinel, ''was first proposed as q candi-
date, his father, who then acted as his
spokesman, declared that Ulysses would
consent to run only as the candidate
of the people, not as the nominee
of political organization. When he saw
that the object of his ambition was not attain
able he concluded to run on the republican
ticket, but made peculiar bargain.
Through his friend General Belknap he pre-
sented his case to the republican leaders.
he represented to them that his position as
General Of the Army was one which he was
sure Of for life, and which was but little
inferior to the Presidency in financial point
of view If he should give up this position
and accept the Presidency he would be left,
a comparatively young man at the end Of his
term without employment and forbidden by
custom from engaging in business. AS a
matter of prudence he asked guarantee of
two terms in the Presidency, and the repub-
lcan leaders, knowing that he was necessary
to their success, consented to the purchase"


The editor looks upon this bargain as o
''matter of record" and that candidate who
would make it is O man "for whom Wash
ington's example has no terrors." Behind
this personal feeling there is debauched
public sentiment, the army of office-holders
and 'the wealthy classes whose leaders he has
always tried to conciliate. But in the South
the principal support is found. There the
impression seems to be that no democrat
can be elected and that Grant would be
preferable to an ordinary republican candi-
date. All that is wanted is that he would
save the South from the Civil Rights bill.
"From one State after another" says the
editor ''comes up the assurances of tho
leading politicians that the only hope of the
people is in indorsing the President for
another term; and such declarations, taken
in connection with the authority of the
administration over the South, mean simply
the solid vote Of that part of the Union.
1t is therefore idle to deny that the great evil
of the possibility of q third term is upon us,
and the longer its possibility is tolerated the
more dangerous it becomes


These are sound views on the part of the
Sentinel. But as we have all along contended,
the spirit which in the Southern States would
like to have the President nominated for an
other term is akin to the spirit of secession
which animated these same leaders in 1861.
Secession would have destroyed the Republic
just as the adoption of the third term princi-
pie would be the beginning of its downfall.
General Grant has no claim upon the
white men of the South No man is
more responsible than the President for
the infamies of governments like those of
Ke,,,ooq in Louisiana and Moses in South
Gasolina, ~ are part of the record of
his administrator. 10 has done nothing for
the South during his two terms, aSd what could
he possibly do during third termP And
what would the real earnest meii Of the
South, those who gave power and
genius to the Confederacy, men like
Breckenridge, Hunter, Randolph Tucker
and their colleagues in government which,
althnurh fallen excited the adrnira4inx and |