The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1880-11-28

for the amendment, would justly complain
that, contrary to the Constitution, without
ats CONSENT" it had been deprived of its
"equal suffrage in the Scnate.' The new
life Senators would, therefore, have TO stand
over until not merely two-thirds but unoni-
nous consent had beon obtained from the
sisterhood of States for their creation. 1t
would he useless to pload that they were that
anomaly to oar fundamental law, Senator's
"at. Large;" the common knowledge ofpracti-
cal politics would override that subterfuge.
Such unanimous consent the merest tyro
knows it would he impossible ever to obtain.
The traditional jealousy of the little States
which never furnish President would I've a
sufficient bar.
Indeed, it seems useless to discuss any
| further this monstrous project, which would
frequently leave the balance of power in the
Senate in the hands of some arbitrary, ire
spousible creature of accident, certain of his
! position against any changes in public
opinion, and most likely aspiring to regain
his place In the curule chair. Americans
will never freely consent to the creation Of
life tenure in political Offices. 1t Is true that
there are life Senators in the foreign plans
of government, but they are a concession to
the ultra. conservative, aristocratic element,
which abhors popular rule. The invention
Of them in this country is entirely due to
the sickening adulation to Grant, n symptom
of the general fever 10 aggrandize eek
Presidents as long as he is the sole
specimen Of them. The American peopl,
are under no debt TO man whom they hav,
raised once and again TO the highest office II
their gift; he is under debt TO them--ar
obligation to he circumspect, to live cleanly
to he worthy of many high traditions, bu
not, as the Tribune falsely says, under an,
inhibition from honest employment Gin
+ cinnatus was not merely called from tn
plow: he went back to IL. If the presen
, agitation proves anything, 1t is that the i'm
. portance of tie Presidential office needs L
be judciously diminished instead of in
, creased. AS prize of ambition the hes
men in the country are apt to be only to
, eager for it, with all its drawbacks. As
menace to liberty IL is already overgrowr
and needs no entail of retiring pension, life
+ position, or hereditary title to make tn
matter worse.
!. TnR venerable Simon Cameron has bee
Q discoursng to the public at Philadelphi;
and as he is not credited with talking wilhou
G purpose, his artless condolences are intel
IS esting. We are not to I've threatened wit
i Grant in 1884, it seems. Garfield himse
L is the man whom his dear friends, Conl
| ~ a
" have in view for that period in our country
:. history. Grant is still young, and can wa
J. until Garfield is fully rewarded ~ befor
'r he forecloses his own mortgage on the SUI
le cession, say until 1888 or 1892, as we SUI
Y. pose he is scarcely expected to keep over Q
q the shelf until the next century. All thi
:, however, is strictly on the supposition th
4 Garfield Commits no great blunders,"
'g which case, well, something else might
l. necessary. The venerable Simon's talk
III diaphanous, even if we had not hoard /
IL exact equivalent from Grant himself befo
IN he left the White House. Garfield is to b
" have himself and do the bidding of the II
~ pcrialists, with the sop of second term he
Id out to him; but before the time arrives f
ct delivering the goods they will pick aquarr
" on any pretext or 40 pretext, and run Gra
is with all the desperate energy of which th
Id are capable. We doubt whether the scher
'n will deceive anybody, not even Mr.. CARTEL
an for whom ii holds the chief or only tempt
tx ton.
,,o The annual report of the District Comm
!. sioners is sensible and satisfactory doc
~ ment, and should he generally read. Iiavil
been published in full yesterday afterno
=, we do not reproduce it, but commend it
-, :. public attention, with the remark that it
a, pleasant 10 have at last n local governme
:, which has really gained the confidence n
:. respect of the community.