The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1881-07-21


i Correspondents have written strongly
i'm favor Of changing our Constitution
80 Is to establish the one term rule in
the executive Office; thus to guard
against abuse, and the Capitalization Of
power in the hands Of single depart
meDt. Il is the same principle that
Andrew jackson supported when he said
that the limitation of the Office of Pres
ident of the United States was required
in order to place the President beyond
the reach of any improper influence and
uncommitted to any other course than
the strict line of constitutional duty :"
and that William Henry Harrison an
bounced, that, with the adoption of this
rule, 1.-THE incumbent would devote ali
his time to the public interest and there
would be no cause to misrule the coun-
try" That Henry Clay, the illustrious
Commoner, was satisfied after much
observation and reflection that too
much of the time, the thoughts and the
exertions of the incumbent are occupied
during his first term in securing his re-
election" 1t was upon the principle
enunciated by these illustrious men,
that at later day, James K Polk, when
nominated for President, announced his
purpose not to be a candidate for a
second term, and at the close of the
FIRST retired from the Office.
DeTocqueville, the learned and OBJ
servant Frenchman, spoke of the peril
of our system Of government, when he
said
Intrigue and corruption are the
vices of the elective system, but when
the head Of the State can be reelected
these evils rise to great height and COM
promise the very existence of the coun-
try. K When the Chief Magistrate
enters the lists of competitors he uses the
strength Of the government for has ou7l pur-
poses If the representative Of the Ex-
ecutive department decends into the
combat the cares Of government dwindle
for him into second rate importance and
the success of his election is his first con-
Germ"
Inevitably the machinery which the
Executive department controls is put
in motion to secure its incumbents re-
election by those who are dependent
upon him for official favors.
1t is to avoid this temptation, that
Democrats are insisting upon the estab-
lishment of the one term principle, or a
return to the simple rule engrafted upon /
our State Constitution which was over
thrown by military usurpation, that the
Governor should not be capable of hold
ing the office more than two terms in
succession.
Judge Black, in discussing the two
term rule which has become a part of
our political system as applied to the
Chief Magistracy of the United States,
employs this strong language
1t is a principle of universal iuris-
prudence, which prevails in every civil
IZed country, that rule of public or
private conduct, spontaneously adopted
and continuously observed, becomes the
law of the subject to which it relates
and is perfectly binding on the conscience
Of magistrate and people, provided it be rea-
sonable and just IN itself, VIGOROUSLY prac-
ticed, OF loJg standing, generally acquiesced
in, uniform ia its operation, uninterrupted
in its course, and not in conflict with any
law of paramount obligation. Such a Gus
tom is, always and everywhere, held to be
specially sacred when it is intended and
Used as restriction upon political power
Ir safeguard to civil liberty. That
he two-teFm rule is coeval with the Govern
nent, consistent viii the Constitution no
orious, uniform, uninterrupted and unop-
iGsed tor nearly century, is matter of
act, uHdenied and undertake. 1t has,
therefore,, all the requisites of a binding ,
aw, unless its oppOE6uts can show it to be
ntrinsically an unreasonable or bad rule.
But | affirm that the custom is salutary,
and good.