Morning journal and courier., 1880-02-23
THE THIRD TERM.

New York Republican Convention, Utica, Feb. 25. New Hampshire Republican Convention, Concord, May 6.
 THE THIRD TERM.
 Questions of government usually require 8 long time for settlement It has taken ever since the foundation of the government of the United States to decide whether we are Ma ton, and many profess to think, even now, that the War of the Rebellion and subsequent important events did not settle that question. Another question has, ever since our Constitu ton was framed, been much discussed at diff ferent times and yet remains unsettled. This is the Third Term question, which is just now vexing many men of many minds, and which is, perhaps, to be settled before the end of the present year.
 In the discussion of this question good point to start from is the beginning In the Convention which met at Philadelphia in 17S7 to make Constitution for the United States ing the duration of the Presidents term, the manner of his election, and whether or not he should be eligible for reelection. Some wanted him elected by the national Legis- lature for the term of seven years, and to be ineligible thereafter. Others thought he should be ineligible until 8 certain time after the expiration of his term, and still others that he should be appointed during good behavior. The latter proposition did not meet with much favor, as it was plain that If adopted the result would be an elective monarchy. The plan providing for the elec- ton of the President by the national Legisla : ture for the term of seven years, he to be in eligible thereafter, had many supporters, majority of the Convention at first, but such effective opposition was made by those who believed that the President should be elected by the people that the plan substantially as it now stands was finally adopted. This plan places no restriction as to reelection upon the people, it being assumed that they will look out for their own interests in the matter. Thus far they have not shown any disposition to set up an elective monarchy or to re-elect unsatisfactory Presidents.
 There is no written law against third term, but it is claimed that there is an un- written law against it. Washington retired at the end of his second term. Jefferson fol- lowed his example and wrote: eff some termination to the services of the Chief Mag istrate be not fixed by the Constitution, or supplied by practice, his office, nominally for years, will in fact become for life :; and history shows how easily that degenerates into an in heritance. Believing that a representative government responsible at short periods of election is that which produces the greatest sum of happiness to mankind, I feel it 8 duty to do no act which shall essentially impair that principle; and I should unwillingly be the person who, disregarding the sound pre- cedent set by an illustrious predecessor, should furnish the first example of prolonga- tion beyond the second term of of6ce." Madison, Monroe and Jackson also retired at the end of their second term. In the cases of some of these it may fairly be doubt ed whether desire to help make the unwrit- ten law so much talked about was the main reason for their action. However this may be, the fact that five of the fourteen Presidents before General Grant were elected twice and all retired after their second term is made to prove, in some minds, that no President has any right to be elected for third term, even though that third term should come after an interval of private life. Another part of the
  passed by the House of Representatives De- cember 18th, 1875. It was as follows: ''Re- solved, That in the opinion of this House the precedent established by Washington and other Presidents of the United States, in re- tiring from the Presidential office after their second term, has become, by universal con- sent, part of our republican system of gov erRment, and that any departure from this time-honored custom would be unwise, unpa- triotic, and fraught with peril to our free in stitutions." This resolution was carried im- mediately and almost unanimously, being op- posed by the votes of only eighteen members out of two hundred and ifty-one. The rest of the unwritten law is in the minds of portion of the people.
 We have tried. in the above, to set briefly and fairly before our readers the facts in the case. How much force stthe unwritten law has or ought to have is matter upon which there is wide and honest difference of opinion. It seems to us, however, that the question of third Presidential term for good man de- pends not so much upon precedents as upon whether the people can still be trusted to govern themselves If they can there is no danger from a third term. If they cannot there is as much danger that they will lose their liberties during four years as eight or twelve. Those who fear third term do not seem to have a very firm confidence in s'our institutions' or in the people. Their feeling is well expressed by Judge Black in the current number of the North American Review He says: ''Where the Chief Mag E. ,-sxI liable to gross abuse, if there is no law or practice which forbids him to be re- elected, he can remain in office for life as easily as for term. He has the appointment of all off cers, the making of all public contracts, and a veto upon all legislation, besides the command of the army and navy. By an interruptions use of these means he can coeree not only his horde of immediate dependents, but he can control the corporations and become the mas ter of all the rings, put the business of all classes under his feet, corrupt the venal, frighten the timid, and check all ambitions but his own. He can force the elections of every State he desires to carry by the bayo- nets of his army. If that fails, he can order false return, and pay for it out of the public Treasury. The people would soon perceive opposition to be useless and accept the situa- tion; elections would be as mere a matter of form as they were in Rome when such con- suls as Nero and Domitian were elected regu Iarly every year under the supervision of the pretorian guards"
 The questions naturally arise whether any man who attains the high honor of being elected President of the United States is like ly to make an attempt to found kingdom or 8 despotism here !; whether he could, in the face of the powerful and watchful party that did not elect him make much progress in usurping power, and whether if he could the people of all parties would stand it.
 EDITORIAL NOTES.
 The Sherman boom seems to start hard.