Thomas Jefferson - His permanent influence on American institutions by John Sharp Williams

Author:John Sharp Williams [Williams, John Sharp]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Politikwissenschaft
Publisher: Jazzybee Verlag
Published: 2017-04-26T00:00:00+00:00

Jefferson also at first wanted an amendment to prevent the Executive from being indefinitely self-successive. I think few of us in this year of our Lord's grace will challenge his position in this regard. He at first wanted one term of seven years. Then later he writes: " Indeed, since the thing is established, I would wish it not to be altered during the life of our great leader [that is, Washington], whose executive talents are superior to those, I believe, of any man in the world, and who, alone, by the authority of his name and the confidence reposed in his perfect integrity, is fully qualified to put the new government so under way, as to secure it against the efforts of opposition. But, having derived from our error all the good there is in it, I hope we shall correct it, the moment we can no longer have the same name at the helm." The italics here, as always in these lectures, are mine and indicate what I believe to be the truth; that not only in Mr. Jefferson's mind, but in the minds of many others, the indefinite re-eligibility of the President owed its place in our Constitution to the certainty that the first President would be George Washington, and that no term ought to be fixed for him, until he had taught the Government "how to march." In his older age, after retirement, Jefferson congratulated himself upon the fact that Washington's example in refusing a third term, and his own imitation of this example and the reasons which he gave for it, would constitute a sort of unwritten law. This it has thus far been throughout all of our history, no President ever having sought reelection beyond the second term, except Grant, who was rebuked by his own party, and Roosevelt, who was rebuked by both parties.

As usual, however, Jefferson's own language best expresses his position and motives. In a letter to John Taylor of Carolina, he says: —

"My opinion originally was that the President of the United States should have been elected for seven years, and forever ineligible afterwards. I have since become sensible that seven years is too long to be irremovable, and that there should be a peaceable way of withdrawing a man in midway who is doing wrong. The service for eight years, with a power to remove at the end of the first four, comes nearer to my principle as corrected by experience; and it is in adherence to that, that I determine to withdraw at the end of my second term. The danger is that the indulgence and attachments of the people will keep a man in the chair after he becomes a dotard, and that re-election through life shall become habitual, and election for life follow that. General Washington set the example of voluntary retirement after eight years. I shall follow it. And a few more precedents will oppose the obstacle of habit to anyone who after awhile shall endeavor to extend his term.

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