The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-05-07
BACK IN 1875
CHAPTER OF THIRD-TERM HISTORY
RECALLED.
inent Of Congress--Supported BY
Some Of President Granes
Hest Friends.

Washington Special to Louisville cour-
ier-Journal.
Apropos to the activity OIL the hSoses
old time Republican politicians are re-
calling a chapter of political history
bearing upon a third-term movement
makes Interesting reading In connec-
ton with present-day politics ana sofae
significant parallels are drawn.
December Is. 1875. during the hrst
Mr.. Springer of Illinois, arose in his
place in the House and offered the toi-
lowing resolution; n
RESOLVED, That in the opinion OF THIS
House the precedent established by
Washington and other Presidents of
the United States in retiring from the
Presidential one after their second
term has become by universal concur
TEN of government and that any de-
parture frsm this time honored custom
would be unwise. unpatriotic and
fraught with peril to our free mstitu-
lions"
Resolution Adopted.
Without debate the question was put
and the resolution was adopted by
vote of 233 to Is; not voting, ~. inc
names of those voting and not votlhg
were spread on the record.
The situation which brought about
this remarkable voicing OF pubic sent
iment against a third term was TINS:
end of his second term. and the time
was drawing nigh for the Republicans
to get ready for their national CON
vention. At this juncture there was a
great clamor for Grant for third
term, the ofice-holding class leading
the shouting, then as now.
President Grant himself had no idea
that he would run again, but he was
a man of few words. and said nothlng
about 1t publicly. But the ofhce-hold-
ers were whooptng 1t up and from the
noise they made 1t appeared as IL there
must be great demand in the country
The House at that time was Demo
cratic, Mr.. Kerr of Indiana being
Speaker, and Mr.. Blaine OF Maine, the
leader of the minority. Mr.. Springer,
among the Democrats. and oeiieved
that he was expressing the sentiment
of the State in opposing the third
term idea.
Supported by Grants Friends.
1t is significant to note that MI.
Springer's resolution was supported by
some of President Grants best friends
in the Illinois delegation. Horatto G.
Burchard, representing Grants district.
voted aye, as did Thomas J. Hender-
son., General Fort and other great IL
| linois men. In the vote at large Gar
| field. Hale and Frye of Maine; Hoar
among the prominent men who voted
aye. Blaine and Cannon did not vote.
| but the record does not show whether
they were in the House or not.
Analysis of the eighteen votes cast
| In opposition to the resolution, and,
| therefore, in favor of the third term
| is very significant. Ten of the num-
! Der were Southern Republicans, some
Of them "capet- baggers," holders or
Federal Offices in the South at some
time.
They include such men as G. Wiley
Wells of Mississippi. a New Yorker.
| 1uhO settled
| South and held the office of United
! States District Attorney in Mississippi.
His biography in the directory of that
| to the Forty-fourth Congress as IAN
| Administration Republican against A
r. Howe, an Ames Republican,; There
was also Hoge. of South Carolina, who
| came from Ohio and had been Associ-
ate Justice and afterward Controller Of
the State of South Carolina under re-
construction.
There was Wallace OF south Caro-
lima, who had been Internal Revenue
Collector. The eighteen men who vot-
ed for the third term were as fol-
lows: Bradley mich. }. Denison eva =
HaraslGn , s9lGred t4 HSsn HogeN g.
| Lynch. colored (Nfiss.), Mcpougal IN.
W, Nash (La.), Page zeal. }. Plias-
ted (Me.), Pratt Ga }; Smalls, col
| ored rs. c., Wallace Is. CD. Walls
lila J. Wells Miss white (I<y.) }.
and Whitney (Ill.)
| Southern Republicans.
| That array of Southern Republicans
| tells the story of much of the origin
| OF the clamor for the third term. and
| Il is significant to note that great
deal. of the shouting for the third term
today comes from the administration
patronage dispensers in the Southern
| States.
| Everybody knows what followed. The
| National Convention was held at Gin
| cincinnati; Ipgersol made his "Plumed
| Knight" speech proposing Blaine, and
Hayes captured the nomination. Grant
went around the world. four years later
| came up again with the plea that the
interim which had elapsed prevented
the charge of a third term candidacy
| but even then there was such a strong
sentiment against anything that saw
| ored of a third term that The Chicago
Tribune threw its great strength
| against Grant
| Conkling made his eloquent speech
I at Chicago nominating Grant and the
| mortal 1905" went down to defeat,
| while Garfield carried off the prize.
| Mas Wav To FvanOrafe NFuk