National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1880-01-26
THE THIRD-rERM sPooK

Among the able3t best tortured ana most
conclusive papers on the Third-Term ques-
ton that have fallen under our notice
is one from the pen of Hon. TIMOTHY o.
HOWE, late Uni ted States Senator from
Wisconsin, and which appears in the North
american Reric,g for February. In this
paper the ex-senator takes up every con-
ceivable objection that can be urged against
the election of General GRANT to a third
term, and makes a well-considered, iud ici-
Gus and convincing answer to each and all.
He discusses in lucid manner the debates
in the convention which framed the Consti-
tuition, and presents the fact rs clearly as
the light of day that the trainers Of that in
strument refused repeatedly and as often as
the point was presented to take ground
against the ra-elgibility of persons who
should be called to hold the office Of Presi-
dent. We quote him.
The fundamental law puts no limit to the
number of terms for which the people may
elect the same man TO the Presidency. And
| TO affirm that il is "unwise" "unpatriotic"
and "perilous to our free institutions" TO elect
the same man three times is simply to impeach
tie Constitution for sauctioning an act so NAL
| evOleut in its tendencies. Moreover the
question of re.eligibility was not overlooked
| by the men who made the Constitution. 1t
was carefully considered and recOnsidored by
them. They were not wanting In sagacity.
No one idea was SO prominent or so univer'
| sal in the Constitutional Convention rs this
| Presidents must be re.eiigiJie, Whoever they
might elect, they should have the right to re-
| elect Whatever might be the length Of a
| term, there should be no limitation upon the
| number of terms. The reason was obvious
| Mr. GoUvERNEUR MORRIS, the man to whose
rare genius, according TO Mr.. MADISON, we arc
! indebted for the polished style Of the Cousti
/ tuition, stated that reason as tersely as need be
stated. go forbid reelection" lie said
"tended to destroy the great motive to good
! behavior; the hope OF being rewarded by re
appointment. 1t was saying to him, MAXI
hay while the sun shines"
Ex-senator HOWE asserts the fact tina
when the Constitution was presented to tn,
States for ratification, but two men wert
found 10 raise tue question Of ineligibilitl
for reelection, and one ofthese was opposed
TO the Constitution itself aud sought its de
feat AS whole, while the other urged hi
objections as strongly against the re-elec
ton of Senators and Representatives a
]
continues: 1.-THE men who made the Con
"stitution struggled to secure the re-eligi
"bility of Presidents, They surrendere
"preferences, abandoned cherished idea
land devised new plans, in order to pre-
" serve the rights to repeal the election an
"prolong the services of able and uprigh
" Presidents. They could hardly have ex
"pected that within century generatiO
"wouId appear whose representatives woul
"care TO proclaim that tho exercise Of tina
simple right for which they sacrificed s
"much was unwise, unpatriotic aud fraugt
with peril to our free Institutions
In referring TO the example of WASHING
TON so often cited by the worshipers
: the shrine of the "unwritten law" and h
irritation and disgust vt the attacks mac
upon him, Mr. HOWE quotes the followir
from JEFFERsoN's account of a scene TIL
, occurred in the Cabinet, which affords
cline to other reasons which prompted Il
first President to seek retirement in priya
life. Mr.. JEFFERSON says;
The President WAS much inaamed; got IN
4 one of those passions When he cannot cor
! uand himself ran on much on the person
u abuse which had been bestowed on him. dehC
70 any man on earth TO produce one single a
nj his. since he had boon in the GOvernmeT
A which WAS not done on the purest motive
that he had never repented but once the Ina
{, inc ahmed the moment of resiguing his Off,
T. and that was every moment since; that,
p God, no had rather be In his grave than