The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1867-01-26

The dsspaeAes ss>ss tAaA Tie h4AssAEe
Committee have agreed 70 rseess .. aases ~
the Constitutional AmenlMeah Eestss4s.is
the ineqpbsn, II the Rsssiasaes aet.Aase y
reelection. The measure Is aae - gave
importance. When k~sercts commenced
writing his history yeArs age ~ ~as AaSsd "
what time he proposed TO hsssg Il DIVA he
replied: Down to the scsssAssea q sAs
Consultation, for al sahseQses, ~ sass - eN-
pertinent" There WAS considerable sr~sa y
that. Our fathers recognized its sosee IL al
their labors. They may hare had the araeas
faith of Democracy; of working BY the pee
pie, through the people, Cor the people, IN a
grand cause, and noble labor, and hence,
doing work that shonld endure. Yet they
were too wise, to think that they had perfect
ed structure that should never need
strengthening or repair in any of its parts.
They were working with progressive princi.
pies for progressive people. They knew
that humanity had not reached its full devel-
opment, hence they could not frame the Con
stitutional organism that would measure that
development. The solicitude with which the
men that formed the Constitution watched its
commenced action, and subsequent working,
showed to them It was but an experiment;
one that had crystalized within it all their
most precious labors and valued hopes, but
yet an experiment.
It has worked nobly The imperfections
since developed has been in parts that they
strived against and yet felt compelled to suf
fer; not in any Of the parts which they val
ued and cherished. The length of time dur
ing which the President should hold Office
and the subject of his eligibility to a second
term were profoundly discussed in the Con-
yention which formed the Constitution. ii
the measure goes to the country for
its approval or rejection, the opin-
ions there adduced will be again
brought forward and weighed in the light Of
the subsequent experience of our Govern
ment Hence it is unnecessary to discuss
them now. The country would have deemed
it calamity if it could not have re- elected
Mr.. Lincoln. The one term of Andrew
johnson is four years too long. His pure
devilishness may be the outgrowth Of desire
to be re- elected, or it may be but the natural
working of inherent characteristic deprayity
To have too frequent elections Of new men
increases the danger of faction, and yet, more
than four years of Andrew Johnson would be
uncomfortable. All these considerations, and
many others, will be brought up when, il
ever, the proposed amendment awaits popu-
lar action.
Our people have no disposition so to Yene>
rate the work of the Fathers as TO suffer evil
in the Government through senseless awe
Of the Constitution as perfect, and an indis-
position to interfere with any of its proyis>
ions. They will not hesitate to restrict the
Executive to one term, if it appears that our
past experience and future good demand it.
But there is one thing that doesn't dependup-
unconstitutional Law other than great moral
and physical law, to which men snd nations
are subject; consideration that will COM
mend itself to popular appreciation without
Congressional recommendation it is that
''when the wicked rule, the land mourneth :
that people should choose the able and the
virtuous, and not demagogues, to administer
the Government.