The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-07-22

In ad01tlOn TO inc OOu5ULuJlOudi OnauBos pTO-
posed by Mr.. Johnson in the manner of elect
ing the President and in filling the Office tenn
porarily in case of a vacancy, which We no
ticed at length yesterday, Mr.. johnson recon
mends that the term of Office Of the CHEZ
Magistrate be extended TO six years, and that
''no President or Vice. President shall be eli
gible for reelection to second term" This
is substantially the recommendation made and
persistently repeated by President jackson,
and although It has been before the country
for full forty years, it has failed to attract
general attention or to command universal
approval. 1t might be expedent to render
the Chief Magistrate ineligible for reelection
for the sake Of securing more devoted atten-
ton to the passing duties incumbent upon
him, and to prevent the adoption Of policy
which has for its princip al object his second
elevation to power, regardless of the best inte-
rests OF the country for the time being.
But the advantages to be thus gained would
be more than counterbalanced by the imposs-
bility Of continuing in Office a man who
merited and commanded the entire confidence
OF the people in times of great national peril.
the recent Rebellion, it would have been
equivalent to national calamity in prevent
ing the reelection of Mr.. Lincoln, who
quantity illustrated the necessities Of the
times by the old story about Swapping horses
while crossing a swollen river" Yet the
question is open to argument on both sides,
and would demand the most careful considera-
tion before a satisfactory and wise oonclu-
sion could be arrived at.
The same may be said of Mr.. Johnson's
proposition to extend the presidential term to
six years. While this would result in an un-
disguised blessing by Diminishing the fire.
quency Of presidential elections, and the in
tense excitement and bitterness which fire.
quently attend them, 1t would, likewise, fire.
quently result in fastening upon the nation
"policy" from which it might Enthusiastically
desire to be released. Public sentiment is
frequently revolutionized within four years,
and if an unpopular and headstrong Presi-
dent, such as Mr.. Johnson has shown himself
to be, should be fastened upon the nation for
a longer PERIOD impeachment for merely
political reasons would become the only
remedy, and it is to be feared, one of com
mon resort.
Mr.. Johnson further recommends that the
life tenure of the Federal Judiciary should be
changed to one of twelve years duration, re-
garding the former as being incompatible
with the spirit Of republican form of gov
ernment." This argument is the weakest
that can be advanced in support of the change.
1t is essential to an incorruptible and tho
roughly impartial judiciary that it should be
removed as far as possible from the influence
of public opinion, which is altogether too
spasmodc to be a safe guide in matters of
legal nicely, and the settlement of questions
of constitutional character. The judi
ciary should be rendered SO secure in its
tenure of Office as to exempt it from popular
clamor and democratic tendencies. With here
and there an exception, the experiment OF an
elective judiciary, which has been made in
many of the States, has resulted in misera-
BILE failure; and every advance of the judicial
system of the country at large towards pure
democracy tends to imperil its character for
incorruptibility and to detract from the sound
ness of it's DEGREES. Yet under the present
system it is possible for the Federal judiciary
to be enfeebled by the weight of years and
infrmities, and some scheme should certainly
be devised whereby its superannuated mem
bers may be retired from active duty, aud
placed on reasonable allowance in return for
devoting the best years of their manhood to
the service Of the Republic. Its thorough
organization is imperatively demanded in
many essential respects, and the question as
to how this desirable result may be best ac-
complished demands far more attention than
is accorded it by our rulers.
The only remaining recommendation made
by Mr.. Johnson in his message to Congress
proposes the election of the members of the
National Senate by the people of the States,
instead of their appointment by the State
Legislatures. This change is certainly de-
sirable one. Under the present system il
frequently happens that one party carries an
election for members OF the Legislature by q
large majority on the popular vote, while,
through the inequality of the districting, the
opposition return the greater number of mem
bers, and thereby secure to the minority O
the people of the State the represen
tation in the national Senate. This was the
case in Illinois in 1858, when Stephen A
Douglas secured his reelection, although Mr.
Lincoln had a clear majority on the popular
vote; and this has not been the only instance
of the kind, the last elections in Ohio and
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