Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1872-04-05

it was on the same day SO reported
to the Convention.
This and other resolutions were
referred to u committee consisting
OF Rutledgo, Randolph, Gorham,
Ellsworth and Wilson, who, OH the
9th of August, reported u draft Of It
Constitution, one Of the provisions
of which was that the President
"shall be elected by ballot by the
Legislature, shall hold his Office du-
ring the term of seven years, but
shall not be eligible second
time."
On the 3lst of August, this, with
other parts Of the Constitution, was
referred to Il committee consisting
Of one member from each State.
On the 4th day Of September, Mr..
Breasly, from that committee, re-
ported alterations and amendments,
among which was one removing the
election of the President from the
national Legislature, and providing
for such election indirectly by the
people, fixing his term of Office at
four years, and without any linita-
tion whatever as to re eligibility
On the next day an effort was made
to substitute an Executive elected
by joint ballot of the Legislature
for the term of seven years, not to
be elected a second time. 1t was
largely negativcd, only two States
voting favorably, and one divided.
This appears to have been the last
effort made in the Convention in
favor of limitation to a single
term.
When tho Constitution was sub
mitted for ratification to conven-
tions OF the several States, some of
them saw this question warmly dis
cussed, and the conventions Of Vir-
ginia and North Carolina proposed
amendments that no person should
be capable of being President more
than eight years in sixteen; and
that of New York proposed that no
person should be elected President
a third time. But the article OF the
Constitution was ratified without
amendment, and has remained un-
changed except as to the mode of
election above referred to.
A careful examination of the pro-
ccedings Of the Federal Convention
must, l think, convince almost any
one that the original idea of many,
of majority Of its men,
bcrs, was to create an executive de-
partmcnt, with the power of select
ing its officer vested in the
legislative department. The limi-
tation to a single term followed as
q natural if not an almost inevitable
consequence, as q necessary means
Of preventing, through improper
motives on the part of Congress,
the promotion of unworthy men to
this most responsible station; as
well, also, the danger on the part Of
the Executive of accomplishing re-
through subservicncy
and intrigue.
The anticipated and evident evils
of this system caused it to be finally
abandoned, although it had been
twice adopted by the Convention
Gradually the idea of trusting the
election Of this highest officer of the
Republic to the people gained
ground, until it was adopted by a
decisive vote Of the Convention
No subsequent effort was made to
render u President elected by the
people for four years ineligible for
a second term, and the only attempt
to reach the limitation to a single
term was*by proposing the longer
term of seven years, and as no.
ticeable fact linked with it was a
return to President appointed by
Congress. Those, therefore, who
would compel change Of admins
tration every four years, no matter
what the circumstances or what the
desire Of the people, find little en-
couragement for their proposed in
novation from the trainers of our
Government.
ACTION OF THE STATES.
1t may not be amiss, sir, to call
attention for few moments to the
history of the different States OF the
Union, touching this question, as
developed by their action relative
to their own more immediate Exec
utives, the Governors Of the States.
At the time of the adoption of the
Constitution, in majority of the
original thirteen States, the period
was limited in which the State Ex-
ccutivc could hold Office; and in at
least FIVE of the thirteen States that
officer was elected by the State Leg
islaturc. That this practice, in SO
large number of The States, had
much to do with the proposition Of
a national Executive chosen by Con-
gress, in the early history Of the
Federal Convention, may he readily
conceived. This limitation, how
ever little occasion they had found
for it's use, was deemed salutory in
principle and safe in practice. So
recently separated from a Govern
ment where hereditary succession
obtained, it is not strange if the
principle Of different succession
were almost irresistible.
But what, sir, has been the action
Of the States in this regard since
that time? At the present time
there is not single State among
the entire thirty-scven which does
not commit the election of her Ex-
ccutivc to the people. There are
but few which deprive the Execu-
tive of = second or third term, and
twcnty-six of them, or more than
two-thirds Of the entire number,
have no restrictions whatever ~ to
the re-cligibily of this officer. OF
the States which originally made
their Governor ineligible after a
first, second or third term, and
which have revised their constitu.
tions within the last twenty-five
years, nine of them have removed
this Limitation clause. Of the thir-
teen States which have been admit.
q. A.. Ty.,:,, x,:,oo <l - n <l,~:n.:o.,