The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1871-12-13

From Wilkes Spirit OF the Times, Dec
THE NEXT PRESIDENTIAL CAl
PAIGN. -,..., /
Programme OF the "Malcontents.
A very great interest seems to be fel
in all parts of the country, to kno
what measures will be adopted, an
what line of march pursued, by thot
leading Republicans who are oppose
to the administration of General Gran
to prevent the disgrace and calamity
his reelection to the Presidency OF th
United States. That such an effort wi
be made, and earnestly made, in beha
Of the honest and patriotic portion {
the Republican party, in opposition 7
the slaves and sycophants of the Pre'
idential fortunes, has been finally deter
mined. The gentlemen who will direc
this movement against the aspiration
of the Great Officeholder, who de
sires to repeat himself in place, an
who have already been derisively char
acterized by the court journals in th
interests Of those parasites, as "malcou
tents" are very we'll known to tn
country, and without regard to thei
political opinions, enjoy the honor Of .
general confidence. ...
We need not at this point pause Il
develop the reasons why this course o
action has been decided upon by tb'
patriotic portion OF a great and victo
rious party. 1t is sufficient to know
that they regard General Grant as ar
ignorant and incompetent man, govern
ed by gross instincts, disdainIul Of the
law, using his high Office as if it were 6
personal possession, and inspired by as
pirations which are represented rather
by the sword, than by the obligations
OF the oath nnder which he took his
office; in short, a mere adventurer, who
only embraced the Repub
lican faith because he saw success with
in its ranks
The editor Of this paper desires to
say for himself. that while he shares
the general motives which actuate the
other Republicans alluded to in the
premises, he feels that he has special
justification in resisting the candidacy
Of General Grant for second term OF
office. This justification may be found
in the facts-frst, that the editor Of this
paper has been for many years an earn
est advocate OF an amendment to the
prohibiting any person
rom holding the Presidential Office for
more than a single term; and, next,
because General Grant, in a conversa-
ian with him, two days before his nom-
nation at Chicago, pledged himself
ormally to the same principle, by de-
;laring it to be his conviction, that the
iberties Of this country could not be
without a One-Term Amend
nent tn the Constitution an.i s,,ch a
President to retain good men in Office" !"
This was Said to the writer during one
If those interviews, through which he
,ad restored friendly relations between
General Grant and General Butler, and
vas printed shortly afterward In the
Spirit of the Times, and reprinted
iuring his friendly intercourse with
General Grant, without objection on
his part, or cavil on the part OF any oi
his friends. This declaration by Gen
etal Grant, printed at such time. in a
journal of which he was a faithful
reader, may be fairly taken as a delib-
crate promise that he would not aspire
to the honors of a second term; nay,
that he would hold it to be criminal to
do go; and may be..regarded, also, as a
solemn pledge to the whole country to
the same effect. In organizing poht.
ical opposition, therefore, to General
Grants candidacy for second term, we
naturally direct ourselves to the first
salient ground Of opposition, to wit tc
demand that General Grant shall keel
his word-not only because a mar
ought always to keep his word, but be-
cause, in this instance, it is necessary tc
the liberties of his country that ht
should do 80. ,
Without wishing to delay the devel
opment to which we are approaching
through this article we desire simply
at this point, to remind our readers tha
the evils of the reflective principle ar
90 universally conceded that it woult
be difficult TO fnd an American OF an!
shade OF politics, or from any portion o
the country, who is not in favor OF I
One Term Amendment to the Constltu
ton. Washington urged the rrohibl
tom of the reflective principle at th
close of his Farewell Address; ant
jackson, with a still larger experienc
of the dangers growing out OF a renom
nation for President, followed Wash
ingtou's example, and in hts Farewell
Address, as, indeed, in all his previou
annual Messages, entreated Congres
and the country to promote an amenc
ment 70 the Constitution on this point
Here is certainly very remarkabl
agreement Of opinion between the tw
most illustrious Presidents known to ou
history. Both had served double terms
both had been tempted by their follow
ers with the offer OF third terms, br
both rejected, what in more ambition
men, might have been made the stel
pipgstone to monarchy. Both. ther
lore, warned the, American people not
hermit another President to take eve
q single step toward the perpetuatIon (
this rule. This was the only deiec
which they saw in our institutions; tn
only constitutional reform which the
PROPOSED to have effected. Whateve
therefore, might have been the reason
which had led to an omission IN To
Constitution on this point, neith'
washington nor jackson considere
those reasons worthy OF mentor
What they saw was. that this malig
.,,,;on to the ambition of the Pre-