The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1874-10-17

Harper's Weekly one Of the most stead
fast adherents Of President Grant in the
country, thus speaks in reference to a
third torn,
Why then, should the President be re.
nominatedg That he has been good and
patriotic magistrate ia true but il that he a
sufficient reason for third term, il isa suli-
Gent reason for electing him for life. The
Constitution and our theory of government
and patriotic, but they provide for a stated
election, that the evils Of q permanent tenure
may be avoided. However excellent an
officer the President may be, 1t can not be
supposed that he is the only citizen who can
properly fill the office, and It must therefore
be shown that the advantages of continuing
him would plainly be greater than the perils
Of the precedent. These perils are OF two
kinds: the first Is indicated By Jefferson.
'The danger is he said, shat the indulgence
and attachments Of the people will keep a
man in the chair after he becomes q dotard,
that recollection through life shall become
habitual, and election for life follow that
General Washington set the example Of
voluntary retirement ailer eight years. | shall
follow it. And a few more precedents will
oppose the obstacles Of habit TO any one after
while who shall endeavor TO extend his
term He said in reply to requests not to
retire that definite period Of retiring would
tend to secure the elective form Of government
and that if term were not fixed BY the Con-
stitution or supplied by practice, the Office
would practically become one for life, and
that would easily degenerate into an inherit
anee.
These views Of Iefferson's may be regarded
as purely theoretical, and il may be thoughts
sufficient answer to say that if the people can
not be trusted to re-elect, they can not be
trusted 10 elect, and that nothing can be more
absurd than that they should forbid them
selves to re-elect magistrate who had shown
himself peculiarly capable. BIT this saswer,
which might have been conclusive in Jeffer.
sons time, IS Of very much less weight now
that the power Of a President to command his
own denomination through patronage has be-
come SO enormous. Indeed, this is the great
practical objection. The power ofpatronage,
of an immense organization of placemen, is a
very familiar and threatening fact. Nor is il
necessary for President openly to dictate
his denomination to an organized body whose
own interests demand it. Under existing
circumstances, therefore, aud without sGppos-
ing the least Ill intention upon the part of
General Grant, the project Of a third term
should be strenuously opposed as the begin
ming of the radical change in the government.
No emergency requires it, for, whatever the
condition Of the Southern States, 1t Is such as
any properly qualified Republican President
could deal with; to suppose that General
Grant is the only Republican who could be
elected is TO believe the Republican ascendancy
much more fatally shaken than we hold it to
be. Indeed, should be unwisely be renomina-
ted, mere choice Of evils would be forced
upon great multitude of Republicans They
would be compelled to decide whether the
precedent Of third term would be more
perilous than a Democratic restoration and
as many would think even the latter prefera.
Bile, denomination would seem to be precisely
the way to secure Republican defeat.