The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1895-11-29
mr.. IT. c. Renedicf,s Superauous As


IT was not necessary for Mr.. E. Z.
BENEDICT to speak in order to explode
the third term humbug; nor do we
think Mr.. Benedict puts the total I'M
~obabiiit of the case on the right
round It is. no doubt, true that Mr.
rleve,and.s health is impaired and his
ease destroyed by the burden OF oihce'
ii is no doubt true tina he is eager to
RETURN to private life, where he may
enjoy ease and peace. No man mas
ever suffered more bitterly from mis-
understanding and malice. and he should
be more or less than human if he DID
not long, for the shelter which a re-
treat into private life may afford him
from the assaults of his enemies.
But. if these personal considerations
were the only ones, we do not think MT
Cleveland would shrink from the ordeal
of another campaign and another term
as President. The personal impulse to
get away from the fever of politics must
have been as great in 1885 n 1892 as It
is now. But h the call of duty was IN
the direction of the White House, and
Mr.. Cleveland unfinchingly responded.
1t is because the call of duty is in the
other direction now. that We are con-
WINGED Mr.. Cleveland has never even for
a moment dreamed of being a Presiden-
tial candidate again.
1t is impossible for any President OF
patriotic spirit to depart from the law
established by George Washington that
none should fill the office of President
for more than two terms. We will not
say that no conceivable circumstances
can arise which would justify such a de-
parture. The embarrassment OF war
or desperate internal danger might make
it at some time desirable that one mar
should hold the ~headship OF the govern
and safety were restored. But there
cannot be the slightest pretence that
such a crisis exists now or is likely tic
exist in the next few years, and it is
absurd to say that the Democratic
party is lacking in men who are fully
capable of ruling as President in such
manner that the Republic shall suffer
no evil.
The election for more han W
terms of any President, however
pure and patriotic, however moderate
and ,unselfsh, however wise and eau
tious, must be a blow at the fabric of
our government. It is not that we be-
lieye Grover Cleveland would use a
third term to trike any blow at popu-
lar suffrage or to consolidate his ruler
ship into a perpetuity. He would be as
safe a man as could be found for the re-
ception of this most dire and danger
Gus honor. But his election would re-
verse the tradition and overthrow the
precedent of years. He might surrender
the Office back to the people in the full
ness of time. but sooner or later there
would come after him some Grant, some
Garfield, some Blaine, backed by some
movement, Ike tnat Oh 1851, IO sorons
government, and this would be the be-
ginning Of the end.
Grover Cleveland is the last man living
who would have it on his conscience that
he had opened the door for the fatal
evil. His career has been one of pure
devotion to principle since he first
emerged into public observation in 1882.
We believe that in presence of a situa-
ton like the present, principle is the
only thing capable of influencing him,
and we believe he is far too sure and clear
a thinker to make any mistake as to the
road which honor and patriotism make
out for him.