The New York herald., 1875-12-16
Mr.. RandaIl's Amendment-HOw
settle the Whole Question
CWsarfsm.

leadership In the democratic majority by the
promptitude with which he has taken up the
suggestion of the HERALD in reference to the
tenure Of the Presidential Office. The demo-
cratic party having made a consistent and
commendable record on the third term, and
the danger of the Capitalization of power
under which the country has been laboring
since the war, it was only natural that it
should take an early occasion to justify its
faith by its work. different policy
would have been an evidence of bad faith on
the part OF the parry, and would have de-
stroyed its influence in the next campaign
for the Presidency. AS we understand the
amendment Of Mr.. Randall, he proposes
that after the next Presidential cleo
tion the President shall hold office
for six years, and that neither the
President nor the Vice President, when the
Office Of President deyolves upon him, shall
be eligible for reelection" There were two
or three fantastic amendments offered by
other gentlemen, one of which proposed that
there should be a Senatorship for life for the
incumbent Of the Presidential office, and the
other that after the lapse of twelve years the
objection TO the reelection should pass away.
We call these fantastic because they propose
enactments foreign to the spirit of the con-
stitution-namely, that we should confer
/ upon any citizen q life station as a reward
for any political service. 1t would be the
first step in the direction of privileged
class and an aristocracy. Senator for life,
as it is proposed an ex-President should
be- would be an infraction of the rights of
the States. They are entitled to their equal
representation in the Senate. The value of
the resolution. of Mr. Randall is that it pre-
sents to us the one term clear and simple,
without any possibility of reelection.
We congratulate Mr.. Randall upon show
ing the party one way by which to escape
from great danger-the danger of viewing
with indifference the idea of Clesarism. At
the same time he shows it how to tear the
whole subject up by the roots, and to do so
with the aid of both political parties. What
we expect from the democrats is an act of
high craftsmanship in dealing with this
question, which, although startling at first,
will, the more it is considered, approve itself
to the wisdom Of the country. In opposing
President Grant and his ambition for q third
/ term we must be careful to avoid evoking
!! the sympathy of the country in his favor
We must never ignore the fact that he has
been the commander of our armies, the rep
resentative of our military success during the
rebellion, and that he will live in our history
/ with Washington. The mistake in the last
campaign for the Presidency that the
enemies of the republican party aroused by
their importunate severity the sense of fair
play always controlling the American heart.
! When we were asked to elect Mr. Greeley
upon his merits as a statesman, his name as
a philanthropist and leader of the anti
slavery movement, the response at first was
prompt and acquiescent. When the nation
was asked to do this, and in doing so to dis
honor President Grant, the country revolted
and reelected him to the White House by
an increased majority. The third term will
come in this same shape if it comes at all
The danger of the third term arises wholly
from the tendency of the enemies of General
Grant to make the war against Cesarism
personal war upon him. Such war will
end as il ended in 1872 The friends of
General Grant whose ambition leads them to
hope for his continuance in power have
striven in every way to reawaken this feeling
which was so successfully evoked four years
ago. The tendency of the democratic party
to fly into passion, to do unwise and in
judicious things, is so marked, even in the
House, that already political critics speak of
the restoration Of the Bourbons The way to
destroy this impression is for republicans to
accept Mr.. Randall's amendment to the con-
stitution as closing the whole question of
Crsarism. and for the democrats to pass the
amendment in such form that it will ex-
tend General Grant term for two more years.
In other words, let the amendment be passed
so that President Grant will hold over until
1878. Thenceforward the tenure of the Office
will be six years and one term.
BY granting to General Grant these two
extra years the democrats compel the repub-
licans to support the amendment. We pay
the President an unusual and in some re-
spects not an undeserved compliment. We
recognize his military fame and his services
to the country. We gain forever the one
TERM. INC u'il5tr ~ any inherent uuitllu-
ment offered by democrat as judicious and
calm as Mr.. Randall is that the parties are so
evenly divided that it would never. pass the
Senate Now the only measure that can ac-
compish the results aimed at by the dcmoc-
racy and hoped for by the country is one
that will win all parties. Conservative re-
pubicans who dread the uncertainty Of an
election will welcome its postponement
for two years. Administration repub-
Leans, who claim that Grant has
been badly uscd BY his opponents, will
accept this extension Of his power as