The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1882-03-03

.IN WhhhtANtt W. Nhft AHhNh - $3.50
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President Arthur ana u Second Term.
II Is surnised by that acute and experi-
enced politician, Col, Mcclure, otthe Phil
adelphia Times, that in taking hold OF
Conkling aud offering him place on the
Supreme bench, and in iavoringth move
ment to place General Grant on tho retired
list Of the Army, that President Arthur is
showing something in the nature Of the
Hfine Italian hand" CT a political strategist
resolutely bent upon second term.
Tint the President should be an aspirnnt
for denomination Is altogether natural.
That he cons the matter over in his mind
quite frequently Is almost certain. Who
that ever sat in the Presidential chair once
has not aspired 10 sit there second time?
President Hayes cut himself of early in
the campaignof 1S7B-by his own volun-
tary declaration-irom aspiring to re-
election, and that is the only case on rec
ord where either nominee for the Presi-
dency or an incumbent Of the Office has
been known to voluntarily iorego renom.
nation. All Popes have, It is said, aspired
to attain to the days Of Peter in the papa
cy, provided they have possible length Of
years before them when chosen as the head
Of the church: and all Presidents in this
country have an ambition to attain TO the
days Of Washington-our political st. Peter
lin the Executive Office. We have even
had tase or two where the desire has
gone beyond the days Of Washington. Had
that desire been realized we should have
witnessed oil Presidents thereafter endeav.
orlng and plotting to attain to the days Of
Grant in the Presidency. All the patron
age Of the Government would have been
used to that end, and some especially am
bilious fellow would have sought to 90 be.
yond the days Of Grant, Just as he sought
togo beyond the days Of Washington.
But coming back to Col. Mcclure, he
thinks he sees that the President is begin.
ming to scheme as politician, and not us
statesman, for second term. lie says
There are some indications that the chiei
aim Of the present administration Is to
shelye all possible candidates for the Pres.
dental nomination two years hence. II
Is pretty Big task even for a man. Of
President Arthur's political cunning to
undertake. To come any where near sue
cess in such an undertaking will require
all the time that the administration can
spare from merely social duties, and the
Presidents proverbial good luck will be
more than marked il he then succeeds.
IL is not enough that Grant shall be put
on the retired list OF the army and that
Conkling shall be shelved on the Supreme
bench. That does not leave clear field
for President Arthurs denomination. He
can never know when Presidential can
didate may turn up. Almost anybody is
willing to be President, and there are u
great many citizens us well qualified us
President Arthur and undeniably some u
great deal better qualified. There are not
places enough in the public service to pro.
vide for all who might be troublesome us
Presidential candidates.
There is better way TO get nomination
TO the Presidency than by putting lot OF
rivals on the shelf That way is to deserve
1t. 1t is not always that the most popular
man in the country receives Presidential
nomination, but there is no danger that a
popular President will be turned out at the
end Of the first term. The precedent is all
the other way. Few Presidents who have
intrigued for second term ever got it
The political history Of the country Of
which Mr.. Arthur is now the Chief Execu-
tive will bea very useful thing for him to
study ut this particular time. II he does
not already know, that will teach him that
the way to get q second term is to earn it
by winning popular approval for his first
term. II he gets the people on his side the
politicians will not be able to defeat his
ambition. President Arthur does not seem
Just at this time to be earning second
term.
While it is well enough for President Ar
thur to know that the eyes Of the country
are upon him in this matter Of wire work
ing and plotting for the succession, and
while it is well enough for his political foes
to be suspicious, or even accusatory in that
direction, yet, as n matter Of fact, outside Of
Conklings nomination for the Supreme
bench there has hardly been an appoint
ment on the part Of the President that did
not do credit on general principles to his
administration. Atleast hisappointments
have not done him discrcdit. Conkling's
appointment is more personal than politi.
cal. The President is understood to owe
Conkling q debt Of gratitude. Conkling
stood by him when he was Collector OF Gus
toms at New York, against Hayes admins
tration, and to please Conkling Arthur was
nominated at Chicago. This relationship
has tendency to make the President feel
sensitive in regard to Conkling. Men will
+ forgive any shortcoming in human nature
rather than ingratitude. All men demand
an exhibition ofgratitude for acts Of friend.
ship in time Of trial Should the President
turn his back on Conkling simply because
he has fallen from power, there would be
agrcat deal Of private and public comment
Off censorious character. Thousands who
would really in their hearts be glad to see
conkling deserted would feel that the Pres
ident was mean spirited deserter. 1t
would BIO the case Of Philip of Macedon
over again, who "loved the treason while he
despised the traitor"
The appointment Of Conkling is there
fore to beCharged up on personal grounds
against the administration, so far us it con.
stitutes charge at all against it. and is not
evidence that the President is scheminv
and plotting for a denomination. Doubt.
less II he had cut himself of, after the
manner Of Hayes, from the possibility Of
succession, he would have done this much
for Conkling Its always a matter Of re.
A 1. l.