, 1880-02-15
THE THIRD TERM.
A Reply to Ex-senator Howe, of
Wisconsin.
Resolutions and Committals Of the Republican Far.
tt Against Third Term.
10 the Editor Of The Chicago Tribune.

against the denomination Of President Grant
near the close of his second term, the Sena-
tor says:
This senseless clamor eliminated when, on the
18th OF December, 1875, the Hon. Mr. Springer, n
Democrat from the State Of Illinois, presented
to the House OF Representatives. resolution in
the following wort1s: Rcsotrcd, That in the opfn-
ion Of this House the precedent established by
Washington and other Presidents in retiring from
the Presidential Office after their second term
has become by universal concurrence part Of
our republican system Of government, and any
departure from this time-honored custom would
bo 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 q zeal far SUI
perlor to knowledge. If the objections that
were made to the denomination Of President
Grant in 1875 OH the ground Of the third
term were senseless, then there were In those
days great many men in our party concern
ing whose mental acumen and political sagac-
ity the people Of this country were most
egregiously deceived.
In May, 1875, the Republicans Of Pennsyl-
vania, in convention assembled, passed, with
out dissenting vote, the following resolu-
ton:
qualified adherence to tho unwrittcn law Of tho
Republic, which wisely, and under the sanction OF
the most venerable Of examples, limits the Pres,
idential service Of any citizen to two terms; and
we, Republicans Of Pennsylvania, IN recognition
Of this law, are unalterably opposed to the elec-
ton 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, it is
well to note that this resolution does not, as
claimed. refer to three terms i'll snccession,",
but it at1ir1ns that under the unwritten law Of
the Republic, sanctioned by the most vener..
able of examples, the Presidential service Of
any citizen is limited to two terms. And BY
it the Republicans Of Pennsylvania are placed
squarely upon the record as unalterab[y r. oR-
dency the third time. Soon after the passage
Of this resolution, the Republicans Of Massa-
chusetts gave expression to their views upon
this subject in the following language:
RESOLVED, That sound reason, rs well as the wise
trated By the example Of Washington requires
that the term of the Chief Magistrate OF the
United States shall not exceed second term.
1t is impossible to extract the idea Of three
terms in succession from this. 1t Is clear,
definit, and to the point.
In June of the same year, the Republlcan
Convention Of Ohio declared:
The observance OF Washington's example In
retiring at the closo Of Il second Presidential
term will be in the future, Us in the pa6t, re-
garded rs 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 Presidents pub
lie declaration that he is not candidate for re-
nomination, and, with sincere gratitude for his
patriotic services, We declare our unnlterable
opposition to 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 elec,
ton of any citizen to the Presidency the third
time.
And when the Springer resolution was
adopted in December following, receiving as
it did thesupport Of all Ltt etq'lteen Of the Re-
publican members Of the a9use ~: ~ me ac5on
generally. The passage Of this resolution,
however. says the distinguished Senator, ac-
complished the purpose for which It was
ET5af TTittfn r ,s16 lt defeated the nomination Oh
Here, again, the Senator is wide Of the truth.
Or, if he Is not, if the passage OF that resoltl-
tion did defeat the nomination OF Grant in
1876, then President Grant himself played the
demagog, for nearly eight months before its
and only three days atten tne f6G23
term by the Republicans Of Pennsylvania, ne
wrote q letter to Mr.. White, President of
that Convention, in which, among other
things, he said:
tcotitd not accept nom'ndton y sosae I.s .1,.
dered, unless u SAo,ad GONG Lnust 15c''
s!dnees as 20 nahe III ~ '''pe' '*'os '@'s'
std1'ces not likely to oTssc.
This letter was written and published In
Nav. while the Springer resolution was not
nassed in the Honse Until December; seven
months later.
It is absurd, therefore, to insist that the
adoption Of the Springer resolution defeated
GRANTS nomination, when President Grant
himself publicly proclaimed that he would
not accept the nomination if rendered.
By this letter President Grant put himself
on record as being in accord with the senti-
ment expressed III the Pennsylvania resolu-
ton. and consequently as opposed to the
election of any citizen the third time to the
Presidency, except under extraordinary cir
country, The letter was written to the
President Of that Convention in response to
the resolution, and the writer intended that
the country Should understand, and the coun-
try did understand, that he Endorsed and ap-
proved it, And in doing this he was but re-
echoine the sentiment Of the whole line of
Ills iiIustrious predecessors Said Mr. Jetfer-
son in resnonse to the request of some Of
his nersonal friends that he would allow his
mama to be used as candidate the third
time: