Evening star., 1937-10-27
WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

Apropos Roosevelt thirdterm talk,
this observer has had advance access to
a historic document presently to be
loaned to the Library of Congress by
its owner. Mrs Virginia White Speel,
veteran Republican national committee
woman for the District of Columbia.
1t is a six-paged handwritten letter from
President Ulysses S. Grant to General
Harry White, Mrs. Speel's late father, in
his capacity as president of the Penn
sylvania Republican State Convention.
Dated May 90. 1875, it is written on old
fashioned, full-size Executive Mansion
stationery and denies Grants ambition
for another lease of presidential Office.
The letter is in a state of remarkable
preservation, despite its vintage Of more
than 81 years
Grant wrote: "A short time subse-
uuent to the presidential election OF
1872 the press-a portion OF it-hostlle
to the Republican party, and particularly
so to the administration, started the cry
of CaesariSm and the third term, call
ing Justify for me to define my position
on the latter subject. 1 believed 1t 10
be beneath the dignity of the office which
I have been twice called upon to I'LL 10
answer such a question before the SUD-
iect should be presented by competent
authority to make a nomination, or Dy
body of such dignity and authority as
not to make reply fair subject OF
ridicule. In fact. I have been surprised
that so many sensible persons in the
Republican party should permit their
enemy to force upon them and the party
an issue which cannot add strength
to the party. no matter how met. But
a body of the dignity and party au-.
thority of convention to make nonina-
tions for the State officers of the second
State in the Union having considered
this question, I deem it not improper
I that I should now speak.
an the first place, I never sought
the office for a second, nor even for a
first. nomination. To the first I was
called from life position, one created
bv Congress expressly for me for sup
posed services rendered to the Republic.
The position vacated I liked. 1t would
have been most agreeable to me to have
retained it until such time as Congress
might have consented to my retirement,
with the rank, and portion of the
emolumentS-which I so much needed
to home where the balance of my days
might be spent in peace and the enjoy
ment of domestic quiet, relieved from
the cares which have oppressed me so
constantly now for fourteen years. But
was made to believe that the public
good called me to make the sacrifice.
Without seeking the Office for the Sec
ond term the nomination was rendered
to me by a unanimous vote of the dele
gates of all the States and Territories
selected by Republicans of each to rep
resent their whole numbers, for the pur-
pose of making this nomination.
cannot say that I was not pleased at
this. and at the overwhelming indorse-
ment which their action received at the
election following.
,"% Now for the third term I do
not want it any more than I did the first.
I would not write or utter a word to
change the will of the people in express
ing. and having, their choice. The
question of the number of terms al
lowed to any one Executive can only
come I'D fairly in the shape of propo-
sition to amend the Constitutions
shape in which all political parties can
participate-fxing the length of time,
or the number of terms, for which any
one person shall be eligible for the office
of President. Until such an amendment
is adopted, the people cannot be re-
stricted in their choice by resolutions
further than they are now restricted
as to age, nativity, etc. 1t may happen
in the future history of the country that
TO change m Executive because he has