The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1873-09-25
The London Times Opinion Of President
Grants Reelection for O Third Term.

The London Times Opinion Of President
Grants Reelection for Third Term.
The following special dispatch to the New
York Herald gives an insight to the opinions
entertained across the waters on the "third
term" question:
LONDON, Sept. IS, 1878.
The Eondon Times in its issue to-day treats
the subject of Cesarism in America edtorially,
using the argument that change in the Pres
idency of the United States would be great
reform and ought to be welcome to the people,
if possible, as a means of effecting the extinc-
ton in America of system of constant re-
election of the Executive and its attendant
evils, inasmuch as the present plan fails to Sc
cure to the community the benefits which were
expected from it, or involves the presence OF
evils greater than those which it was framed to
prevent.
The writer goes on to say: "We cannot be
surprised that time should come when George
Washington's example in refusing three Presi-
Dental terms should be called in question, and
when the people of the United States may be
asked to express, by third vote, exceptional
confidence in General Grant 1t appears from
our American correspondents special letter
that General Grant is not unwilling, and that
his friends, who are eager for such result and
are pressing his personal claims to the honor,
are considerable both in number and influence.
To him belongs the credit of having cut down
the late rebellion against the Union, and the
man who has thus saved the country Will be
taken by many Americans to be presumably
the fttest person to govern it. There can be
no doubt that the election Of President Grant
to q third term may have important conse-
quences; consequences not intended by those
who have suggested it. A third PRESIDENTIAL
term may be followed by fourth, and the lease
Of mower NAV be again renewed until it ter
minated only by the failing health or the ter
mination of the life of the holder of office. 1t
may we'll come in this way to be an understood
thing that the American President shall be
elected for life, and that his reelection, taken
at the end of each four years of the period,
will be merely nominal, or, at most, used as g.
safeguard against the perpetration OF any scan
dalous abuse of power. 1t would be great
and important change, if this were to occur !;
one that would not fail to largely influence the
general state of politics in America. There
are many ways in which it might appear desl-
rable The rule which has been hitherto fol-
lowed has, certainly, not worked so we'll that
there would seem to be no roons for improve
ment. Elections, without limit in number,
from the conduct of which the better portion OF
society is excluded are not so great a public
good in themselves that we should wish them
preserved in the spirit as in the letter of the
wishes of their founders. We may dismiss the
notion that despotism would be likely to result
from perpetual reelection of the American
President, although this was real terror to
the minds of the Revolutionary heroes who had
lust emancipated themselves from the rule of
king. The only question would be whether
the new custom of Presidential tenure would
tend in any degree to cure the evils Of the old ;
whether the process of election would be purer
when the ultimate prize would be greater and
better worth coutending for. With all these
weapons of argument all must depend upon the
manner in which any change in the present
system is worked. 1t may increase the existing
corruption, 80 far as such change in the
American Presidential system is possible. 1t
NAV, and we believe it more likely would, be
beneficial, both in its immediate and more re-
mote consequences It would be likely to se-
cure to the people of the United States the SER
vices of better men, and to render the process
of their appointment to Office less degrading to
themselves and all concerned in it. The de-
tails of an American Presidential election are
read on this side of the Atlantic with amuse-
ment and disgust, and there are many evidences
which 90 to show that they are looked on in
much the same way in America. 1t would be
worth while to try plan which could do little
harm and might do much good. 1t is the
simplest plan of reform which was ever carried
out or suggested"
S1yTH ANNUAL LFAIR-ANDERsoN.--W are