Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1871-1872, 1871-12-22

states 10 vote upon ono tofm Pfihciptob
By means OF ret olutiors 10 be offered in
every variety Of public meeting which
admitted Of the experiment that should
be held previous TO the meeting Of the !
next Presidential convention. An oppor-
tunity 10 hold Q preliminary election on |
,hs one term principle, and thus wind in
BY . windlass, as il we're, the public sx-
preston Of the country, and knot II
hrmly into an authoritative declaration that
would render Gen. Grant practically inehgl- |
BILE. A preamble and resolution suited TO
this purpose we're then drawn, and are rs
follows.
WHEREAS, Experience has demonstrated
that the omission, BY the Constitution OF the
United States. to prohibit the reelection Of
the President, has left the county open to
the worst form Of mopsrehy and
WHEREAs, The growing political power OF
the President has put is within his means to
re peat himself 10 office during life aud
WHeRsAs, This temptation to re.eleet
himself has the constant eff ct Ut inducing
the President to appoint candidates to
office who will serve him in preference to
serving the country and
WHEREAS, This unwholesome motive
TO the distribution of office sets the bad
example to the sub-oficial system of the
States, which is the fruitful source of po
litical corruption throughout the country
and
WHEREAS, The solemn advice of Wash
ington aud Jackson, in their respective
farewell addresses, urging an amend
meut Of the Constitution to remove this
danger, is a warning which patriotic cit
liens cannot neglect, aud is, at the same
time, the highest evidence Of the COR
rup:ing effects of the reflective princi
| pie and
WHEREAS The patriotic advice has
settled so deeply into the heart of the
nation that 1t is almost impossible to
ind an American citizen, either in the
North or South, the East or the West,
of any shade of politics, who is not in
favor Of such amendment to the Consti-
tuition and
! WHEREAS, This universal wish of the
American people, though always recog
nized by Presidential candidates, when
FIRST seeking office, is always baffled and
betrayed when they desire office again
and
WHEREAS, This universally expressed
wish of the American people can never
be successfully brought up in Congress,
because Of the notorious aspirations oftht
leading members of that body to be Pres
ident themselves, not only once, but fol
three or four terms; and
WHEREAS, This vain ambition seems
90 be shared by most of the politician,
| Of the country therefore
RSsOl1ed, That we, the, will hence
forth insctibe upon our banners the "Ont
Term Principle for the Presidency of tn,
United States, aud will likewise proclaim
among our texts for the coming campaign
, against vice, corruption, confederate.
) wealth, and arlstocracy those of IN,
E More Monarchy in America" mo Stand
4 ing Army, and no candidate for Chic
| Mag istrate, under the new yea ming o
! the world for peace, who represents o
, typifiss the art OF war
, This preamble and resolution were a
, pnce upon the return of the editor to thi
r country last month, sub nitted to tn
judgment of several distinguished Sen,
ors, politicians, and journalists of the
|, Republican party. who were meditatin,
what is called the New Departure
, against political corruption, and by eac
r accepted as the very best method OF tax
ng preliminary plebiscIte agains
. Grant, on principle OF sufficient import
ance to utterly envelop him within it
folds In fact, of beating him or, rather
of rendering him Ineligible, on a par
amount question of public policy, befor'
he could 50 much as even get % the door
Ola nominating convention. Best of all
J 1t would give the people an upportunIt.
! 70 vote on theme upon which they hac
b always been cheated by the politicians.
p This question being settled by the Re
1 publican leaders, as far as any Limited
number of leaders can direct the genera
action of party, it became proper tina
the chiefs OF the Democratic party, whIcl
Ia its Just hostility to Grant would eces
sarity cooperate in any measures calculat
, ed To depnse him, should be frankly in
formed of the course which the reform
Republ cans intended t. take. 1t was t;
meet this exigenCe that the editor of thi,
paper went To Washington on Monday
last and put himself in communication
with some of the principal Democratic
members of both Houses This visit re
suited in u meeting, at his rooms at the
, Arlington, on Tuesday evening, of quit,
a large number of the most prominent
Democratic members of the House anC
Senate, among whom he was the sole Re
publican present. He opened the bust
, ness of the occasion by stating chat MS
main purpose la desiring To see them was
90 communicate some intentions enter
tgined by prominent members of the
Republican party on the subject oi
the next Presidential election. 1t was
not his object To seek an expression Ol
their views upon that theme, or TO projec
coalition, but simply to place before
them, in frank good faith, the cours
which the gentlemen with whom be wa
associated intended to pursue in the CON
ing campaign, believing that the sponta
neuus action which would follow on theI
part would be better than any compac
which could be formed that, in fact
anything IN the shape Of a compact or CO
alitlon, would, in his opinion, be very il
judiciuus, and not by any means promOt
I. the object TO be gained. He then recite
" hat has been detailed before, along wit
y some explanations and conclusions who
would be premature II given now. II
= next submitted the preamble and resolI
J, ton which have been gwen above. Som
y discussion and consultation ensued,
,, which the views expressed by the write
~ "tAi ~ us ~ NhlhuAS anu ASo''N't'i
:, :, seemed to be approved. The opinions Z
y the writer were then asked upon sever
. points If interest, to which he reptile
. hat he felt great deliclcy in offering a
opinion of any sort as TO the policy
r the Democratic party, to gentleme
IS ~ experienced as those present br
70 now that they had given him the priv
!, ,,ge To express himself IN that way, b
'e would ask them TO bear in mind thai Il
I" logical candidate for the Republican o.
;" position TO adopt would be one wi
. would be likely to be most unwelcome
. the Democrat; thaG any attempt to sele
'e n Candidate partially agreeable to Il
, Democracy, or to yield them the VIZ
u President ON fusion ticket would pr
', vent n from being able tn handle o
u refs, ana lave the imm nse Hood OF
:" r. publican majority 10 roll back, and st
o tie ut the feet of Grant. All these vIeV
70 seemed to be apprnvingly received, al
10 the cnmpany dissolved, Ms free as IL we