Year: 1871

amending the Constitution 30 as to con
fine the President to one term. BE
said that while he hailed Grants civil
service reform he had missed one i'm.
portant recommendation. the adoption
Of the one term principle. Civil service
reform without this would be the play
of Hamlet with Hamlet LEFT out. There.
fore he proposed on intended to enter
Hamlet into the play. Laugh
As it could not 60 into operation until
the fourth of March, 1878, it could not
act upon the preferences OF Senators fol
any candidate.


The following are the resolutions in
full:


WHEREAS, For many years there has
been an increasing conviction among
the people without distinction of party
that while welding 50 vast power the
President should not be a candidate for
reelection, and this conviction has
found expression in the solemn warnings
of illustrious citizens and in repeated
propositions for an amendment of the
Constitution confniug the President to
one term.


WHEREAS, Andrew jackson was 30
fully impressed by the peril to Republi-
can institutions from the temptations
acting on a President who is welding
the vast patronage Of Office for re-
election, that in his first annual message
he called attention to it, and that in his
second annual message, after setting
forth the design Of the Constitution to
secure the independence of each depart
ment OF the Government, and promote
the healthful and equitable administra-
ton of all the trusts which it has
created, he did not hesitate to say
THE agent most likely to subvert this
design of the Constitution is the Chief
Magistrate" and then proceeds to de,
clare in order particularly that the
appointment may, as far as possible, be
placed beyond the reach of any i'm
proper influences, in order that he may
approach the solemn responsibilities OF
the highest office in the gift of a
free people, untrammeled to any
other course than the strict line OF
constitutional duty, and that the secur-
ity for this independence may be rem.
dered as strong as the nature OF the
power and the weakness Of its posses
sor will admit, l cannot too earnestly
invite your attention to the propriety Of
promoting such amendments to the Con-
stitution as will render him ineligible
after his term of service. Again in
his third annual message the same
President renewed the patriotic appeal.


WHEREAS, William Henry Harrison,
following in the footsteps of Andrew
Jackson, felt it a primary duty in &C.
cepting his nomination as President,
to assert the one term principle in these
explicit words, Among the principles
proper to be adopted by an Executive
sincerely desiring to secure the admins
tration to its original simplicity and
purity, deem the following of import.
ance: First, To confine the services to a
single term" and then in a public
speech during the canvas which ended
in his election, declared "Ifthe privilege
OF being President of the United States
had been limited to one term the in.
cumbent would devote his time 10 the
public interest, and there would be no
cause to misrule the country" and he
concluded by pledging himself before
heaven and earth, if elected President
of the United States to lay down at the
end of the term faithfully that high
trust at the feet of the people.


WHEREAS, Henry Clay, though differ.
ing much from Andrew Jackson, united
with him on the one term principle and
publicly supported it in speech on
June 9th, 1910, when, after asking for
a provision to render person ineligible
to the office of President Of the United
States after q service Of one term, be
explained the necessity of the amend.
ment by saying: Much observation
and deliberative reflection have satisfied
me that too much OF the time, thought
and exertions OF the incumbent are
occupied during the first term IN se-
curing his reelection, the public bust.
ness consequently suffers" and then
again, 10 letter dated September l3,
lS42, while setting forth what he calls
preliminary objects, engaging the COM
mon desire and the common exertlon
of the Wing party, the same statesman
specifies an amendment to the Constr
tuition limiting the incumbent OF the
Presidential office TO single term.


WHEREAS, The Whig party in its
National Convention at Baltimore, May
|. 1874, nominated Henry Clay as
President, with platform wherein a sin
ole term for Presidency is declared to be
among the great principles of the
Whig party, principles inseperable
from the public honor and prosperity
to be maintained and advanced by the
election of these candidates, which
declaration was echoed at an immense
meeting at Washington addressed by
Daniel Webster, when it was resolved
that the Limitation OF the President to
a single term was among the objects
for which the Wing party will incess,
antly strive till their efforts are crowned
with signal and triumphant success.


WHEREAS, In the same spirit and IN
harmony with these authorities. another
statesman at the close::of his long ser
vice in the Seuate, most earnestly ar
sued on an amendment oontinine
the President to one term, and in hlt
speech on that occasion on February
26, 1866, said: THE offering OF thu
resolution is no new impulse OF mine
for | have been an advocate OF th'
principle contained in it for many years
and I have derived the strong imPres
sion which l entertain on the sub,se
from a very careful observation OF tn
workings Of the government during tn
neriod | have been an observer o
them. l believe it has been very rsf'
n