Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1840-08-24
ONE TERM-THE TRUE DEMOCRATIC
DOCTRINE


We hesitate not a moment in saying, that
of The most important principles to be established
} in the election OF Gen. Harrison, is that of limit.
ing the President to term. The fact is, our
ii government has been, to all nents and purposes
rer0lttionized, in the leading features which dis
tingush it from the corrupt and arbitrary gov
ernments Of The old world. The people of this
country fought for government Of the people, to
he administered by their servants FOR the g0od Of
! The people; and when our constitution was adop
ted, they thought that this great object was attnn
cd. But what is now, and wat for the last olev
EN- years has been, the fact? The federal Execu
tive has taken it upon itself, by the most unscru-
pulous means, to control the elections of the peo-
pie in the first instance, mad TO control all the ac
lions oftheir representatives, after they were cleo
ted. Why has this been done? 1t is because The |
Presidential term has not been limited The sec.
ond term, with its 100000 salary, its Influence
and its power, has constantly been held up to the
Executive n bride, temptation to him. to spend
his first four years in intriguing and managing for
a second election; and even Ills last four wears in
doing the same thing for bis successor. Hence
have ae seen the federal Executive murshaing
his 1901 900 Office holders to influence the elections
hence Congress has been Frustrated at the feet of
the Executive, and hence its legislation has been
for party purposes, rather than for the good Of the
people The will of the federal head las been
regarded, rather than the will Of the people: aud
in the contest for power the country has been for
gotten. This is the history of the past: it esab-
fishes the fact, that serious change has been eff.
fected in the spirit and design of our government.
Shall we not be alarmed? Shall we not demand
reform, and apply the remedy by insisting up
on the ONE TERN DOCTRINE? But the
federal locoocos say this is a Hartford Convention
doctrine See the Patriot OF Aug. 3, and you
will find the following:
'ONE PRESIDENTIAL TERM. The Wings are
A making it point OF great merit in General Har-
rison that lac is in favor of but one presidential
T. term. On the same ground they can prove the
n Hartford Convention 10 have been very patriotic
body pronulgating sound political prnclpIes-
e One ofthe amendments proposed by the Hartford
Convention to the federal constitution was this:
n Seventh. The same pefSOn shall nat be elected
:. President a SECOND term
y The coincidence is striking und appropriate.
Q .Neto Era
u A Hartford Convention doctrine, indeed This
u is the favorite argument oflhc locoiocos; and I'M
Il der cover Of it they pressing upon the people
e both doctrines and measures Of the most ultra
: federal character. This instance is fair example
" of their management. Alexander Hamilton, the
d leader of the ultra fcderaiss Of old, was the
y my of short Executive term, MS he was the fa-
ther of the sub.ireasury scheme: the ocofocos a
:, dept his doctrines in both cases-and yet, every
: wing measure though it be directly contrary TO
J. those of Hamilton and the ultra fcdcraliss, is
$ denounced as a federal Hartford Convention meas
y ure! 1t is Just so on the subject of Executive
G power, on the sub-treasury scheme AMI on the
: one tern, principle On all these points, and in
= deed on all essential points, the Wings occupy tn c
cid republican ground and the loculocos lake the
r old federal ground; yet the Patriot and Mr.. Van
1t Ness unbushingly tell that the locos are the
= Simon Pure democrats, and that the Wings are
black cockade federallss, This is arrogance and
impudence a little too bold for intelligent people
Mark you this the New Era and the Patriot
of say the term principle is Hartford Conven-
" ton measure, ergo federal measure. We shall
now show that it was JEFFERSON'S DOC
TRINE.
In different letters written at the time the Con-
ID stitutiou was adopted, Mr., Jefferson expressed
10 himself as follows:
- "The second feature Ioflhe Constitution | dis.
n like, and strongly dislike, is The abandonment, in
~ every instance, OF the principle OF rotation in Of
free, and most particularly IN The case n The PreSi-
IN dent"-Lelter 10 Madison, Dec. 30 1857. Ran
dopl's Jefferson, vol. 9, page ga
"T'here is another strong feature in the new
10 constitution which strongly dislike. That is, The
perpetual re- eligibility Of The President" Letter
. 10 Mcdonald, 1888. Ib. 800.
= "Tlis, fear, viii make that an officer for life,
first, and then lereditary.' However, | shall
,f hope, that before there is danger of this change
!, taking place in the Office OF President, the good
iOI sense and free spirit Of our countrymen wW make
l. The changes necessary 10 preucnt Alb. 3O3.
In another letter (page 3661 Mr.. Jefferson gives
his preference to this plan, VIZ. to limit The Presi-
dent to one term Of Seuen years aud render hun in-
m eligible thereafter.
X In letter to John Adams dated November l3,
W 1887, he says
l. How do you like our new constitution?
coniess there are things in it which stagger all my
ed disposition to subscribe to what such an assem-
My has proposed. The house of federal repre-
he seh'a'Ves will not be adequate 10 the manage
ed ineht oil affairs either foreign federal Their
of president seems II bad edition of n Polish King
ed re may oe elected from four gears four years. 70,
,el ne. reason ana experience prove TO us, that
10 chief magistrate, so continuabe, is an Office foI
L life. When one or two generations shall have
w proved that this is an office for life il becomes on
every succession, worthy of intrigue, or bribery
of force and even of foreign Interference. 1t vii
be of great consequence 10 France and England
We to have America governed by Galioman or al