Wilmington daily commercial., 1872-01-10
WILMINGTON, DEL.
Wednesday Afternoon, Jan. 10.
BENAToR SUMNER AND MR.. GREELEY as
DEMOCRATIC LAB0RERs.

It may be said that Senator Sumner and Mr..
Greeley have no motives in bringing forward the
lone term proposition, at this time, but the
desire to servo tho country's best interests. 1t
may also be said that their motives have nothing
to do with the value or virtue OF the measure
that it is right or wrong, expedient or inexpedi-
ent, without the least regard to any secret pur-
pose which they hope to serve by now urging it.
We will not deny either Of these propositions
1t is not necessary. But no one can fail to see
that the effect Of the discussion is to injure the
Republican cause, at this the very threshold Of
n National campaign. Whoever may be the can
didate Of the Democratic Party at next Noven-
ber's election--whether he be a gentleman or a
Ku Klux, straight-out Democrat, or renegade
Republican = Senator Summer and Mr.. Greeley
are now busily carrying grist to that gentlemans
mill and helping to make his chances little less
desperate. What has justly been considered
impossible their labors now go to bring within
the bounds of the possible.
The proof of this is simple. AS matters now
stand the bulk Of the Republican Party - the
great mass Of the yoters-desire the re-nomina-
tion Of President Grant. This fact may be de-
nied by Mr.. Greeley, but tits fact, nevertheless,
and we think he will not deny il, if he be forced
to the question. Very well. Now Senator Sum-
ner's proposed Amendment, although not to
take effecttill 1878, declaration of principle,
and il it is true principle, Senator Summer,
and no other man, can control the proper date of
its application. II it is a fact that no Presi-
dent should serve two terms, then General
Grant ought not to serve two terms. In short,
every word that is said against the reelection of
any man. is said against him every argument
in favor Of the one-term theory is an argument
that applies to-day, at this moment Of time, and
never applies more every speech Senator Sum
ner makes, every article Mr. Greeley writes, urging
the Amendment sinks into the public mind, ,otu,
and does not wait till March 4th 1873 Indeed the
naming of that date, and the pretense that the
Amendment, can have no effect or influence on
the present political situation is device so like
the shallow tricks Of an ordinary politician, that
it is unworthy of Charles Sumner, if not of Hor-
ace Greeley.
Come back, then, to what we have already
charged-that these two distinguished gentle
men are wheeling up material to rebuild Demo-
cratic hopes, and we confess we have little pa
tienco with which to discuss their Amendment
to the Constitution. That instrument should be
changed in the interests of perpetuity, and not
to help nominate this man, or defeat that at the
Presidential Conventions Of 1872. If the
Amendment proposed is good one, the time Of
its appearance is singularly unfortunate and
unfit, and while it's presentation might not inn
properly come from Senator Thurman or Sunset
Cox, whose cause may gain by it, every Republi
can must regret to see the feeble and unaccept-
able infant in the arms Of its present sponsors.