The Cairo daily bulletin., 1871-09-12
THE ONE TERN PRINCIPLE.
HORACE GRBELEYs EXPOSITION OF HIS
PRESIDENTIAL THEORY.

HORACE GREELEYs EXPOSITION OF HIS
PRESIDENTIAL THEORY.
Horace Greeley will open tho Prcsiden.
tial campaign with an article in the forth.
coming November Gdtdry on "The One.
Term Principle The following is
summary of his views:
Starting with the idea that civil service
reform is essential to the publication of
| our politics, and demand by all thought
full citizens, Mr.. Greeley contends that
the desire and hopes of the President to
secure a reelection, and his efforts 10
that end, etiectually prevent the reform.
Civil service reform means the selection
of the fttest men for office, instead of the
most effective or noisy politicians ofthe
dominant party. The fruits of the present
system are widespread in capacity, inef-
iiciency, dishonesty and speculation. A
Postmaster, not TO be too exacting, ought
TO know how TO read, which some do,
others do not. All will admit that such
ability is desirable in his vocation, but if
the one who lacks it is the most efli,ient
partisan, and has done the most towards
the Presidents election, his claims cannot
well be overborne. Will not his services
be wanted four years hence2 And how
are they to be retained if his claims are
postponed to one who can read, but has
no skill in manipulating voters or votes ?
Mr.. Greeley asks: How much better is
his than the absurdity Of hereditary leg.
islature? If our Federal and local func-
tionaries were chosen by lot, would they
averge worse than they now do? That
the King can do no wrong, if taken lit.
orally, is irrational. Ifundersood to mean
only that he is elevated above all temp
tation to misrule; that is doing wrong
would argue moral If not mental insanity,
and that he cannot be presumed TO have
acted within his prerogative under the
sway OF any unworthy motive, then the
maxim becomes ineligible. The justif-
cation of royalty is its alleged tendency
to place the cheif ruler Of nation above
all temptation to regard and pursue his
own interest at the expense of the public
weal.n
Mr.. Greeley then discussed the que s,ion
historically-the growth Of the patronage
of the President, the efforts to restrict the
President TO one term by proposed consti.
tutional amendment the sefish reasons for
the defeat of these latter and the rapid ac-
cumulatiou Of the evil growing out Of the
power of patronage, and the temptation Of
the President TO use that patronage for
his reelection
Mr.. Greeley concludes by saying "All
that is needed is an intelligent, earnest,
widespread conviction that the practice
Of re-electing Chief Magistrate while in
Office is fraught with evil and peril that
it distracts his attention from the proper
cares and duties Of his situation, and i'm
pels him to consider not who are the fit
test and most worthy to fill the offices in
bis gift, but what choice will be most like
, ly to improve his chances Of renonina-
ton. We shall yet achieve civil reform
nay, we must. Ofice-seeking is our ma
tional vice, divesting our workshops Of
apprentices, our farms of half the intelli-
gent, energetic, aspiring youths, who
| ought 10 make onr agriculture Of the next
thirty years exhibit series Of brilliant ad-
vances and improvements upon all that
preceded IT, But vainly shall hope for
such reform through the looping off OF
branches while the root Of the upas re-
mains intact and vital. That root is the
reelection, while in office, of Presidents,
Governors, and other dispensers of vast
patronage, with their consequent tempts.
toin to use that patronage in aid of their
continuance in power