Arkansas intelligencer., 1845-05-24
VAN BUREN, SATURDAY. MAY 24, 1S45.

on the same principle. with faIr understanding "i
the value Of their tenure of the places winch they
were under no obligation 10 iake-and IN "os'
cases supplanting predecessors under c'rcums'an'
ces Of private hardship lnll, equal TO tnat whch
the rev diving wheel Of political fortune brings
ngnin home TO Reconsideration It IS borne IN
mlnd that "a, each successive step OF alternate re-
laliaI ION ii becomes more and more difficult NOR
and more impossible, for either to refuse to take
the remit may be understood even by those wh'
most henrtily dislike this part of our ''svstem.
how idle i, ls to exI oct. how unreasonable 10 de
mand, from any new party and administration
-. i;..r -
tensive change in the offices at its disposal.
We dislike this as much as any, aud much more
than most. Nevertheless, as practical obser, er,
and reusoners, we see the Presen, necessity ou
of which /, grows; the impossibilIty of preventing
it; and the folly of rating ngalns, it. It is in the
bad system that the fault lies, and there alone
il be reached by anv effective cure or prevention
Perhaps. too it is best to let it have lis full way
without tnkering at its eternal symptoms with
paatires and patches. tending only to delay thn,
radical reform which may be best promoted by al
loving lis necessity most speedily aud strongly to
demonstrate ITSELF That reform is only to be
found in reducing the Presidential term--aking
away the power of removal without good cause
assgnpd-nhd we ought to add. transferring 20 10.
cal popular election ii large proportion Of the off
cal patronage, now vested in the executive
Sooner or later this must be done; the later it is
the worse it will be,-the sooner the batter.
This reform here proposed would open the chance
of honorable Presidential aspiration to many men
of the highest rank ofabiIity and merit who now
stand nrccssari y Iuded from it. Anv one can
for himself easily make up AT this moment list
of some fifteen Oh twenty eminent Democrats, in
different sections OF the Union. who may be said
all to occupy what may be called a Presidential
post on, that is. to be fully worthy and suitable
as Dossbe candidates for the highest Of human
political honors; vet not more than three or four
Of these are ever likely 10 attain it. The tenden.
cy of such state of things to foster intrigue. com.
bination, undue means even for Legitimate ends,
among public men of the highest grades it is
needless to dwell upon. A fair lstice. too, would
seem to require, that now. when the great and
fast growing extension of our country produces
the effect uf bringing forward the stage of pub
lie life so large number of men of equal, or
nearly equal prelensons, this honor should not be
confined to two or three Of a class embracing per.
haps dozen. to the necessary exclusion of all the
rest. With annual elections, and re.eliglbilIty
restricted IN practice so as to give each President
not more than three, and perhaps on an average.
two vears, the greater number Of men of this class
would be taken up by tho people in succession,
while the Presidency would move round in n heal
thy rotation through the different sections and
States, 10 the satisfaction of all and the avoidance
of those sectional eaions"s which are now so irrl.
tating and so mschievnuS.
This is the time to consider and to net upon
this subect-iust nt the close of one Presidential
conts and before the candidates have been
indicated for the next; while there are still. there.
fore. no special interests enlisted in opposing this
suggestion for the purpose of securing larger
probable term of the Presidency to their own
Already selected candidate. There are already
several eminent ornaments of our purity who are
looked to. with more or less Of hope bv their
respective friends, as our candidate for lS4S. II
the proposed reduction of the term should 5e ma e,
all could then come in. in timely order. while
several others. now scarcely thought Of though
nc less mori:nrious, world also be brought in he
scope of legitimate chance. The Roman Consuls
were annually selected-why not our Presidents!
The executives Of several of our States-why not
the executive OF the conf'deracy!
. We shall be glad flhe Democratic press gener.
ally would copy this ur,icIe--whlch we purposoIy
nude a short one-whether TO express their con,
currence or dissent is immateriu. provided only.
they bring the matter fairly before the considera.
lion of their respective circle Of readers.
y L. -. Al