The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1874-07-08
GOV, KEMPER ON THE THIRD TERM

Gov. Kemper, of Virginia, has published a
lengthy letter in the Richmond Dispatch, ex-
planning his position on the third term ques-
ton
Nv views, as often and uniformly expressed
will now be restated. A third term violates
one Of those traditions and examples
written laws-which in a free country consti-
tutes some Of the best bulwarks Of liberty. In
the language of Mr.. Jefferson, eff some ter
mination to the services of the Chief Magls-
trate be not fixed by the Constitution or sup
Piled by practice, his Office, nominally for
years, will in fact become for life, and his
tory shows how easily that degenerates into
an inheritance" 1t was the proclaimed idea
of the great statesmen of Virginia, who mainly
founded the American Government, that any
departure from the rule which limited the in
cumbent to two terms would be attended with
stupendous peril to all the institutions and
liberties of the country. And the OPINION
has been ever since held by the most trusted
statesmen of all sections that the usage, as set
tied by the examples of Washington and JET
ferson, is hardly less strong in moral obliga-
ton and authoritative force than constitu-
tional inhibition. do not believe the coun-
try can remain in its present abnormal condi-
ton. We are going to have either popular
self-government or central Imperialism. IN
tend to stand for the liberty side as long as
fragment of it remains. l am opposed to a
third term for the reason that, notwithstand-
ing the past, have faith in the cause of con-
stitutional free government But l oppose
some other evils still more. One OF the
cruelest calamities which could betal all
classes and colors at the South would be
the social intermixing OF the races to result
from the enforcement of the civil rights IA
Ia, r1,o nd iS
ceive what greater evil than that could be in
volved in any possible revolution OF TIE Gov
eminent II the future should bring forward
a candidate impersonating the third term prln-
ciple; if he should cut loose from old party
trammels and take his stand on our safe Con-
servative ground-grOund of universal recon-
citation and peace under the Constitution :
and if so standing he should be opposed by any
champion of the civil rights iniquity, then III
contest between the two the Conservative party
ought, i'll my opinion, to go decidedly, but as
an organized party and not otherwise, for the
third termer-yet with a protest on their lips
against the third term principle and in spite
OF that principle.
In previous letter to Colonel Mosby, Gov
ernor Kemper declared that sit were better
to elect Grant for third and seventh term
than to go under Hughes and his negroes.
To us the defeat of negro rule here is to save
society and decent existence, to save us from
barbarism and ruin"
These sentiments are the sentiments Of the
people of Louisiana To us the matter Of a
third term becomes a question of very small
moment in comparison with the local ills we
1ffer Our first and constant aim must
be to escape from negro domination to restore
the Government of Louisiana to the superior
race. We would infinitely prefer a
Russian despotism to the degrading
and infamous rule Of negroes and
carpet-baggers. We, like Kemper, are for
Grant, or for anybody who can help us save
the State from ruin, or who can assist us in the
all-important work Of rescuing Louisiana from
barbarism.
As regards National politics, we of Louisi-
ana are only specially interested SO far as they
may concern our local interests. We have far
too much to attend to at home to take any very
active part in scramble in which we are
counted as nothing, and our only care in the
matter should be to discover who can help us
most, in order to cast our votes for him,
whether he be General Grant or the devil.