The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-12-10
SPIRIT Of THE PRESS.
Tho English Papers Of This Morning.

The Commercial says: The attention of
Congress will presently be called to view
propositions of amendment to the Const-
tution-one to do away with the Electoral
College, leaving the people free to vote d.
rectly for President and Vice President, as
for Governor and other State officers, and
one to make the Presidential term six
years, with ineligibility thereafter. The
original purpose of the Electoral College, as
is we'll known. was to leave the choice of
President and Vice President to the Elect
ors chosen by the people. They
were not bound to be governed by
the action of the National Conventions
indeed, the Conventions were of much later
date-but were at liberty to pickand choose
from the prominent names before the peo-
pie for the high offices. They could, if such
should be their wish, vote for any man for
the Presidency, though lie may not have
been the popular candidate. When the
people had voted for the Electors their part
in the Presidential contest ended. 1t was
for the Electors to say who should be the
President Of the proposition to lengthen
the Presidential term to six years, and max
ing the incumbent of the office ineligible to
a denomination, we think well, for two
reasons. 1t would put an end to the dis
QulGlllIS va ObIu IVIllS anu
fourth terms, and enable the President to
70 through his term Of Office without de-
voting half of it to Setting up the pins
for re-election.-If the Kentucky Judge
who refused to concur in the opinion CIV
ing Buford new trial is wise, he will scud
around lively until he secures coat of
mail that will stop load of buckshot. Bu-
ford may take notion to gosnlpe hunting
again.-Mr. Gladstone is all eloquent gen
tlenan, whose eloquence consists chiefly
in twenty thousand words per day. In
1874, in a moment of irritation, lie sur
prised his friends and foes by dissolving
Parliament, and in the course of the gen.
eral election found himself in minority.
Now he thinks the majority of English
men are against Beaconsfield, and he clal-
lenges dissolution, but Beaconsfield bides
his time and will probably stay out the
term of seven years. When Mr.. Gladstone
resigned the Premiership he insisted upon
resigning also the leadership of his party,
and the conditi ms of the Liberals rs to
organizati, N, has been farcial ever since.
Mr.. Gladstone wouldn't lead and couldn't
keen quiet Mr.. Gladstone is statesman
of immense intellectual resources, but he
must learn either to lead or follow. If one
who goes fishing does not fish, he should
cut bait or go home.
The Gazette SAYS: We have to tell the
sad news that Jefferson Davis has become
trimmer, and has repudiated the State right
of secession. An edit II up in Iowa wrote
him that the Southern statesmen ought to
set themselves right. and to refute the
Northern Republican representation that
they believed the right of State secession.
t. Irv1i fkars
era.ities save the brief and unqualified de-
NAL that the public men of the South hold
that State rights include the right to secede,
or that they ever believed this. As to
what State rights are, he is utterly vague,
but he plainly denies that they in
Glade tile State right ito secede.
BY this declaration Mr.. Jefferson Davis
nfesses that the Southern rebellion was
without p~etense of lawful right. and was
a crime. Mr.. benjamin Hill declares it I'M
possible that the Southern people can have
any fellowship with the Republicans of the
North, because they hold that the secession
rebellion was wrong, and that never, no
never, will they who fought on the. Con-
federate side confess that they were wrong.
The great Cincinnati Southern, with its
trunk line of over three hundred miles,
spendidly constructed, with easy grades
and capable of making the fastest time. can
not be stopped at Chattanooga or
anywhere else. 1t would be as
sensible TO undertake to dam the Ohio
River In twenty years the people
of the South have not had mile OF rail-
road built while thousands of miles hare
been built at the North. Thus population
is increased. business is extended, and the
value OF lands. enhanced. This work has
been done, and Is being done. atthe North.
IT is the work that remains to bs done at
the South, and which when accomplished,
or as it is being done. will develop the hid
den treasures Of that section treasures
that lie in her fields, her mines and
her forests Our people must moi
hatter themselves that we are safe
without an effort There are sew