Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1864-03-23
uRERuRy ON 1ENCarN.

The New York TribHHe of the 81 inst is out
in a strong article against tbs denomination Of
LINCOLN for the Presidency, by the Repub-
Ican party. It comedies the fact that grest
majority of those who together friumphed SIS
Unionists in the State elections Of 1868, if re-
quired to vote for President al once, would vote
for LINCOLN. They would have no fair oppor-
tunity to make another choics. But SO icon,
tinues GREELEY) the great body of the Fed
erals Of 1900 undoubtedly preferred JOHN
ADAMS for President, yet running him defeated
and broke down their party when, had they
supported JOHN JAY instead, they would have
triumphed and had before them long years of
honor snd usefulness, So a great majority of
the National Republicans of 1898 preferred
JOHN QUINCY ADAMS for q second tenn; but
they were beaten with him nevertheless more
dissstroUsly than they could have been had he
given place to HENRY CLAY. So MARTIN VAN
BUREN was the undOubted choice of the great
body of the Democrats in 1910; while General
HARRISON was not the first choice of the
Wings yet HARRIsoN beat VAN BUREE more
overwhelmingly than CLAY could have done
The party that grAtifod its preference was
routed the party that sacrificed its preference
vas swsepingly triumphant And SO in tho
elections respectively of POLK aud PIERCE"
The article winds up as follows;
Il has bsen settled, we think, well setlled-
by the deliberate action Of both political par
ties, that a President in office is not TO be re-
elected unless under the pressure of exsra0rdi-
nary circumstances. 1t was for over forty years
the general rule TO elect for = second term: for
the last thirty years no President has been re-
chosen. An amendment of ths Constitution,
making President ineligible foF d second term,
has been often uTged-we think not wisely.
Better leave the matter Whsro it is-in the
hands Of the people. They will, at long inter
vsls decide that necessity for reelection ex-
lists when none such is ohvious aud pressing,
they viii decline TO Te-eleet. We do not soc
bow tins could be improved
The practical question, then, is this: Has
Mr. Lincoln proved so trausceadentlY able and
sdmirsbjs = President that all consideration of
the morits, abilities and services of others should
be postponed or forborne in favor Of his re-elec-
tiion This is & question wboreOn, pending
tho def1ite selection of our candidates, there
should be the utmnst freedom of Opinien and
expression. We sasWer il IN the negative.
Heartily agreeing that Mr. Lincoln has done
well, we do not regard it as at sll demonstrated
that Gov. Chase, Gen. Fremont, Gon. Batter, OF
Gen Grant cannot do as well. We freely sd-
nit Mr. Lincolns merits, but we insist that,
they are not such 70 eclipse and obscure those
of all the statesmen aud soldiers who hare aid
ed in the great work Of saving the country from
disruption and overthrow. And if diners have
done as well in theiT respective spheres, then we
hold that the genius of our institutions, the sal
utary one-tsTm principle, which has been estab-
lished by the concurrence of each of our great
parties, and By the setion of the people, over
ruling either in turn, counselC the choice Of
another from among our eminent Unionists for
President from and after March 4, 1865.
such are cur convictions. We place them be-
fore our readers in company with those of the
legislatures and conventions which have indi-
Gated an opposite conclusion, and ask tkst
Judgment be rendered in accord with the pro-
po1derance, not of authority, bat Of reasons.