Litchfield enquirer., 1880-11-25
Long. Terms.

tial term to six years, without privilege of re.
election and extending the terms of Mem.
bers of the House to three years. The for.
mer measure has been often proposed, and has
one merit-the clause forbidding reelection.
To all extension of legislative and executive
terms we are, however, unalterably opposed
ON principle. Lengthening of terms is one OF
the characteristics Of this vote-buying epoch.
1t makes it an object to spend money freely
at comparatively infrequent elections; when,
if election day came oftener, money would
necessarily Be scarcer. Does anyone imagine
that Mr.. Sharon or Mr.. Fair would be willing
to pay their tens and perhaps their hundreds
of thousands of dollars, hard cash, for single
years term in the United States Senate from
Nevada? For six years stay they can afford
to pay higher for at least two reasons: LIST,
because the lease of power is very long one !;
I'd, because, before 9 second election occurs,
the methods by which the first was obtained
are to great extent, forgotten.
For executive positions long term is often
very Objectionable. A six years hold of ex-
ecutive power in the hands of weak or in
efficient man might be disastrous to the repub-
lie. This very experiment was tried by the
Confederacy. 1t was one of the causes of
their ruin. Jefferson Davis was saddled upon
the rebellion as its six years chief, before the
war had begun in earnest They would have
been very glad to be rid of him after very
brief experience. AS the war went on, it
came to be a general feeling throughout the
cess of the cause impossible, and a movement
was, at one time, on foot to make Lee ,dicta-
tor simply because Davis had become unbear-
able
Strange changes sometimes happen, also,
which place president entirely out of &C.
cord with the people who have elected him.
Those who remember the four years of An
drew Johnsons term ought surely to hesitate
before they open larger opportunities to such
differences between president and people.
One constitutional change is obviously
needed. The President and the Congress
elected in November should begin their terms
not later than the first of January following.
The delay of four months before president
assumes Office may not be so Objectionable,
but the Congress elected in November 1880,
unless a special session is called, does not
meet till Mirt on months later, in December
1881! Worse still, a Congress that has in
large proportion been retired by the people
actually does hold session in the mean time,
and legislates, often in a manner that evinces
the responsibility of members who have been
repudated by their constituents.
Let us, in short, have a reduction of the
Senatorial term, rather than an extension of
the presidential term; and, above all. an ear
lier advent to power of the men who really
represent the people. &
The Litchfeld correspondent of the Hart
ford Times tells the story of the recent cleo
ton in this county as follows. We cannot
concur with all he says, especially with his
statement that the Democratic candidate for
sheriff was a very popular man. The vote
shows the contrary:
Sufficient time has elapsed to ascertain the
facts in regard to the county vote, and the
cause of the decrease of democratic majority
of 2,S16 for Tilden in 1876 and a majority
for Hubbard of 974 in 1878 to republican
majority of % for Garfield this fall Although
the democrats generally worked unusually
hard, everything seemed to have been against
them. In the first place Miles, republican,
for Congress, flooded the county with money
In this town men who were supposed to be
staunch democrats and who always had been
were given large sums of money to vote the
Garfield ticket, and 81. 800 was the estimated
amount here In Cornwall hordes of men were
led to the ballet box and democratic MAORI
ty of 70 was turned the other way finally by
money and 81, 500 was the estimated amount
used. In Goshen money flowed like water
says prominent man. In Morris republl-
can offered $50 vote, but for all that the
democrats made substantial gain. And
this is but sample of what was done in the
whole county. In the second place the party
made unpopular nominations. For Congress
George w. Peet was nominated, and as mat
ter of policy. With nomination of good
strong man, with the cash principle left out,
the party would have swept the district The
honest people of all parties have become dis
gusted at the debauchery and brazeness
practiced. Mles's money was used to Sc
cure his election two years ago. Hundreds
of republicans were waiting to see good
honest democrat nominated, and had such
an one been nominated his election would
have been assured. Our nominee for sheriff
was very popular one The subject of
coercion of employees also entered some
what into the result, but not as deeply as many
believe.
The testimony in the Warren Court of In
quiry finally closed On Friday last with the
evidence of Gen Warren himself. There
have been SO sessions of the court, and the
evidence covers 800 pages. Court martials
are either too short or too long. Sometimes
they try, convict and shoot man in the space
OF an hour; while, at other times, especially
when there is little else stirring, they take all
summer to find out matters of very slight
moment.
BLAoKwooD's for November, contains: The
Private Secretary, l Army Reform; DR..
Wortle's School, VII; A Jewish Rabbi in
Rome, With Commentary BY Ben Israel;
Voyages in the P. and o., "reminiscences of
an Old Fogey; From Africa, by Marcus Pa
lus Venetus; The close of the Venetian Cam
paign; The unloaded Revolver, the Diploma
cy of Fanatacism.
TIE unwilling of the statue of Alexander
Hamilton at the New York Central Park
took place on Saturday Gen. Grant
and other distinguished citizens were present.
The statue is of granite, sixteen feet high,
representing the great Federal leader in the
dress of civilian of the epoch. The address
was delivered by Secretary Evarts
Jay Gould promises the extension of the
Missouri and Texas railroad to the City of
Mexico-a magnificent enterprise and one that
has been long waiting the capital necessary
for its accomplishment.