The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-03-09
TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION.
THETHIRD TIRM.
A Reply 10 Ex-senator Howe, of wlseon.
sln-Resoluiions aud Committais ofthe
Republican Party Against Third


sin-ResoIuiion aud Commlttais ofth
Republican Party Against Thir
Term. ,.'..,
To the Editor Of the Chicago Tribune.
It is evident from the tone Of the articl
from the pen Of ex-senator Howe, pull
lished in the current number Of til
North american Rerisw, that the special at
yocate Of the nomination Of Gen. Gran
are becoming somewhat exercised owe
the question OF o third term.
Referring to the objections that wer
urged against the denomination Of Presi
dent Grant near the close Of his secon,
term, the Senator says:
This senseless clamor eliminated when
on the 10Th OF December, 1875, the Hon
Mr.. Springer, o Democrat from the, Stat
OF Illinois, presented to the House OF Rep
resentatives a resolution in the following
words: Resolred, That in the opinion o
this House the precedent established BY
Washington and other Presidents in re
firing from the Presidential office aftel
their second term has become by univer
sal concurrence a part OF our Republican
system OF government, and any departure
from this time.honored custom would be
unwise, unpatriotic, and fraught with
peril to our free institutions.
This, the Senator tells us, is senseless
clamor. Strong language, indeed, even
for Senator Howe; and it evinces zeal
far superior to knowledge. If the objec.
lions that were made to the denomination
OF President Grant in 1875 on the ground
Of the third term were senseless, then
there were in those days a greatmany men
in our party concerning whose mental
acumen and political sagacity the people
OF this country were most egregiously de-
ceived.
In May, 1875. the Republicans Of Penn
sylvania, in convention assembled, passed,
without a dissenting vote, the following
resolution:
Resolred, That we declare our firm and
unqualified adherence to the unwritten
law OF the Republic, which wisely, and
under the sanction Of the most venerable
OF examples, limits the Presidential
service ofany citizen to two terms; and We,
Republicans Of Pennsylvania, in recogni.
ton OF this law, are unalterably opposed
to the election to the Presidency OF any
person for third term.
In view OF the action OF the Convention
lately held in that State, and the excuses
offered by some Of the Cameron men, 1t is
well to note that this resolution does not,
as claimed, refer to "three terms in sue.
cession, but 1t affirms that under the un-
| written law OF the Republic, sanctioned by
the most venerable Of examples, the Pres.
idential service Of any citizen is limited to
two terms. And by it the Republicans OF
Pennsylvania are placed squarely upon the
record as unalterably opposed 10 the cleo.
ton OF any man TO the Presidency the
third time. Soon after the passage OF this
resolution, 1.-The Republicans OF MassaChu.
sets gave expression TO their views upon
this subject in the following language:
Resolred That sound reason, a well as
the wise and unbroken usage Of the Re-
public, illustrated by the example OF
Washington, requires that the term OF the
Chief Magistrate OF the United States,
shall not exceed second term.
It Is impossible to extract the idea OF
three terms in succession from this. 1t is
clear, definite, and to the point.
In June OF the same year, the Republic
can Convention Of Ohio declared:
The observance OF Washington's ex.
ample in retiring at the close Of second
Presidential term will be in the future, as
in the past, regarded as fundamental rule
in the unwritten law OF the Republic.
The New York Convention, which was
held later, and in the fall, resolved that:
| Recognizing as conclusive the Presi.
dents public declaration that he is not q
candidate for denomination, and with
sincere gratitude for his patriotic services.
we declare our unalterable opposition to
1.-THE election Of any President for third
term.
Like resolutions were also passed by the
Republicans OF Iowa and OF Wisconsin
the Senator's own State, and 1t was as
clear as anything could be that the sober
honest judgment OF the people was against
the election OF any citizen to the Presl
dency the third time.
And when the Springer resolution was
adopted in December following, receiving
as Il did the support OF all but eighteen o
the Republican members OF the House
the action was indorsed and approved b,
the country generally. The passage o
. this resolution, however, says the distin
guished Senator, accomplished the pur
pose for which 1t was written. ut de
feated the nomination OF Grant in 1885,
Here, again, the Senator is wide OF thu
truth. Or, If heis not, II the passage o
| that resolution did defeat the nomination
OF Grant In 1876, then President Gran
himself played the demagogue, for nearl!
eight month, before It's passage, and onl!
thrae DAYS after the adoption Of the reso
: linton in opposition to third term by tn
, Republicans OF Pennsylvania, he wrote
letter to Mr.. White, President OF the Con
yention, in which, among other things
: he said:
u would not accept a nomination II
. were rendered. unlessit should come unde
such circumstances as 10 make 1t an i'm
peratiye duty,-circumstanoes not likel
TO arise" 40,
This letter was written and published
In May, while the Springer resolution wa
not passed In the House until December
seven months later.
itis absurd, therefore, to insist that tn
adoption OF the Springer resolution dc
ieated Grants nomination, when Pres
dent Grant himself publicly proclaime
; that he would not accept the nominatto
iftendered.
self on record as being in accord with III
sentiment expressed in the Pennsylyani
resolution, and consequently as oppose
: to Inc election OF any citizen the lhir
lime to the Presidency, except under 81
Itraordinary circumstances, and he was
nnderstood by the country. The lett
uhuoIot,Y t.U u A. p.aaidnnf Of that Iinr