Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-03-01
GRANT AND THE ONE TERM PRIN.
CEPLF.


In the fight between the Radical factions
the character of Graz for unreliability is
about to be thoroughly exposed. In his
article in the Washington Sunday Chronicle,
Col. Forney shows that Grant was a party
to the bringing Of his own name forward as
the Radical candidate for President, and
that he mot only desired to remain Presi-
dent for two terms, but that it was only on
the assurance Of his friends that he should
be reelected that he accepted the Office at
all" The New York Tribune quotes from
the Washington Chronicle (then edited by
Col. Forney) shortly after the nomination
of Gen. Grant by the Chicago Convention,
showing that he was pledged to the one
term principle. For instance, the Wash
ington Chronicle ofJune 3, 1868, said:
"He Ode Tocqueville) wondered how the
architects Of the federal system, who had
managed to preserve so fair balance Of
power through the organization Of the three
departments Of the Government, should
have been short sighted enough to render
their whole work insecure, by making the
President eligible to reelection. We Won
der, toe, for it has incontestably done more
TO destroy the constitutional balance, and
weaken our Institutions, than any other in
beTent defect Of our system, or, perhaps, all
others combined. What the
country needs for paciication is a President
without policy. Such one We shall have
in Gen. Grant. He is, moreover, an advO-
cafe Of the One-term principle, as conducting
toward the proper administration Of the
lava principle with which so many promi-
nent Republicans have identified them
selves that it may be accepted as an article
of party faith. Senators Wade and Sum-
ner have each amendments to the Constitu-
ton pending before the Senate restricting
the presidency TO a single term, and on Sat
urday last the Hon. James NJ. Ashley, Of
Ohio, introduced two amendments to the
Constitution into the House of Representa-
tives for the same purpose, and with the
further view Of electiDg the President by
direct vote of the people, aboliShing the
office Cf Vice President, and providing a
more satisfactory, method of general cleo
ton"
Again, July IA, 1853, the Washington
Chronicle said
Let not Congress adjourn without pass
ing the Oue-Term amendment TO the Con-
stitution. There has never been SO favor
able an opportunity. All parties are in
favor of it. The present incumbent of the
Presidential Office has no inducement to OPP
pose it. NObody's sensbilities can be Of
Tended by it. 1t cannot be charged as a
party movement intended TO head off an
obnoxious President. Gen. Grant is in
fIrOT Of IL. The party which supports
Gen. Grant demands it, and, above all else,
public morality calls for it. Let us never
again witness the utter debasement of the
Presidential Office by the efforts Of
the incumbent to secure a second
term. The second term makes the
first period of Chicanery. 1t is the fer
tile germ Of Executive Policy" and brings
forth fearful crop Of treachery and lies.
It is the fomenteT Of divisions between the
Departments, and the inducer of Executive
usurpationS 1t Is a constant peril to the
liberties to the country. Not a man or a
party in the country worth COunseling with
wishes the President to be eligible to re-
election. If the opportunity is lost, and
We wait until after the next Presidential
election, We shall run counter to some sup
posed personal or party interest in reopen
ing this subject. Then why wait ? 1t need
not take DAY to pass the necessary amend
ment, and in the present temper of the
country it will be ratified. Congress should
not adjourn without passing the One-Term
amendment"
The Tribune says: "Those articles, we
are well assured, were seen by Gen. Grant
in some instances, before their pubica-
tion-and we're understood by their author
to receive his appreciation" 1t thus ap-
pears that the writer Ofthese articles, which
were printed as editorial in the Washing
ton Chronicle, submitted them to Gen.
Grant before their publication and they re-
ceived his approval. Now look at the con-
dition in which these publications place
Grant. Col. Forney testifes that previous
to his name being broughC before the c0un-
try as a candidate for the Radical nomina-
ton, Grant insisted upon having the place
for two terms, and the assurance was given
by some of his friends "that he should be
reelected" After he was nominated by
the Chicago Convention, the Washington
Chronicle said editorially, on two different
occasions, that he was in favor of
the one term principe, and the
New York Tribune is assured that
Grant saw these articles before they were
printed, "and were understood by their aI-
thor to receive his appreciation" Now he
and bis friends are doing every thing they
can to secure his nomination for a second
term, and the Washington Chronicle of
July Il, 1865, foretold exactly the condition
Of affairs witnessed to-day as the result of
these efforts. The one term principle was
popular then, aud notwithstanding Grant
had bargained for a second term, be pledged
himself to the country through the Wash
ington Chronicle, as San advocate of the
one term principla, as conducting toward the