New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1872-01-04

The Philadelphia Press, Col. JoHs W. FoR-
sKY's paper, OF the 2sth ultimo, contains the
following pickwickian opinion ss TO the one.
term principle:
Airesdy the papers Of the eountry-those
outspoken aud influential tribunes of the peo-
ple-havc gwen their Judgment clearly and
anfesef'eoiy on the "one-term" idea given
imnledla'e shape and agency by Mr.. Summers
proposed amendment With nearly one voice
the entire press sustsins the one.term nr;nc;nla
bat refuses to have il pressed as a partisan
move TO affect any passing candidate Thi.
oommon-seb view OF the people, founded in
honest feeling, squares with q Fundamental
principle OF elemental law. No general rule
10 to be framed for the purpose of carrying a
special case. Principles must be founded on
Justice and right and not on party or personal
feeling.
That is to say, Col. FossRr occupies the
position of the Massachusetts, stump orator.
who declared himself in favor Of the prohibit.
tory temperance cause, but opposed its exeeu-
ton The Colonel is in favor of the one term
principle, but opposed to its going into effect
at least not till after the next Presidential
election.
But his statement that the press 10 every.
by fact The only papers which have come
oat squarely for the proposed Amendments are
those which are bent on the defeat of Genera
GRANT, by hook or by crook without any ref.
erense to the will OF the people, and have
avowedly adopted it as the best means, in
their opinion, of accomplishing that purpose
Those Senators who are sustaining it, will
consider it no unjust imputation to say
that they are influenced by this oonsid,ra-
ton. Their object Is TO operate upon publ, sen
timent, and n they can bring IL TO bear upon
Congress as to secure a vote submitting the
amendment to the people, they will use the fact
to defeat, or with the hope Of defeating, his nom
nation, or his election, if nominated. To show
that we are sustained in our opinion, that the
papers of the country have not given their
Judgment in favor of the oneterm project,
We quote from the Boston Journal statement
fully sustaining our views. 1t says:
We have not met with half dozen news
papers, all told, which have given even a
! qualified approval of the amendment. Ii ap-
pears TO be generally regarded as involving a
question that has gone by or that has lost all
| pubic interest. 1t is curious to observe how
thoroughly certain class Of issues will identify
themselves with particular era, and how
quickly they will become sntiqusted.
So with regard to the single term question
as applicable to the Presidency-ts is su tficiens
to say that public thought at present does not
turn that way. To attempt to have it so would
amount TO about the same as Mr.. Lucons
effort in the early days of his Presidency to
divert the mighty on-coming tide of enanci-
patton by proposals to colonize in territory
bought from Mexico such negroes should be
willing to go there.
The upshot of the whole Is that the people
of the United States feel that they are still
able to judge, in every exigency, whethor or
not President ought to be reelected, and so
they decline to tie their hands in advance by
any constitutional restriction.