New-York tribune., 1874-09-14
WAsHTNGTON'S VIEWS OF A THIRD TERM

| sible.
| III.
WAsHINGTONS VIEWS OF A THIRD TERM.
| Washington Welded to the opportunities of his
friends If not to his own convictions and in 1913
was unanimously reelected, thereby establishing
nrecedent by virtue of which six iof his successors
have been once reelected and all the rest have been
sent out of Washington humiliated and afflicted be-
cause they were not Though Washington and
some of his advisers had serious mlsgivings about
tho nronrietv of any reflection of President and
though the prejudice against an Executive for life
was not at that time by any means so universal In
the country as it is to-day there is little doubt that
nothing but the untried nature OF our infant Gov
ernment and the distrust OF every ones ABILITY put
Wasbington's to rule the unfamiliar storms that
were raging overhead, prevented the ira ditional
term of the Presidency being limited to four years
| instead of eight.
| But three of our Chief Magistrates, heretofore,
have ever been tempted by any prospect of
| second reelection. These were Washington Jeffer-
| son and Jackson.
| Madison. Monroe and Lincoln were the only
Others exclusive of the present incumbent who
have ever held the Presidency for more than four
| years.
Lincoln did not live to test his popularity at the
close of his second term, while the names of Mad-
son and Monroe were never mentioned as candidates
for second reelection, partly doubtless, perhaps
entirely out of Difference to the authoritative exam
ple of their two llustrious predecessors citizens of
the same State, and their intimate personal as well
| as political friends
In February of the year 1885, the last of President
Washington's second term, Madison wrote from
| Philadelphia to Mr.. Monroe.
| 1t now pretty certain that the President will not
| serve beyond his present term
| That Washington was not influenced in this deter
mination by any misgvings as to his personal popn-
larity is evident from the fact that his mere popu-
larity was never apparently greater than during
the last year of his Presidency. Chief-Jusice Mar
| shall SAYS
been unequivocally manifested aud it was believed to
be apparent that the election would be unanimous wnen
he announced his resolution 10 withdraw from the nonOrs
| and tolls OF Office
| The formal announcement of his purpose was
made in September of the same year, 1885, in docu-
| ment known throughout the world as his Farewell
| Address the Joint work of Washington, Madison.
| and Hamilton.
| We will cite the few Introductory paragraphs,
which alone are pertinent to our present inquiry:
| FRIENDS AND LowCITIzENs: The period for new
election OF citizen to administer the executive Gov
the actually arrived, when your thoughts must be
employed designating the person who Is TO be clothed
with that important trust. 1t appears TO me proper
especially as 1t may cOnduce to more dlstncte&pres
|
of the resolution l have formed, TO decline being con
sidered among the number OF those out OF whom
Ibeg Won at the same time the Justice 10 be
that this resolution has not been taken without
strict regard TO all the considerations appertanlng 10
the relation which binds duttu citizen to his country
anG that in a shs mpg OF sm
dminution OF zeal for your future interest," no
deficiency of grateful respect for your past Kindness
but supported by fall conviction that that the step Is
compatible with both. .
The acceptance OF, and continuance hitherto in; the
Office to which your sntfrages have twice called me- have
duty and a for what appeared to be your
desire. 1 constantly hoped that 1T would have been
Weh wSs not at liberty to disregard to return to that
retirement which had been reluctantly drawn.
last election had led 10 the preparation OF an ad
dress declare to you but mature reelection on The
then perpexe critical posture OF our affairs with
foreign nations and the unanimous advice OF persons
entitled to my confidence impeled me TO abandon the
rejoice that the state Of concerns external as
nation ncompatible with the sentiment OF duty
priety; and am persuaded. whatever partlay may De
retained for my services, that In the present crcun
of country you Will not disapproVe my de-
| termination TO retire.
The Impressions with which first undertook the ar
duous trust explained the proper OCCASION In
the discharge Of this trust VIII only say that have
and administration OF the government the best ex
ertions OF which very fable Judgment was capable.
Not in the outset OF the nferority Of my
qualifications experience In own eyes, perhaps still
TO diraence of myself and every day the Increasing
weight OF years admonishes me more ana more that the
welcome. Satisfied that II any circumstances have
given peculiar value to services they were tempor
ary have the consolation to believe that while choice
and prudence invite to quit the political scene, pa
| triotlsm does not lorOld IT,
Our readers will recollect that among the reasons
| for retiring at the close of the first term which
| Washington wished Madison four years before to
incorporate into his Farewell Address was that the
| spirit of our government rendered rotation in the
| elective Offices more congenlal with the peoples
ideas of liberty and safety. They will also recollect
that Madison in his draft address cites as a consid
| Grafton far more important than any he had emu
merated:
| That an early example of rotation in Office Of so
republican spirit OF our Constitution and the IDEAS OF
| liberty and safety entertained by the people,
| Why this motive, so wen formed and distinct in
| Washing gton's mind when he opened this matter to
Madison, should have faded out completely in the
| address which he finally promulgated, as to leave
nothing but the assurance that patriotism did not
| forbid the course he proposed, is question for
which il is difficult now to find any entirely salts
factory answer.
| Unhappily, Washingt gton's desire to maintain his
neutral position between the rival factions by which
| his Administration distracted, resulted finally
in estranging him and Madison to some extent from
| each other and Madison was not con suited again
about the address, which received its final shape at
the hands of Hamilton, whose undisgused distrust
of this most democratic feature of Constitution
must have inevitably led him to discourage the
President from committing himself to any limitation
| of the terms of Presidential service Indeed. Mad-
| son implies so much in q letter which he wrote TO
Jefferson as late as 1923 Referring to discussion
| then going on about the authorship of the Farewell
| Address he says:
In general view It is to be regretted that the Ad-