Year: 1873

he following extract from the y.
! Y. Htra'd'$ correspondent: which ne
find in the Ne,cs G. Courier, will be
interesting in view Of the opinion
variouSly expressed by those who are
flashing their minds iin regard to
! CNSarism. The conversation here
given is reported as having taken
place between Correspondent and
the Hon. Rcvcrdy Johnson, on the
question whether the latter favored
the third term principle"


':Principle: l see no principle in
the idea whatever. The idea putting Of
any man into the presidential chair for
third term ought to be abhorrent to
every good citizen. Why, sir, I would
not vote for Washington himself for
third term if he was living to-day.


There are many very weigkty rea-
sous which could be urged against it.
You see if We concedc third.term to
Gen. Grant or any other man we do
away in a manner with what the peo-
pie have ever looked upon as sort of
constitution which prohibits q third
term, but the idea has been so fixed in
the peoples minds against honoring
any man beyond second term that it
has invested itself with all the force
of law"


''Do you think Gen. Grant would
take a third denomination %


Il am positive he would, and would
work hard to secure his election.
Grant is wonderfully fond Of money,
and SO long as he can remain where
he is the most easily is he able to
crafty his ayarice. l have it from
very good authority that he would
have vetoed the salary grab bill had
he been assured beforehand that his
own salary would be increased; but,
not getting that assurance, he was un-
willing to let slip the only chance to
have his pay doubled, and so signed
the bill. The Presidency to Grant is
a sort Of personal affair: and he has made
It serve him we'll so far; and I doubt
not but that, ifhc should be renomina-
ted, he will; as I said before, not only
take the nomination; but use all the
vast powers conferred upon him by
Congress to help his election. But Of
course I do not believe that there
would be any certainty about his elec-
tion whatever; for l do not think that
he could be reelected even if renomi-
mated. He car, if he wants to, easily
get renominatcd. The machinery is
all in his hands, and what has been
done before in the way Of having
convention 'all right to order, can
be done again. But have great
faith in the common good sense Of the
people. 1t is true that things are
are done now that receive their sane
tion which years ago would have been
abhorrent to them; and we can hardly
tell what changes may come over
them between now and 1876. Still,
as to this matter Of putting man in
the presidential chair for third term,
I do not thing the people will ever so
astray. To be sure | can easily con-
ceive how they might be justified in
rc-electing Gen. Grant again. if be-
tween now and '76 We should have
war with some foreign power; but
without some extraordinary justltlca-
tion ike this l do not think Gen.
Grants chances for a third term
amount to much" 49,.


"Do you not think that if the Re-
publicans should favor third term
fer Grant that the Democratic party
would be the gaincrZ'


"Of course the Democratic party
would be the gamer. and the admins
tration Republicans know it well. DO
you not notice how their papers pooh
pooh the idea of Grant even being re-
nominated ? If the ofice-holders and
all the other supporters Of the present
administration should openly avow
7 now their determination to rcnomi-
nate Gen. Grant the Democrats would
have reason to rejoice; for the very
avowal would, I feel confident. drive
thousands Of good Republicans into
the opposition ranks. Republicans
are looking forward to Grants re-
nomination"


':Do you not believe, Mr.. johnson,
that there are many prominent Re-
publicans who will try to prevent
Grant denomination at all hazards, in
order to further their own cbances%'


Undoubtedly, there are many Re-
publicans who would secretly rejoice
over Grants discontinue (if that were
possible) in not securing nomination;
but they have not the courage OPEN
| ly to avow their sentiments. There are
too many interests that bind them
together now to admit of their being
too outspoken just yet. I think Mr..
Blaine stands the best chance Of get
ting the nomination in l876-Grant
being considered out of the race. lie
came out Of the Credit Mobilier bust
ness we'll, and has a good record"
| First reveler Con being turned out
Of the "CaledOnian Club"O-":Come Q