Year: 1864

ed through the Legislature and at the Capital
of Ohio: 90


The effort now making to forestall the &C.
tior of the Republican National Convention
by procuring the formal nomination Of Mr..
Lincoln in State Legislatures aud other pub
lie bodies, is deeply to be deplored


The more 50, because this movement orig.
mates with the recipients Of Executive favor
and patronage, some of whom hold high sta.
tions in the administration of Mr. Lincoln,
whose object is to perpetuate their own power
aud means of pecuniary advancement with
out any regard whatever to the welfare of the
country While these nominations are made
to appear as though they emanated from the
spontaneous will Of the people, the animus
in reality is TO defeat their will altogether by
| producing such public clamor in behalf Of
Mr. Lincoln, as to prevent the assembling of
the National Convention at ALI or il it should
assemble, 10 force his nomination upon the
country, irrespective of the popular will
| In time of civil war, with all its attendant
calsmities, the attempt to advance the person.
al interest and ambition of any one man, or
number Of men, withoBt regard to the public
good, deserves and should receive universal
condemnation.


To the proper discussion of Mr.. Lincoln's
claim to be made candidate for the next
Presidential term, there eau be no reasonable
objection; butt Ia the people, and not Mr.
Lincoln aud his dependents, who should de.
eide upon his claim
While the great body of the American peo-
pie have everything at stake upon the right
administration of the government, they have
really no personal interest ia its patronage
therefore, they are the only disinterested
party to select the Presidential candidate
without interference from Executive iphuen-
ces.


But now it is too early to commit the peo.
! pie to the fortunes Of any Presidential aspi-
! rant The issues OF war are ever uncertain,
and though we have every reason to hope our
/ gallant armies may have destroyed the rebel


power before the meeting of the Convention,
/ they may not At all events, the people will
be much better prepared to decide this ques-
ton three or four months hence, than they
can possibly be to-day.


I Already has this premature action alien
ated many of the friends of freedom, who be-
lieVe that even with fair nominSiion in a
| full Convention Mr.. Lincoln cannot be re.
elected to the Presidency,


There are many solid reasons in the very
1 philosophy of representative government,
against the election Of President for a Sc
cond term.


The unbounded popularity Of Gen Wash
lngton during his administration, convinced
! the American people that had he been less
than Washington, he might, by the patronage
| of office, have subverted the liberties of the
country by procuring his own election period
| ically for life


J The want Of a constitutional limitation to
the number Of terms to which President
might be eligible was then felt to be a serious
defect


| WAshington participated in this sentiment
and peremptorily refused 10 allow himself to
be elected for a third term; aud his decision
furnished precedent which had all the force
OF a constitutional restriction.
During the domination OF the republican
party, FROM Jefferson TO Monroe, the practice
Of the President nominating himself for the
second term, and then his successor, through
the machinery OF caucus, which virtually
! transferred the power Of election from the
l people to the administration, was becoming a
! precedent which threatened the subyersion Of
republican liberty.


4 Gen. Jackson, in order to maintain the in
dependence of the elective franchise, became
a candidate of the people in opposition 10
this caucus system, and though defeated at


first, was, in 1928, triumphautly elected


against the powerful patronage OF the gov


ornment. From that day no President, until


Mr.. Lincoln, ever attempted to revive that


odious system Of having himself nominated


without consulting the people in National
Convention.


Gen Jackson was made candidate by the
people for a second term against his will,
and elected with unparalleled nnAnimity.


Yet such was the unbouAdsd enthusiasm be


Inspired, that jackson saw, as did every re-


Hecting man, that the danger TO liberty which
occurred under Washington's administration


was repeating itself


I And so utterly opposed was that stern pa


triot 70 the use Of patronage for the purpose
Of procuring reelection TO the Presidency


that he laid down the one term principle as q


fundamental doctrine in our democratic sys'


TEN, and il became q part Of the politiea


creed Of the people; so strong, that no Presl.


dent from that das has been reelected, aad


probably never will be by fair expression o.


the popular will


II fPresidsntIancoln,in in defiance Of the teach


ings Of jackson, In violation Of the grest princi
ples which underlie our democratic institution
, and in the face Of the solemn warnings Of his
, tory, can now so WELD his patronage as Il
secure his election for a second term, who 81
blind as not TO see that four years hence b.
will have less difficulty In securing his elec
! ton for third term For with an army o
more than halfa million Of oitizsa soldier