The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1871-12-22

4
| WHEREAS, These testimonies, reveal
ing the interest and widespread con-
victions of the American people, are
reinforced by the friendly observations
of De Troqueville, the remarkable
Frenchman, to whom our country is
under such great and lasting obligation
in his famous work on Democracy in
America, where he says, in words Of
singular clesrness and force. Intrigue
and corruption are vices natural to
elective governments, but when the
chief of q government can be, reelected
their vices extend indefinitely and
ompromise even the existence Of
country.", When . single candidate
seeks success by intrigue his maneuvres
can operate only over q circumscribed
space, when, on the contrary, the chief
OF the government himself enters the
ranks OF candidates he borrows for his
own purpose the force Of government
In the first case it is one man with his
feeble means and in the second it is
governed itself with its immense re-.
sources which intrigues and corrupts
and then again, some great writer who
had studied our country as closely, tes'
tifies it as an impossibility to consider an
ordinary course of affairs in the United
States without preceiving that the desire
to be reelected dominates the thong hts Of
the President; that all the policy OF his
administration tends to this point;
that his best movements are subordi-
nate to the object; that in proportion as
the moment of the crisis approaches indl'
vidual interest substitutes itself in
his mind for the general interest.
WHEREAS, All these concurring reso-
lutions, to whose patriotism, expert.
ence and reason bear testimony,
have additional value at the moment
when the country is looking anxiously
to reform of the civil service for the
plain resolution that comes from the
Chief Magistrate, so long as he is ex-
posed to temptation surpasses that from
any other quarter, and then the first
stage in this much desired reform is
the one term principle, to the end that
the President, who exercises the appoint
ing power, reaching into all parts OF the
country, and bolding in subordination
multitudinous army OF Office holders,
shall absolutely and without motive or
inducement employ it for any other
purpose than the public good.
WHEREAS, The character OF republi-
can institutions require that the Chief
Magistrate shall be above all suspicion
of using the machinery Of which he is
the official head, to promote his own
personal aims therefore be it
Resolved, By the Senate and House Of
Representatives, de-, That the following
article. hereby prepared as an amend
ment to the Constitution Of the United
States, and when ratified by the Legis-
lature OF three-fourths of the several
States, shall be valid to all intents and
purposes as part Of the Constitution,
to wit:
ARTICLE -, Section l. No person who
has once held the Office Of President OF
the United States shall be thereafter
eligible to that Office.
Section g. This amendment shall not
take effect till after the 4th day OF
March, 1873.
The joint resolution was read once
and laid over.
Mr.. Sumner offered a resolution,
which was adopted, directing the COM
mittee on Retrenchment to inquire
whether any moneys have been paid
on account of any lease Of the Bay OF
Samana to the United States, and If so,
by whom, out of what fund, and to
what amount. Also, if such moneys
have been paid by private persons, then
to report the names of such persons,
what their business, and the induce
ment to the outlay; and whether they
are interested in land grants or other
speculations on the Island Of San Do
mingo; and whether there has been
any understanding that such moneys
would be refunded by the United
States. Also, to ascertain the applica-
tion OF such moneys and the agent in
obtaining and disbursing the same, with
power to send for persons and papers.
Mr.. Thurman, OF Ohio, offered res.
luton to admit Governor Galbraith as
Senator from Alabama, pending an
investigation OF his right to the seat.
Mr.. Sherman objected to its consid'
Grafton.
The am nesty bill was then proceeded
with. Mr.. Morton's amendment, to
exclude from its provisions Ex-Governor
Vance. of North Carolina, was rel ected
by ayes, %; nays, %.
On motion OF Mr.. Sawyer, the 1nvcs-
tigation committee was instructed to
INQUIRE into the recent defslcations in
the Money Order Department OF the New
York postoffice.
The debate on the general amnesty
bill was then continued.
Mr.. Morton finally succeeded in get
ting in his amendment designed to ex-
clude Mr. Vance, Of North Carolina.
from the Senate.
Mr. Logan said 1t was disgraceful to
peril the bill for the sake Of keeping
out one man who was no more rebel
than many Others who had been admit
ted to Congress, and that it was done
through personal interests.
Other amendments were offered and
voted down, including one to exclude
from the benefits OF the bill any parties
who have belonged to the Ku-KluI
within the last twelve months.
Mr.. Sumner twice renewed his supple
mentary civil rights bill as amended.
The Democrats said if it passed they
would vote against the hill.
Mr.. Robertson said this determination
to put in the amendment was only to
slaughter the bill and he cared no more
about it.
Mr.. Sawyer said that the cause OF
Soutb Carolina having the most correct