The precedent that no President of the United States should serve more than two terms is one set by the country's Srst executive, George Washington. Upon the completion of his second term he declined renomination chiefly on the ground that limiting the holding of the office to two terms would prevent undue growth of power in the executive which might come with extended length of service and prevent as well charges and suspicions of undue growth. The position thus taken was never assailed until the time of Grant. The chief military ido! of the Civil War, he was the object of the country's unlimited affection, held constant if spite of the mediocre administration of the government during his two terms. Yet, when his name was presented to the nominating committee for a third term he was unable to secure the necessary votes. Thus the precedent was emphasised and no one has since thought seriously of questioning it.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.