Year: 1875

Resolutions adopted by either branch of Con-
gress alone have ordinarily little weight.
Nevertheless, the very emphatic declaration by
the House in opposition to Il third term fixes
public attention, and excites wOuld-be friends
of the President in q remarkable degree. They
make haste to declare that the House does not
represent the people, chat members were gov
erned by a mistaken idea as to public opinion,
that the President was not originally selected
by the politicians, and may yet be nominated
in spite of them, and that he will be the
stronger with the people when ii is known that
he has scarcely any support from the politi-
clans of his own party.


President Grant might easily have ended I'll
discussion on this topic A single sentence in
his annual message, direct and clear as he can
be when he chooses, would have saved him
the humiliation of defeat. He preferred to
permit adventurers to use his name still longer.
He preferred to deliver a message which is
generally regarded as an adrOit, If not also an
unscrupuous, bid for reelection. Thus he
challenges public criticism, and it remains for
him to hear what the country has to say of
him as a candidate for reelection. The press
has spoken quite emphaticaly but he seems to





people. Republican conventions have spoken,
but he apparently suppOses that his support
will come from some unknown body of citi-
zens who do not make their wishes known
through party conventions. Now Congress
speaks and if the President examines the list
of those who voted against a third term he
will perceive that very many of the strong
men of the Republican party are included.
But the clamOr of his supporters does not
abate. He does not silence them, nor does he
even withdraw the official patronage which
fires their zeal. Men are forced to conclude
that the President wants third term, if he
can get it.


That the House does not represent the peo
pie in many particulars we have said repeat
edly, but it surely represents at least as much
strength as the President has in the country
1t was elected at time when the Republicans
did not venture to say that they were opposed
to the Presidents reelection, when the Demo-
Gratis naturally inferred, from the noisy zeal of
the Presidents supporters and the silence of
Republican leaders, that he would meet with
no serious resistance in his own party, and
when the charge that the Republican party. if
successful, would continue Grant IN power,
was generally made and believed. Yet the
Republican candidates were supported by many
thousands of voters who were not in favor OF
Grants reelection, and certainly received the
support of all who were his friends. In this
House, it seems, there are eighteen members
who are inclined to oppose resolution against
his reelection and this with the prevailing
opinion that vote for the resolution would
forfeit. all share in the patronage for the re-
manning year of Grants term. Eighteen is not
very large number, but it is safe to say that
more than half Of the members who voted
against the resolution did so because they were
afraid to take position of antagonism to the
appointing power.


Does anybody suppose that the Executive
has less power with Congress than with the
peoplei There are certainly some members
who were elected by bis patronage; Is there a
single district 10 which his patronage alone