Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-02-07
Washington's Example.


to the pressure that was brought to bear
upon him to accept reelection after his
first term. But at the end Of his second
term, and with the certainty Of third
unanimous election before him, he re-
which has ever since been regarded as
the Rubicon over which no President
might cross.
1.-THE powers of the presidency, great in
Washington's time, are very much great
er today. The development of the coun-
try has resulted in giving. an Importance
to some of the national powers which
they did not possess in Washington's day.
We have increased in population thirty
fold and In wealth probably a hundred
q Capitalization of power In the hands
Of one man such as was never before
witnessed. And yet, even with the power
which the President had in the admins
that great patriot to be in the interest
OF the preservation of liberty that a
precedent should be created upon the
presidential tenure. The House Of Rep
resentatives. in reply to Washington's adj
dress, made this striking declaration:
For our country's sake. for the sake Of
republican liberty, it is our earnest wish
that your example may be the guide Of
your successors; and thus, after being
the ornament and safeguard Of the pres
~SSS>>~S
scendants.'
''Mr. Jefferson followed the example Of
Washington. Many times he put upon
record his approval Of the Limitation.
Universal Acquiescence.
"Jefferson's example following that
Of Washington removed the question Of
the third term from the politics of that
time. There was q universal acQuies-
cence in the practice established by
those two illustrious men. Madison
and Monroe each served two terms, and
so effective were the examples Of Wash
ington and Jefferson that a third term
does not appear even to have been dis
cussed, although Monroe was elected to
Ans Andse% JACKSON did nos Selisv eot n
even one reelection and much less
could he have believed In two.
During Grants second term there
was an agitation to secure his election
for third time.
after moro than year OF discussion
the question was brought up in Con-
gress, and December 15. 1875, the House
Of Representatives by . vote of 233 to
IS passed the following resolution:
House the precedent established by
washington and other Presidents OF
the United States. in retiring from the
presidential once after their second
term, has become. by universal consent,
ernment, and that any departure from
this time honored custom would be I'M
wise, unpatriotic. and fraught with
peril to our free institutions
'sWhether or not the decisive vote for
this resolution put an end to the con-
troyersy, Grant was not pressed as a
candidate before the succeeding repubh-
can convention. Four years afterward,
however, he was put forward with very
powerful support, and after one of the
most remarkable political struggles in
our history he was defeated in the con-
vention Of his party"
Quotes President Roosevelt.
After quoting President Mckinley on
his opposition to third term, Mr.. Mccall
proceeded:
1.-THE first utterance to the country
made by President Roosevelt after the
presidential election Of 1904 was q decla-
ration against O third term. When we
consider it's thoroughly explicit character
and the circumstances under which it
was made, II will compare in point of
patriotism Or IN any other high quality
had received the greatest popular major
itv ever given q candidate for the presi-
dency, and he was to receive in the cleo
torai college larger majority than had
ever been given IN any contested election
with q single exception 1t was the first
election as President that he had ever
received. A question might have been
raised as to whether the presidents lit
orally applied. But he disregarded the
technicality; he sent the second elective
term bubble glimmering and made the
following explicit declaration OF his inten-
ION the 4th Of March next shall
hayS served three and q half years, and
these three and q half years COustituto