The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1880-03-05
JUDGE BLACK on THE THIRD TERM.
The Argument of n Statesman and n
Patriot.
TFrcm the North American Review.l

From the North American Revfewl
''ResoIUed, That in the opinion of this
House the precedent established by Wash
ington and other presidents of the United
States in retiring from the presidential office
after their second term, has become, by uni
veTSal consent, a part of cur republican sys-
TEN of government, and that any departure
from this time-hOnored custom would be un-
wise, unpatriotic and fraught with peril to
our free institutions" ."
This is resolution passed by the House
of Representatives on the 10Th day of De
cember, 1875. 1t was offered by Mr.. Spring
er, of Illinois, after consultation with lead
irg friends of the principle, and was carried
Immediately and almost unanimously, being
opposed by the votes of only eighteen men,
bers, out of two hundred and fifty-One. 1t
received the support and appreciation of all
parties Men who quarreled bitterly upon
all other political subjects were Of one heart
and one mind when it came to be a question
whether the custom established by Washing
ton and other presidents, of retiring after
their second term, ought to be respected or
could be safely departed from.
And now here to wit, in the pages of this
Rerie,c, comes Mr. Howe, of Wisconsin, and
on the part of Gen. Grant, for whom he APP
pears, denounces the resolution aforesaid,
impugns the doctrine embodied in it, and as
sails the integrity of its supporters in the
most violent manner. l am asked, "Under
which king, Bezonian ?' Do l give In my
concurrence? If not, what grounds of op-
position can presume TO stand on? Beliey-
ing in the resolution of the representatives,
and dissenting from Nh. Howe's article, the
readers of the Rerie,C shall have the why and
wherefore not because my individual opin-
ions are worth rush, but because, on sub
ject so important truth is entitled to every
mans defence because this faith is shared,
in our time, by the most respectable citizens
of all classes, and because it is delivered to
us from past generation strongly stamped
with the appreciation of The best men that
have lived in all the ages.
a president of the United States may .ie-
ga!ly be elected and reelected for An indefi-
mite number Of terms there is nothing in
the constitution to forbid it but the two
term precedent set by Washington, followed
by his successors, consecrated by time, and
approved by all the public men of the coun-
try, ripened into a rule as efficient in its op.
: Grafton as If it had been a part of the organ
ic law. 4 distinguished and very able sena-
tor Of the Grant party, who had carefully
inquired into the state of popular feeling,
told me in 1875 that the sentiment which op-
posed a third term was stronger than a con-
stitutional interdct the people would more
readily assent to q breach of positive law
textualIy inserted into the constitution than
/ TO any disturbance of an unwTitten rule
which they regarded as so sacred.
Certainly it was adhered to by all parties
with fidelity which some Of them did not
show to the constitution itself, down to 1875
when the first attempt was made to contra
vene it by putting up Gen. Grant for third
. election. This was everywhere received by
the rank and file with mutterings Of mutiny
and the most devoted partisans responded
with curses which if not loud were deep
The movement as Mr.. Howe tells us, wa
met by solemn warnings from the newspa
per press, by strong protests from pOlitica
. conventions, and finally by the resolution
quoted at the head Of this article, which wa
a rebukc so overwhelming that the support
ers of the third term candidate fed from hin
in fear, deserted him utterly, and left hin
without a single vote in the nominating con
ventiOn of his own party.
Mr.. Howe has no doubt that this resolutio
was the sole cause of Grants defeat in 1876
He is equally certain that it was all wrong.
However that may be, the present inten
of Mr.. Howe is to rally the routed thir
termers, and restore the courage of the rec
reants by the assurance that the jobs and O
fees are safe, after all.