Year: 1875

| political sagacity equals its sprightliness.
I makes = point in relation to the religious


support Of the third term movement which


well deserves attention. The force of the


Suns suggestion is obvious enough the


moment it ia stated. 1t is the rarest


and most valuable talent Of . journal


ist TO see obvious things which escape
duller perceptions. The sun states ire


sistible reasons why the republican party


cannot retreat from the position which
Grant, and Blaine, in imitation of Grant,


have taken in opposition to the American


Catholics. Blaine's demonstration is Of little


account because it is SO palpable an attempt


to steal Grants thunder, the original paten-


tee being always preferable, in public esti-


nation, to tricksters who copy his trade


mark. But whether Grant, or Blaine or


Brstow, or some other candidate succeeds in


getting the republican nomination, 1t Is


quite certain that the republican party will
not back out Of its declared hostility to the
Catholics in the approaching Presidential


contest 1t Is too late to recover the ground


it has lost with our Catholic population, and


it will push the religious issue to the utmost


in the Presidential canvass


On this exciting issue General Grants


chances are better than those of any other


candidate, because he was the first to broach
the question and because those who think it
of paramount importance care nothing for
the third term. The negroes of the South,
a majority of whom are Methodists, have not
haan a1n in h. rf
public, and the objections to the third cleo
tion of President have no force when ad-
dressed to them. Like all ignorant classes,
they pin their faith on persons rather
than principles, and in the negro
mind of the South President Grant
is the representative and champion of
the rights of the colored race. There is
no reason to doubt that Bishop Haven, a
Southern prelate, truly represents their
views A majority of the Southern negroes
have been told by their spiritual guides
that President Grant is a Methodist,
AZ well as the foremost friend Of the
race, and they will stand by him both
on religious and political grounds. They
know nothing of Blaine Blaine is not
Methodist. In choice between him and
Grant hundred Southern negroes would
give their suffrages to Grant for one that
would look with favor on Blaine. The Sm
puts the case forcibly, but not too strongly,
in the following paragraph OF its article:-


In the first place let us consider the probable effect
the colored constituency OF the South. or these
people very large proportion are Mehodsts pos
sessed OF strong aud ardent Methodist svmpathies
knn nf yclla IN Inc zff-
tuition and still less Of tradition ana usages; and
neither third term tenth term would have any
t-TrOrs 10 them If II only lled by whom they
couia regard as "a man ana brother. These
ignorant but enthusiastic people represented be
for General Graut for third the anti Catholic
issue: II have been asked 10 speak for the South"
SAID Bishop Haven. when in the Boston meeting he
ardenty requested the Methodist clergy and brethren
70 pray for the denomination or General Grant Is


TO be supposed that be had not long before had the
coorsd Methodist preachers and the coored Methodist
brethren at the South praying TOR the same thing
These people in earnest and very strongly inclined
TO act and TO vote a. they have prayed


We are aware that ii may be asked, Of what
consequence it is what the sentiment of the
Southern negroes may be as to President
Grants reelection, since it is inevitable that
at least thirteen of the fifteen Southern
States will give their electoral votes for the
democratic candidate. Such question be-
trays but superficial view of our politics.
President Grants denomination depends on
quite different set Of influences from those
which would contribute to his reelection,
His great point is TO get nominated, and
if his nomination can be accomplished no
body doubts that the whole republican party
will do its best to elect him. The vital point
is the nomination. If General Grant fails to
secure majority of the delegates in the
Republican National Convention the third
term question will be quite out Of poll
tics but if the National Convention
nominates him the whole republican
party will be pledged to his support
and will make vigorous fight under
the third term banner, with the religious
question as the main issue of the can
vass. For the present it is idle to look
beyond the nomination. If President Grant
secures the nomination the republican party
Of the country Will be forced to stand by
him and share his fortune. 1t cannot re-
pudiate the nomination Of its own National
Convention, and if President Grant is strong
enough to secure that he will have a very
good start in the race.


II must not be forgotten that, in our
national party conventions, each State is
represented in proportion to its electoral
votes, without any regard 70 whether the
party can cast those votes in the election or
not. For illustration, let US take the State
Of Kentucky, which has twelve electoral
votes. Those twelve votes will, Of course,
be given to the democratic Presidential can



lican minority in Kentucky will have as
much influence in the Republican National
Convention a. if it could aid the election Of
the candidate whom it assists to nominate.
This il equally true 81 the Southern States
as a body. Their republican delegates may
secure the nomination of General Grant az