The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-09-09

| Ex0sAAens Nc AuoAA8tUA0 HUE 0oo~AsA
| Terms
There has been great deal Of talk among
certain class of politicians for the past year OF
so about the wonderful virtue of single term
| Of Office for the President of the United States
According to these theoretical political econo-
mists the constitutional disqualification of the
Chief Magistrate for second Presidential
term would prove a panacea for all our gov
ernmental ills and an infallible protection
against official corruption. Let the President
be ineligible for reelection, they say, and we
should see the beginning of the millennium in
public life. We should then have men ap-
pointed to Office on account of their capacity
and honesty and not in consideration of
political influence, or efficiency in primary
election or at the polls through abundance Of
muscle or plentiful lack of honesty We
should then have Custom House officials
attending to the collection of duties. and not
of political assessments, and studying how to
promote the interests of the commercial
classes instead of plotting and manoeuvring to
carry conventions in the service of those
who keep them in Office. The opinions of
some of the honored Fathers of the Republic
are cited in support of the one-term principle;
but while the accepted sayings of these vene-
rated men are moral and terse enough to form
model texts for writing-book copies, they are
not always exactly adapted to the present
times This may be proper subject for re-
gret and may reflect upon the honesty and
virtue of the age we live in; but it is, never
theless, an undeniable fact The gallant
Henry Clay, the darling Of the old wing school,
and Senator Benjamin r. Wade, the pet of the
old abolition school. are both put on the stand
as witnesses, whose testimony is powerful
against the double term but it is just posi-
BILE that their evidence may be slightly biased
by their sense of the folly of the American
people in failing to appreciate their own claims
to at least a single term in the White House.
In the dizzy whirl of the campaign and in
the constant springing up Of more exciting
issues the INSTRUMENTATION cry had recently
lost something of its force until the parting
words Of Senator Sumner recalled it to mems
minds. That scholarly pleader in the cause Of
liberal reform regards that attempt OF political
regeneration o mere sham which does
not include the fundamental principle
of a single Presidential term. According
to him, the President no sooner gets into
Office than he is framing and bending the
power of the whole civil service to the accom-
plishment of q denomination by his party.
The pretence of an honest competitive exam
nation for all applicants for Office Mr. Sum-
ner regards as delusion and SNARE while
the Executive, who has, after all, the appoint
ing power, is measuring in his own mind the
qualification of every candidate by the stand
ard of his fidelity to the succession. The
Massachusetts Senator upholds, on Christian
grounds, the one-term principle, for does not
the most beautiful prayer ever uttered by an
inspired heart teach us to pray LEAD us not
into temptation 2" and Mr.. Sumner sees o
terrible temptation to President to advance
his ambitious aims by the improper use Of
the federal patronage. Indeed, he traces to
the want of this rule all the ills that civil
service flesh is heir to. The President as
soon as he has taken the constitutional oath for
the first four years, is pictured by him as
making his selections for Office not by the
good Jefersonian rule, SIS he honest ?
is he capable is he faithful to the
constitution ?" but under the inspira-
ton of the test, els he faithful
to re-election?" This failing, says Mr.. Sum-
ner all merit fails. What follows? Every
office-holder, from highest to lowest, according
to his influence, becomes propagandist, fugle.
man, whipper-in, under the direction of Cab
met Minister'S heads Of bureaus and Custom
House collectors If dishonest revenue Off
Ger, paymaster or clerk embezzles the public
money, the fault is overlooked because he is in
favor of the denomination of his chief The
evil grows in proportion as the second term
witness such scenes as marked the republican
conventions while tom Murphy was acting
as the Collector of New York and lieutenant O
the President or as manifested themselve
in the North Carolina election. All this start
ling picture is painted by Senator Sumner
artistic brush in glowing colors on the canva
of o Presidential double term.
There is great deal of political cant ant
claptrap about all partisan campaign cries
and while we do not question Mr.. Sumner
honesty and sincerity, we are compelled to re
gard the one-term clamor as of this character
The politicians who have raised it would
no doubt be very glad if President aftel
their own hearts was candidate for re-
election with as fair prospect Of success az
lies before General Grant The people under
stand this well enough, and they are learning
more and more year after year of the fraud.
and receptions practised upon them by politi
cal parties. The pending campaign has giver
them clearer insight than was ever befor'
afforded them into the tricks of which they
are made the victims. For some time the,
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