The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1883-01-12
THE INELIGIBILITY QUESTION.

the Office OF govern r, or lieuten ant. COVER
nor, who shall not have attained the age of
thirty years and been for five years next
preceding his election citiz"u of the
United States and Of this state. Neither the
governor lieutenant.governor, auditor of
public accounts, secretary Of state, superin.
Iendent OF public instruction nor attorney.
general shall be eligible to any other Office
during the period for which he shall have
been elected"
Ia the face Of this emphatic declaration
Of the constitution OF the state of Illinois,
there are two of the inhibited officers of
the state aspiring to another Office, 10 the
gift Of the people OF the state, during the
period for which they were elected. One
of these gentlemen no less person than
the chief executive has, or claims to have,
plurality Of the members of his party in
the Legislature pledged 10 vote for him in
the Republican caucus. In view of the
declaration rof the constitution that he aud
other state officers, shall not he eligible to
any other Office, and Of the fact that mem
bers of the Legislature seemingly disregard
the requirements Of the fundamental law, it
is 60 wonder that many OF Governor CuI-
Ions strongest personal and political
friends are entering their protests sgainst
his being candidate for United States
Senator. The Register published yesterday
an article from the Litchfeld Monitor aud
to-day We publish one from the Jackson
vile Jourual-both strong Republican
papers--in opposition to the governors as
pirstions. These are straws showing bow
the popular pulse beats.
The Register is Democratic paper, and
it is just as friendly to Gov. Cullom per-
sonally as to any other gentleman on the
Republican side who sspires TO tho Office
Of United States senator. Being citizen
of Springfield. interested as we are 10 the
prosperity Of our city, We feel thst were II
not for the constitutional inhibition, we
would prefer him to any Of his leading
opponents. But as Democratic paper, the
Register is a strict coustructionist Of con-
stitutionsl law, and stickler for its obser.
vance; and it, therefore, urges that when
the constitution says the governor shall not
DO eligible TO auy other office during his
term, It means what il says aud should BE
obeyed. Can any other meaning be at.
tached to the section above quotedi II il
does not make the governor ineligible to
the Office of senator from the state Of Hi
nois, TO what Office does It make him neli.
gible1 No other construction than that it
makes him ineligible to any other Office
than the one be fills, can be given the
words Of TIE constitution, They are as
binding upon the members Of tbs legisla.
ture as any other portion OF the constitution.
Any one who has sworn to support the
constitution cannot disregard tho require
ments Of this section without committing
perjury.
If the intention Of the iuhibitory sec.
ton is taken II makes tn case of incligi.
bllity still stronger against the governor.
1t was put into the constitution to prevent
the abuse Of public patronage. 1t was
put there TO prevent the governor and
other state officers from using the patron.
age Of their officers for personal sggrsn-
disement. Such being the intention Of
the constitution, no one can rec lnCile his
support of Gov, Cullom with devotion to
the spirit Of tho law even, to cay nothing
of its letter.
That such provision is needed cannot
be questioned If there was any doubt
about it IN the mind Of any one 1t would
be removed could lie sec the horde of
state officials who, for the past week, have
thronged this city in the iuteres, Of Gov.
Cullom's candidacy.
The letter Of the law, the spirit Of the
law, and the need of the law, all com.
bine to emphasize the point made against
the candidacy Of the governor for the Of.
fee OF senator.
The Register has been speaking TO Re.
pubicans in what It has thus far said; for
they are the ones who will be called upon
finally to defend the constitution against
this contemplated assault upon its integ-
rlty.
But while the Democrats are spectators
of the present. contest they are not disin.
erested ones. they should exert what
influence they possess to maintain the su.
thority Of the fundamental law Of the state.
In doing this they arc not taking sides be.
tween candidates. Principally, nor men,
should BIO the incentives that govern their
actions The Register, therefore, approves
of the preamble and resolution introduced