St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-07-05
1T WAS GEN. JACKSON
Who Suggested the One.Term
Principle.

VINO 6u2gesteO the One.Term
Principle.
To the Editor of the Globe
Ever since the last national Repub-
lican convention there has been great
deal of criticism of the resolution intro
duced by ex-Gov. Pillsbury, OF this state,
favoring the application of the one-term
principle to the Office of the presidency.
This feeling is not confined to any party
or locality. 1t is the general SentiIne Mt
OF the American people.
Almost every Republican writer or
speaker has of late been claiming this
doctrine as their particular reform"
and many OF them seem to consider MIR.
Pillsbury its originator. / am surprised
that some Democratic writer before this
as 1t is one OF the cardinal principles of
Democratic faith, as old as the party
itself. 1t may not be true that 'sthere
is nothing new under the sum-" but it is
true man can easily obtain a reputa-
ton for wisdom by simply purloining
the eluditiOn of his ancestors.
The One-term principle was first pub
licly advocated by Gen. Jackson. In
three separate messages to congress
during his first term he strongly recon-
mended such an amendment to the con-
stltution. In his first annual message,
Dec. 8, 1929, among other great meas
ures advocated by that prince of Demo-
crat, he says:
I'm connection with such an amendment
1twould seem advisable to limit the service
of the chief magistrate to single term of
either four or six years.
My quotations from his message must
necessarily be brief. The whole text
can easily be seen In any history of his
life. In his next annual message, Dec.
z. 1880, he said:
1T was for this reason that, in connection
with an amendment of the constitution re-
moving all intermediate agency i'll the choice
OF the president l recommended, some re-
strlctions upon the re-clisibility of that
omcer ana upon the tenure of officers gen.
orally. The reason still exists, and l renew
the RECOMMENDATION with an increased con-
fdence tha64ts adoption will strengthen
those checks by which the constitution de-
signed to secure the independence of each de-
partment of government. and promote the
healthful and equitable administration of all
the trusts which II has created. The agent
most likely to contravene this design of the
constitution is the chief magistrate.
l cannot too earnestly invite your at
tent1on to the prOpriety of promoting such
an amendment OF the constitution as will
render him ineligible after one term of
service"
One year later. Dec. 6. 1881, he re-
peats the same recommendation:
$50 important do consider these changes
in our fundamental law that cannot, in ac-
cordance with my sense of duty, omit to
press them upon the consideration of O new
congress-
Dec. %, 1880, joint resolution to
amend the constitution of the United
States was introduced, which read:
mo person shall be hereafter eligible to
the office OF president of the United States
who shall have been previously elected to
the said office, and who shall have accepted
the same or exercised the power thereof
This resolution was introduced by a
Observation-Disclosures of South Carolina.
A similar one was introduced Jan. 81,
1885, by George Il. Gilmer, of Georgia.
This civil service reform. then, is our
thunder, and Republicans have simply
stolen it from us. Cd Hickory, who
believed in the doctrine that ''to the
victors belong the spoils of the van
quished," originated it. This other
doctrine of Gen. Jackson's they have
also adopted, and in enforcing it have
Outheroded Herod.
We hear SO much can't NOWADAYS
about civil service reform being the
sweet offspring of Republicanism that 1
was tempted to write this letter. |
know it is ''ancieut history" but it is
sometimes wise to consider the precepts
OF the fathers. j. N. ROGERS.
st. Paul, July 1.