The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1871-09-08
.rmE ONE TERM PRINCIPLE"
Horace GreeleY's Article on the
GALAXY for November.

Horace Greeley will open the Presiicn
linl campaign with an article in the forth
coming November GalaIy on "Thc On,
Term principle" This following sum
mary is made from advance sheets:
Starting with the idea that civil service
reform is essential and demanded by all
thoughtful citizens, Mr. Greeley contends
that The desire and hope Of The President
to secure reelection, and his efforts Ia
that end, ciIeCtually prevent the reform.
Civil service reform means the selection
OF the iiltcst men for office, instead Of the
most clicctivclor noisy politicians Of the
dominant party The fruits Of the pres.
cnt system are widespread inCapacity,
inolicienCy, dishonest and pcculatiOn, A
poslInastcr-nOt 10 be too eXacting-
ought to know how to read, which come
do, while Others do not, All will admit
that such ability is desirable in his vOCa.
ton, but if one who lacks it is the most
efficient partisan, and has done the most
toward the Presidents election, his
"Claims" cannot well he over borne
viii not his services be wanted four years
henccy And how are they to be retained
il his claims are postponed to those o.
one who can read, but has no skill in
manipulating voters or votes.
Mr. Greeley asks, chow much better Is
this than the absurdity Of hereditary lie.
gisatOrs? If our Federal and local iunc.
liOnarics were chosen by lot, would they
average worse than they now doy That
the King can do no wrong, il taken lit.
orally IS irrational; If understood to
mean only that he Is elevated above all
temptation 10 misrulc; that his doing
wrong would argue moral, ii not mental
insanily-that he cannot be presumed to
have acted within his prcrogatiyc under
Tue sway Oi any unworthy mOtiYC-then
the maxim becomes ineligible. The JUS.
tiilcauon Of royalty is its alleged tenden.
~ to place the chief ruler Of a nation
above all temptation to regard and pur.
sue his own interest at the expense of the
public veal"
Mr. Greeley then discusses the question
histOriCally-the growth Of the patronage
Of the President the efforts 10 restrict
the President to one term BY constitution
al amendments; the selfish reasons for
the defeat Of these latter, and the rapid
accumulation Of evils growing out of The
power Of patronage, and the temptation
Of the President 10 use that patronage
for his reelection. Mr. Greeley concludes
his historical argument thus:
"Thc Wings in due time took up the
onc.tcrm principle, and Mr.. Clay gave it
Il powerful support lie failed 10 achieve
the Presidency, and did not succeed in
cngratling that principle into the Fedora
Constitution; but Van Buren,, who wa
first chosen in 1886 by a decided majority
was left IN meager minority at the ClOst
Of the canvass for second term. lie
tried again in 1874, and was badly beaten
in the National Convention Of bis party
by James K Polk, Of Tennessee, who
though then elected, declined even to
seek 9 second term. General Taylor,
who succeeded him, died early in the
second year Of his term, and MiIlard Fill.
more, who being Vice. President, sue.
Cccdcd him, was beaten by Gen Scott in
the Wing National Convention Of 1862.
General Franklin Pierce, whom the
Democrats then elected, tried TO he re.
nominated in 1856, but was beaten In the
Convention by James Buchanan, who did
not seek denomination, knowing well
that such quest would be vain.
"Nlr Lincoln, who was then chosen BY
the Republicans, was reelected BY them
In 1864; the civil war was then in pro.
gfcs', lmpellng many TO support him In
Difference TO the law that disCOurages the
swapping Of horses" while in The act
OF crossing raging torrent Mr.. Lin.
coin thus continues the sole exception to
the failure Of 80 many efforts to re.elect
II President since 1899. Meanwhile these
Efforts have undoubtedly cost some sig.
nal defeats to either party. Had Mr.
Van Buren, gracefully retired at the close
OF his first term. his party might, very
possibly, have avoided their defeat il,
1910: had Fillmore done likewise In 1870
lle wing party might have been defeat.
co. INT could not have been crushed by lie
defeat in lie triumph Of Pierce that wear
lime and again, since the Federal iisos.
Ter OF 1900, has first one and then ihc
other party run or tried to run presi.
dent Tor second term; for n quarter Of n
century these efforts proved success.
ilI; Of late they have very penerollv
proved disastrous. Can We moi discern
the signs Of the timesy' '''~''
That change has been real and based
neither upon personal nor partisan con.
slIeratiOns, is evinced by the gradual
adoption Of the contested principle in tht
other, yet kindred spheres. Witness thc
post of Governor, which was formerly
ilIIed in nearly or quite every State with
out restriction on this head whereas nj
his time in the States Of New Jersey
virginia, Georgia, Indiana, Illinois, Souil
carolina and Kentucky Governor is moi
eligible to reelection while in office or fol
lhe term succeeding that for which Inc
was elected; in Arkansas, Texas and
oregon lie may serve but eight years mi
o. any twelve; in Maine, North IorGlina
Alabama and Mississippi he NAV servc
but four years out of any siy. IN paw
sylvania six years out Of anv nino. T.,
Tennessee six years out of INV n;n,t
The intent in each case thowevey ;,n sns'
icctly developeD is to check, il not "pcr
bear, the tendency TO use patronage Fl,
the indefinite perpetuation Of power"
Mr.. Greeley concludes by saying; "Al
that is needed is an intelligent, earnest
widespread conviction that the practice
Of re.electing chief magistrate while II
office is iraught with evil and peril; tina
1t distracis his attention from the prope
cares and duties Of his station, and i'm
pels him to consider, not who are flttes
and most worthy TO fill the Offices in hi!
gin, but what choice will be most likel,
10 improve his chances of denomination
We shall yet achieve a civil ser
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