The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1864-03-02

through this part of the country under the
frank.ofJoHN SHERMAN. It says as much
against the present administration as was ever
said by airy "Copperhead." 1t is signed by
the Charm an of the National (Abolition) Ex-
%ccntiye Committee. We shall have some re-
marks TO make upon it next week.
HE NEXT PRESIDENTIAL
ELECTION.
Mr.. Lincola-Tae Presiaency-Aetion of Lee
sigaiRres-One Term Patron
age-Pfolonging the War-Ma5iziy and
FdsciUation-"Honsst Old Abe"-Nt7itary
Commander as a Candidate-Te Cdndi-
date Hanted.
The effort now making to ~forestall the action
of the Republican National Convention by
procuring the formal nomination of Mr.. Lin
coin in State Legislatures and other public
bodies, is deeply to be deplorcd.
The more so, because this movement oriei.
mates with the recipients of Executive favor
and patronage, some of whom hold high sta
tons in the administration of Mr.. Lincoln,
whose object is to perpetuate their own pow
er and means of pecuniary advancement, with
out any regard whatever to the. welfare of the
country. While these nominations are made
to appear as though they enanated from the
spontaneous will of the people, the anintus in
reality to defeat their will altogether, by Pro-
ducing such a public clamor in behalf of Mr..
Lincoln, es 10 prevent the assembling of the
National Convention at all ; or if it should as
semble, to force his nomination upon the coun-
try, irrespective of the popular viii.
In time of civil war and all its attendant
calamnities, the attempt to advance the per-
sonal interest and ambition of any one man,
~ prpohar of MAN uifhouk ro-o,J - AZ Ill
lie good, deserves and should receive univer-
sal condemnation.
To the proper discussion of Mr.. Lincoln's
claim to be made a candidate for the next
Presidential term, there can be no reasonable
objection but it is the people, and not Mr.
Lincoln, and his dependents who should de-
eide upon his claim.
While the great body of the American peo-
pie have everything at stake upon the right
administration of the Government, they have
really no personal interest in its patronage
Therefore, they are the only disinterested par
ty to select the Presidential candidate with
out interference from Executive inhusn-
ces.
But now it is too early to commit the PEG
pie to the fortunes of any Presidential aspi-
rant. The issues of war are ever uncertain,
and though we have every reason to hope our
gallant armies may have destroyed the rebel
i power beIOFe the meeLlnS u Inc OOnVenIlOni
they may not. At all events, the people will
be much better prepared to decide this ques.
ton three or four months hence, than they
can possibly be to-day.
Already has this premature action alienated
many of the friends of freedom, who believe
that even with a fair nomination in q full con-
~yention, Mr.. Lincoln cannot be reelected to
the Presidency.
There are many solid reasons in the very
philosophy of representative government,
against the election Of President for a Sec
ond term.
The unbounded popularity of Gen eral
Washington Observation-Disclosures
WINGED the American peoplethat had he been
less than Washington, he might, by the pat
ronage of Office, have subYerted the liberties
of the country by procuring his own election
periodically for life.
TIL want of a constitutional Limitation to
the number Of terms for which a President
might be eligible, was then felt to be a serious
defect.
Washington participated in this sentiment,
and peremptorily refused to allow himself to
be elected for a third term ; and his descision
furnished a precedent which had all the force
of q constitutional restriction.
During the domination of the Republican
PARTY, from Jefferson to Monroe, the practice
of the President nominating himself for the
second term and then his successor, through
the machinery of a caucus, which virtually
transferred the power of election from the
people to the administration was becoming
a precedent which threatened the subvertion
of Republican liberty.
General Jackson, in order to maintain the
independence of the elective franchise, be-
came the candidate of the people in opposition
to this caucus system, and though defeated at
first, was, in 1928, triumphantly elected
against the powerful patronage of the
Government. From that day no President
until Mr.. Lincoln, ever attempted to revive
that odious system Of having himself nomi-
mated without consulting the people in a Ma
tional Convention.
General jackson was made a candidate by
the people for a second term against his will,
and elected with unparalleled unanimity.-
Yet, such was the unbonnded enthusiasm he
inspired, that jackson saw, as did every Ie-
fleeing man, that the danger to liberty which
occurred under W~ashington's administration
was repeating itself.
- And SO utterly opposed Twas that stern pat.
riot to the use of patronage for the purpose
of procuring a reelection to the Presidency,
that be laid Town TIE one term principle as a
fundamental doctrine in our democratic sys-
tenn, and it became q part of the political
oreed of the people SO strong, that no Pres
ident from that day has been reelected, and
prgbably never will be by a fair expression of
II president Lincoln, in defiance of the
te.cbinos O. Jackson, in violation of the great
nrinc;pies WHICH underlies our democratic in
stitutions, and in the face of the solemn war
nings of history, caS now SO WELD his patron-
ace az to secure his election for a second
term, who SO blind as not to see thatfoury years
- l. - L. Lee I;dSo 1Itu in 4 socr1rinr
his election for a third term ! For with an
frnyo of more than half a million of citizen
soldiers under his command, and an unusual
patronage of a thousand millions of money,
he can, if he has one half the brain attriL uted
to him bx his friends, have himself elected