The Arkansas banner., 1844-09-25


 Clayites would be contented to let the con- stitution stand untouched by ruthless ambi- tion; and such, think, would have been the result, but for their Wretched policy in fore ing upon Harrison a called session, and upon themselves, all the party question, necessary to divide, distract, and ruin them When the Clavites commenced their operations upon Harrison, they considered the Democrats so used up, that they had only to dispose ol Harrison and his party, to clear the way for Mr. Clay at the end of four years; but after they had swamped themselves with their own foliies, in called Session, Distribution and Fiscality bills, and by their clustering and bullying President Tyler, had thrown him upon his reserved rights, they saw too plainly that their fate was written upon the wall, unless they could galvanize alew old hobbies, and mount them. The first in order, that they mounted, was the one term hoax. This had been before the American people, through the message of Gen. Jackson, in 1929. and, as always believed, was not Iackson's own suggestion, but that of an irresponsible ad wiser. l, however, felt t my duty to assail the proposition, as coming from the President himself, and in no unmeasured terms, as a Senator, denounced both the measure and the President, for proposing of it. In this, believe was most heartily supported by every Clay man in the State, andby not one of them, more than their leader. The pro- position fell dead, notwithstanding the great popularity of the President, and lay defuaet and odous until Mr. Clay attempted to breathe into its nostrils living soul. The pretences now urged by 8Ir. Clay and his followers, for this alteration in the constitution arc lst That It will, by shortening the time, gratify most aspirants after the office of Pre- sident 2d. That by rendering the President independent of the popular will, he will act more independent of the people, then hewill do if he is eligibleas candidate, or depend- ent upon the people for reelection. 3d. That competitors will then not have the in- Auence of office holders to fight against in their aspirations to the Presidency, as aoas.
 Admitting these propositions, and if know any thing of human nature, or of cause and effect in politics, they only illustrate the error and folly of the proposed amendment. The advocates propose to.make the President for four years independent of the public will, a perfect irresponsible tyrant, without the flat tery of hope or the pressure of fear-a mere teJ8ser for four gears, &5PH1jsbable for 5easte. Ii by gone times, when a Washington was President, the people were contented, and not harrassed with pretenders to the office, until the incumbent, full of years and honors, chose to resign the office into the hands of the people. But now, sir, how is it3 Why, that from the moment the termer is installed, if there be hope to oust him, the competi- tors and their eliques are on the alert. The sluices of billingsgate and abuse pour from hundred presses, upon the incumbent, and upon each other, umil the very land is steneh- ed with ii. Their partsans, like the frogs and lice of cursed FgBpt, harrass the people so that they can neither eat nor sleep in peace for them This one term business, even in prospect, has left but little rest for tired and exhausted nature, in the eahals and conflicts of Presidential aspirants and yet they want the constitution amended, that we may have more candidates for, and turmoil about the Presidency.
 On this subject, felow-eiiizens, am like the Yankee, who said he never killed the musquito that bit him, because if one mus quito was killed, there always came two hun gry ones to bury him. Hsop's fox and flies strikingly illustrates the folly of a people who will drive off the full-belled office hold CTS, and fill their places with hungry ones. Solomon says there are two things under the sun whose cravings are never satisfed-the grave and the barren womb. The people ol America, more wise than Solomon, can say that there is also third thing that is never satisfied, and that is the cravings of all office holder.
 But Mr. Clay and his disciples refer the people of Kentucky to our own happy con dition, in our most excellent chief magistracy, under our most excellent one term constitu- tion. N Nostriles, they say, exist here between the incumbent and the pretenders to success sion. Under our constitution, my friends, l admit that our Governors ought to be, and sometimes are, very lazy, inoifensive, and worthless animals. Having no power to do good, they devour their meals for four years at the public expense, draw their twenty-five hundred dollars year until ther four years have expired, and then, having done neither good nor harm to make them cared for, sink into obscurity, and die like an oyster in his bed. Our Governor feels as if he had not a wish to gratily or a care to avoid. He can endorse the errors of the Legislature, but has nopower to conirolth them. Having no chance to complete any scheme he may begin for the public good, he attempts nothing Hav- ing no hopes of approval, he has no fears of condemnation. He is, for four years, the minion or butt of his party. With such a shadow our State has thus far got on, but say 1t in sober sadness, she has done so badly
 In by-gone times, when under a better constitution, which held out the prospect of honors and rewards to the faithful Governor by repetition of the confidence of his fellow citizens, and the dread of popular odium and condemnation for faithlessness in office, you had your Shelbys and your Garrards Then your penal laws were not dead letter, and martial rights were not trodden under foot as now. Then, sir, in twelve years our country was disgraced with scarcely a case of divorce; now Shp is dispraced with fbousande and tl,o