The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-05-03
NATIONAL ANTI.rHIRD TERM con,
HRSTIOS.

!. NATIONAL ANTI.rHIRD TERM CO.
IESTIOS.
To be Held I'm the City OF 81. Louis q
/, Thursday Next-The NleWsThat VIII
i Proclaimed TO the Country.
K ST. LOUIS, May 1.-The Convention
anti-third term Republicans to be held l
: this city on Thursday next, promises to !
4 alarne and important National gathering
The principles by which the cOnventio
I will be actuated, and which 1t proposes I
! enunciats to the country, may b
!. gathered from the following publishe
| circular Of the executive committee:
ave feel profound interest in the or
! preaching. Presidential election, and Il
view OF that interest, we witness witt
alarm the evident purpose OF some OF ou
friends TO commit the party to the danger
Gus policy OF third term nomination
! We believe that the precedent establishes
by Washington, and patriotically adheret
to by his successors In Office, is founded
upon the wisest considerations OF publi
policy.
We endorse the language Of Mr.. Jetfer
son when he said, "If some termination u
the services OF the Chief Magistrate be no
fixed by the Constitution or supplied bl
practice, his Office nominally for year
will in fact become for life"
The resolution adopted in the State Con
yention by the Republican party OF Penn
sylvania in 1851, still receives our mos
cordial appreciation, to.wit: THAT we de
clare firm and unqualified adherence u
the unwritten law OF the republic, which
wisely and under the most venerable ex
amples limits the Presidential service o
any citizen TO two terms and in recogni
ton OF this law weare unalterably opposed
to the election to the Presidency OF any
person for third term"
We still adhere 10 the declaration oi
principle made in the same year by the
Republicans Of New York when they an
nounced their ''unalterable opposition u
the election OF any President for third
term" and we cordially commend as
|.worthy OF acceptance the Republican
platform OF Ohio, that the observance. .oi
Washington's example, Twill be in the
future, as 1t has been in the past, regard
ed as fundamental rule in the unwritteu
law Of the Republic"
We sincerely believe in the wisdom and
truth OF the resolution adopted with great
unanimity by the peoples representatives
lin Congress assembled in December,
llST5: "That the precedent establish ed by
Washington and other Presidents in retir-
ing from the Presidential office after their
second term has become by universal con-
currence part OF our Republican system
OF government, and that any departure
from this time-honored custom would be
unwise, nnpatriotic, and fraught with peril
10 our free institutions"
The nomination OF General Grant for q
third term would thus overthrow an es-
tablished precedent in our government
policy and violate a usage possessing In
popular judgment the authority OF con-
stitutional law. Such nomination, too,
can only be made in forgetiulness or in
total disregard OF the declared principles
OF the Republican party.
The warning OF Mr.. Jefferson in the
maturity OF experience and after many
years OF disinteresied devotion to his
country welfare is not forgotten: "That
should President consent TO be a candi.
date for third election, l trust he would
be rejected on this demonstration Of am.
bilious views"
In view Of this evident purpose OF fac.
ton OF the Republican party TO secure the
denomination OF General Grant, thereby
endangering the success OF the party and
Threatening to subyert policies hitherto
accepted as safeguards OF our institutions,
we issue this call for national mass con.
vention to assemble in St. Louis on the
9th day OF May next, to the end that ma.
tional organization may be perfected
through which proper expression OF the
will OF the American people against the
principle OF third presidential term may
be secured; to inaugurate movement
with view OF fixing limit to executive
tenure by a constitutional amendment
and TO take such other action as the con
yention itself when assembled may deem
proper and expedient.
All Republicans throughout the United
States in sympathy with the movement
are cordially invited to be present.
Delegates are expected from Minnesota
Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio
Michigan, Pennsylvania, New York, Mas
sachusetts, Connecticut, New Jersey
Deleware, Maryland. Virginia, West Vir
ginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas
Texas, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Colo
RADIO and perhaps other States, and the at
tendance promises to be quite large. AL
roads termir ating here will sell round
trip tickets on the 9th and 9th, good to re.
turn till the 10th, at reduced rates. TicketI
OF admission 10 the convention will be
issued at the headquarters OF the Execu
tive Committee, Room %, Laclede Hotel
by Secretary Emery S. Foster. The con
yention will be held either at Masonic Hal
or the Grand Opera House, the latter If i
can possibly be obtained.
The German.A meri:an Independent Re
publican organization have adopted |
supplementary address to the Independ
ent Republican Convention at St Louis
reaffirming opposition to the nomination
OF General Grant. They do not belley,
the Chicago Republican Convention viii
mind any address or resolutions protesting
against the nomination OF General Gran
unless this Convention becomes convinc'
ed General Grant, II nominated, will bI
defeated, They do not believe that suct
conviction can be impaired 10 that Con
yentiOn, unless the Independent Republi
can Convention meet at Chicago preViou!
!, TO and at the time OF the regular Republi
can convention luHy PIePheu " nVni
nate third candidate In case the latte
, Convention should nominate Genera
4 Grant or any candidate whose honesty I
not beyond suspicion, and they do believ,
that II such third candidate Is vel
known citizen Of ability aud honesty
! standing on the platform adopted by tn
, Republican party in 1876, the greater part
! II not The whole Of the Republican vot
, may be concentrated upon him, so that h
will be elected.