Year: 1875

WASHINGTON, Dec Is, 1875.
To EDITOR HERALD


notice in your or to-day that you consider
wise amendment to the constitution proposed by ma
in the House Of Representatives yesterday. Hoping
that your opinion hastily made, under misappre-
henson caused by vague title herewith furnish
you the full text OF my proposition and ask of you
careful consideration OF its points,


Mr. Harrison introduced JOINT resolution (H. r No..
o. for amendment to the constitution, fixing one
term for President OF the United States and making
HIM ineligible for future elections but making him
Senator for life for the United States at large
the expiration OF his office as President; which
was read hrst and second time. referred
TO the Committee on the judiciary and ordered
to be printed Mr. Harrison subsequently, said:-I ask
unanimous consent TO have printed ull in the Record
the joint resolution introduced proposing amend
ment of tho of the United States have
been told that II will Kill me POLITICALLY and am salts
fed IL IL s understood 1t will not have that effect


No objection made, and it was SO ordered The
joint resolution IS as follows:-


Resolved by Senate House Of on
the be S each be to
the legislatures of The several states MS an amendment to-
The constitution Of es United states which when ratified
Of the constitution, namely


@ nm s a. M h9 h @ Sn ,Sn - ,en, s si
years and together with tha Vice President chosen the
same term be elected IN the manner as now provided may
Presdent when the eiee Of President is devoyed upon
be from and after the expiration OF his ONCE as President
unless the same be by impeachment Senator for life for
the privileges other senator's that he shall
the Senate the iulmunes and compensation; but
his attendance upon the sessions shall be compulsory
attendance


Permit mo to offer you brief OF my own views on
the subject pass the first branch of the pro-
posed amendment it has been fully discussed during
the past year. and proceed TO the later aud novel
features OF the proposition. =,
The presumption violent that our future Presi-
dents will be eyperlonce and Of moro than nr.
dnary wisdom Six years in the administration OF the
nations affairs WILL at any rate make good the pre-
sumption. Shall that experience and wisdom be ost2
Jefferson at Monticello, and Jackson at the Hermitage
were often consulted to their views on Important
questions Of the day. Their opinions reached the
country through channels more or less partisan and
prejudiced and were generally colored.


Ny proposition would bring the ex President face to
face with the people AS Senator for the United
States large be would be the Senae's advisor It's
Nestor, with personal ambitions to be promoted
His life tenure would hft HIM out of the plane OF
partisanshp. There would be ambitious alurcments
tempt him to vacate his high level II has been
shrewdly SAID that the efficiency OF our Senator'S IL
marred by the fact that each Presidential candi-
date.


What to do with our ex.Presidents has long been
debatable problem To their experience has been
deemed hurtfuL TO them scramblng for election
to subordinate positions has ever been considered a
species of indecency. To see President
parsimoniousy saving from his salary has
been acknowledged a derogaton from his
high dignity TO see him laboring for his
bread AFTER his retirement from honest term has
been an American shame. My amendment would give
him assured future while occupying tho Presidential
chair and honorable, but not forced position when
his chair vacated. jefferson struggling to his
loved Monticello from the morgagers clutch may have
been republican, but it ungrateful republican,
ism. II was worthy OF iron-hearted, savage Sparta
but nlbeftting enlightened Christian America 1
would give the Senator largo tho privileges or n
Senator, but would forbid him to vote; for that
power might disturb the autonomy OF the States He
should advise but rule or II ruling, he would do
by his wisdom. He would 60 into the Senate
chamber whenever his country needed his counses,
but the Senate should not command his presence.
He would obey only his sense OF duty or hG
countrys call He may sit in the Senate aud speak
but shall not occupy its ehsr Presidents pro tempore
for that position might mako him accidental Pros
dent Iwoud have him receive the pay OF Senator
and thus keep his old age from knowing want; but tho
rules or the necessary probably 10 force at
tendance OF members should not abridgo his CONT
pensation when ne chooses not to be present He
should live upon the bounty OF tho people, but not ba
Its pampercd pensoncr Ny proposition would mob
much enlarge the senate Tor to-day tnere Nes uos
single ex.Presidcnt and think there never has been
three Of them living at any time and none Of them
survived his Presidential term for any long period
Their salaries as Senators Large would never be
burthensome upon tho people But that question "a
not worthy Of serious consideration.


Thus sir | would solve the problem of 'What Is 10
be done with our cx Presidents. ~ and think
the solution unrcpuUhcan. Respectfully,


CHARLIE H. HARRISON,


MoiAyeF ol Congress from Illinois