Year: 1876




many of them, as eager to a him
aonor rs were che shouting Romans who
surrounded Caesar in his triumphs. And as
we believe that great events are not the
works Of mere men, but of social and polit-
cal conditions which daring men ofttimes
seize, SO do we see around us many
Of the elements favorable to Cesar
Ism. Luxury, sudden wealth, the
Ipirit of speculation, the loose moral
lone which superinduced Tammany
Hall, Credit Mobilier, revenue frauds and
the extraordinary legislation in the last
Congress the rending asunder by the civil
war of old conservative ties, the military
spirit, the craving for show and noise-all
these signs, apparent everywhere, are pre-
cisely what was seen in Rome when
Augustus Cesar, under the deceptive name
OF Imperator, overthrow the Republic.


This question, what we may call Cesar
Ism, that threatens to come to US in America,
Is now being settled in France and Spain
sadly, we fear, and with disaster and deep
wounding of the national pride. We
have seen what France has done
how she swung from the sway OF
Thiers to MacMahon-and scarcely rip
pie on the political surface. Could we
have done as much? Could our form of
government have made as sudden . change
without wrenching the whole system, and,
perhaps, giving it q fatal wound? Suppose
Mr.. johnson had been as popular man as
N. Theirs, with all the power of the govern
ment at his command, could we have avoided
any fate he chose for us?


Mr.. johnson was our most unpopular
President. He vetoed more acts Of Congress
than the other Presidents oil combined. He
was opposed by both houses of Congress
and had no following in either party. And
yet his impeachment was impossible. Sup
pose Mr.. johnson to have been as strong
rs M. Thiers in France, or President
Grant now, he could, we fear, have
dealt our Republic as severe blow as the
Caesars dealt the Republic of Rome The
evil lies in our constitution. Perfect as we
regard that instrument, we cannot do
what Spain has done, what France
is doing Spain dismissed her King,
France her President, and the forms
Of tho constitution were unimpaired. To
dismiss our President would be a revolu-
lion. And while no one cares to dismiss
him. we see ourselves drifting upon the
rock of C@sarism-smoothly, pleasantly,
silently, swiftly drifting upon danger even
greater than what menaced Spain or France.
We mean the third term idea, which to our
mind affects our Republic as gravely as the
Republic of Rome was affected when julius
Caesar was offered the crown by subservient
Eenators.


Nor will the question be solved by any
action of General Grant. We neither speak
for the President nor criticise him. Per-
sonally he does not enter into this discus
sion. He might say tomorrow that he
would, under no circumstances, accept re-
nomination, just rs he once said he did not
believe in second terms. That would post
pone, not eradicate the danger. No system
is sound, nor are any people really free who
depend upon the patriotism of one man for
freedom. We remember that the crown was
thrice offered on the Lupercal, and that,
although thrice refused. each time it was
with less and less reluctance. And
we can name twenty Mark Antonys
in our city who would carry the
crown of third nomination to
General Grant with pride and swiitness.
We must meet Cmsarism now, not by post
poning this question out of Difference to the
feelings of General Grant, but by meeting
it, discussing it and searching public opin-
ion. If our public men have no views on
The subject, or are silent and non-com-
initial, we must educate them also.
Having done this we come to the
next step-the promul CATION of on amend
ment to the constitution making the Presi-
Dental Office more amenable to the popular
will What the exact terms of such an
amendment should be must be considered
cravely. As for General Grant, as we have
before remarked, he has perilous stake.
If he should be renominated and
win he will be remembered with
those daring, ambitious men, like
Caesar end Napoleon, who preferred their
own gain to the national liberties. If he
should be renominated and lose he will be
remembered in our history with Arnold and
Burr as men who permitted ambition to
WOO them to dishonor and shame. Beyond
this the people must gravely consider
whether they are really free when contin-
cencies like this can be seriously discussed;
whether, with all our wealth and power, we
are as free as France and Spain.


"Whether Ctesdrism is to be the neat issue or