New-York tribune., 1874-09-11

ean,e shoUd have the right Of choosing whether
they would continue In office an approved papmc paS'
ton OF President 70 a third term. do We
not ,se s DO 90 snS not sbsn
TALLY that they wrong in comforting upon the
psy ee see and that the people are
of the trust reposed in themi Is n right tnat prsce
tn Precedents are of great value judicial tribunals
But they not always absolutely bounu oy Invh VI
else decisions e9sa II we permit
II TO be modified by precedent as our Brlsh ano9s.o
have done with their constuon ias az n;ears viii be-
without being fetored lrrevocaoy py tnose scs ~ %
the 0i ne s sbroead 90 Sr as regards
eligibility third term, the advocates OF apr1Sa'H %
usorpaton y the President of imperial power, and the
subyerson OF liberty These are the ABSURD anu
Ions chneras with which ambitious asprants seek 10
caioe the people, Until the people become utterly cor
rupt and fit for master, no Presluent couiu taAo w"
IMMUNITY the first step toward the infringement OF our
liberties one act on his part Of that character ike the
first gun fred Fort Sumter, would rouse the "noio
people 10 trample down the insolent usurper; -,,.,
eeond But Il is not the sanctty OF precedents which
inspires the yniietye opposition 70 thlrd term. in
RaeIt 2aunR amSon No precedent set BY Washing
ton and hs contemporaries Is considered sacreu anu
election after the second term. This precedent the
modern aspirant 10 the Presidency feels proiounu u
terest in respecting He wants to give it the force ana
eicacy of constitutional law. He wants to d!squay
the people 10 choose the they prefer LOT
He wants to save the people from themseves-the old
nretense of denagogues who to trust the people,
and are skenticai OF their intelligence and integrity
hn hoDed for nominations to the Presidency invented
and strongly urged the doctrine that no Que souu
sS sop TO TncoInNa period OF twenty-four years-the
multiplication Of importunate candidates gsve p US
dentsnot the best we have had-cessed with tue civil
war; and should the interests and welfare OF me people
reanre it they will aside also the precedents 1ur
nished In the beginning OF the century. Unless mis-
led by faction and the machiDaons OF ambitious aen
agognes the people will always n the choice OF fresl-
dent consider the precedents OF remote age not
the qualification OF the hopes OF swarm OF greeGy
poticians bnt their welfare and the suDstanlla
interests OF country Frequent changes IN the E1
ecutlve have tendency to make the pocy oI 'o @ Go @
stable. The magnitude OF the interests now depenoent
on the conduct OF the Government makes constancy 10
a settled policy of the greatest Importance. ln tne
seventy number OF The Federalist Gen. Ham
iton, with his accustomed felicity and power discusses
the subject OF reeigby as Will be seen py tne ioi
lowing extract
self the inclination ard the resolution at bis part VEL and 70 s
and thence experimental estimate Of their merits The last
bis condnct to eOutnue station order prOOns the H.
iy bis talents and virtues and secure 70 tse dSsmen @ a
spears Sore plausible founded close m
:SSn :SSs SspeciaSe @sa 'sdy sdyoc. mean that c
n o on reer s Tas exclusion wSehsr temporary
peeus would have nearly the same effect and these euec "00 DC
AN UNFAIR CONSTRUCTION.
From The WashHgioa National htpaohol1 JHee ~
The Nep- York Herald extracts the following
sentence from editorial in The National Republican,
"The frequent election Of the Chief MAGISTRATE OF The
Republic agtates the country and TOO often threatens
frequency" and adds the unfair comment: This, let
the Is mot s 70 s5ense am W the eor
malty OF elections SO the game has advanced step,
dropped" This is an unfair and strained construction
a tOrturng OF the meaning OF language. Our readers
viii bear rs witness that have printed line
advocacy Of third term for Gen. Grant that in fact
we have said the subject than the majority OF
aofc mai Herald
particularly. TO impress the pubic Win tlo De-
to secure his denomination and his reelection in 1876
but il is impossible to find the evidence OF 1t anywhere
far as the next Presidency is concerned
thought of than he has Of the mennium that his sole
aim aud ambition just is 10 do the work that comes
TO him do 10 the best OF bis ability, faithfully and
honestly and tOr the good OF the whole people. The
frequency ofPresdental elections is an abstract ques
ton almost as old as the Republic itself Many OF our
best political writer's and statesmen have always main
taned and maintain now that the Presidential term OF
four years is too short ana should be extended TO six If
not eight years. In the Confederate Constitution, the
Presidential term it will be remembered was six years.
and large number OF Northern politicians have held
and hold that an Improvement upon our Constitu
ton. But its discussion has nothing whatever TO do
with the " third term"
THE THIRD TERM IN VIRGINIA.
From The Bashfngtoa National republican, July T..
The Richmond Wig fairly blazes with the
third term more. however, as defiance and menace
to the Northern journals aud politicians than anything
very good reasons why the South would gladly continue
good and honest Presdentone who Faithfully admin
of oppressed peoe-for three or even seven terms
rather than submit 10 the arses
little attention at the North The wise TRIBUNE OF
with persons ike things, proceeds dsparage
the Governor. his talents his ms style ana even
people representing them having idle time and prone
TO politics., &c. Our cotemporary then goes on to ask
politicians will the five loaves and two fishes de-
tne TO be just and no more and tells them
country that will override all their little schemes
people have been trodden into the dust-a country
that has been paged and oppressed &c. may well hail
with JOY man who rises above party, and " II such
man appears in the political arena the south Will most
heartily vote for him for many terms and from us ex
perienee will dread change which may give them I;
bad The risk IS too great Yes, II II Is extended
to his continuation In ofhce during his hfc."
IMPOSSIBLE TO PLEASE EVERYBODY.
The IRON conrse Ins ~o''s Of 2Ss S~ Te FI Herad upon
the third term question supplies another illustration OF
the truth OF the popular saying thatit is impossible TO
please everybody That journal, for over year, has
been fighting the Idea and correspondent writes
10 The Epening Post OF the same city that the con-
tam,arzed the bubble with the idea and helped to
build up powerful party in favor OF the project Tue
There is consolation for those who think II mex,
pedlent that the President should be accorded third
never been elected though that profound organ OF
public opinion perhaps might be able to prove from Us
torialy Looking at the matter from party point OF
the first appearance OF third term proposition is
but when one passes In review the pres
ent condition OF party organizations and management,
the matter becomes some hat serious"
CONFLICTING STATEMENTS.
From The Washington National Rpabhoan, July 10.
The Hon. John Nj. Francis, our late Minister
10 Greece and the editor OF Ihe Troy Times ana the
Hon Ellis H. Roberts also able editor In the State OF
Neg-YOrk and IA distinguished member or Congress-
seem be worried about the thrdtern discussion.
abort time ago Mr. Francis declared what he intended
20 be an official way that President Grant did not mean
10 for third term and now comes Mr. Roberts Win
the announcement that "Gen. Grant has way in
timated person that he desires or would accept
renomlnation for thra term as President. The Net-
YORK Herald thinks the statement OF Mr. Roberts Is
"ingenious" and means that Mr.. Roberts, II not now
I'm favor of third term would support Grant II nomi-
rated Ennld In the national convention Withdraw