The Campaign Opened--the Case As It Stands

Thö canvuss fot tlio Prcsidciioy öf 18Ï2 Bocms to bc fillly opeoed. Six u:.ks ago, cverylhing in relation to it m was in a dim nebulous oondition, and tho linea of one vast iiguro kopt orawling through tho sluggish niist, as if none other ooiüd Büttle on tlio horosoope. Tho dull lineainimts of tho Man wilh tho Cigar griuily domineered tho circles, uud apon uil sides it was despairingly concodod, that General Grant would continuo to remain mastor of tho country. This, howevor, was not the judgment of tho most observiug ; and sinoe tho dato vo mention, tho hoxosoope hos becomo more troublod and involvcd, and tho faco of Oeegar is uot so olear within tho conjura tioii. The now firo which so suddonly broko forth in this city in September, had servcd the groat purpose not ouly of uwakening tho people to a sense of their own power, but of iuspiring them with a sentiment of patriotic duty, which was to sweep the fuud. These cpide.,iies of the mind never buru theinselves out within a narro w circle, they follow the furzo of politiral corruption wherever it muy load : and thus tho fall of Tweed in New Vork not only set tho train of reform running in a variety of directions but ereated a vent which lot forth the flamea direoüy under tlie no&o of General Grant in Washington. The resolution of Mr. Triuubull for a committee of invostigation against the corruptions of the national administration was tho point at which the iire took ; and the blind sycophancy of Cawar's satellites to prevent its spread served instantly to bring into eombination tho elemente whieh, till that moment, had been hositating against coalition. In dogrec as the courtiers fought to screen thoir niaster, the honcst Senators gruw in strongth of i)urposo, and aftel a sharp battlo (during whick they suooessfully exposed the incautious servility of their oppononts) they drove them into an ignoiniuious surrender. The honcst press of the country, oven that of the previmisly Qtaxtt-Bepublioans (ex:ept in a ferw lamentable iustaiices) ;;ime promptly u the roscue of reform, and denounued tho shameful vassnlagc whieh had boen exbibited' on the Hoor of tho Senate, to the fortunes of a speculalor and a despot. Theib carne, and carne too late, tho whining- offer of the utmost terms ; and supplumeuting that, followed, but with a suddenness whieh was to tho last degreo suspicious, a message froiu tho President himaelf. Thia was sent forward under tlio DMU0AS oL oivil service reform, but eveïy oive know it to bc a mero devïce, and it failed to referiere tho fortunes of the field. Iu this first skirmish, thoreibre, tho Grant forcus, under thj leadership of Conkling and Morton, were not only severely beateu and humiliated, but served, by their clumsy method of retreat, to yield fixed Unes and a distinguished lead to a Itopublican opposition through the country. Thus stood tho field on Tuosday last, when, surveying it caluily, and finding the details of the fight well oponed, Mr. Sumner carne forward and lauuchod the grand toxt of tho oampaign, in giving notico that at an early day he would oifer a joint resolution, providing that " no ijerson who has once tilled tho office of President of tho Unitod States hall hold the same again ! " It is upon this theme, so doar to the peoplo of the peoplo of tho United States for niany year3, so sacred by the indorsements of Jefforson, Clay, Jackson, and other sages of the republic, so neoossary now under tho fearful increase of Presidential power, will tho next campaign bo fought. That will be tho inspiiing impulso over which the ground-swell of popular sentiment will hoave, while tho actu;.l demolition of tho personal position of our speculating President, will be effected by the keen blades of tho reform Ilepublicans, wlio alieady stand victors over tho cowering leaders of tho administration. And this plan of the eampaign will as cert&inly succeed as truth and justice are certain to succeod when chaiHiioned by the people against fraud and error. In tho first place, the adoption of the oueterm principie is tho neeessary initiative in any plan" of civil service reform, for that reform cannot begin uutil tho corrupüng motive of tho President, to put all sorts of men in offico who will serve his re-oloction, is disposed of by tho roots. In the next place, the peoplo are not only in favor of civil service reform, but universally in favor of the one-term principio, and opportunities will soon bo afforded to them to express this preference, which will practically render General Graiit .ineligible. Tho Democratie party will, as we havo reason to believe, adopt this principie en BMMM It was tho favorite doctrino of Jackson, as it was of Jefferson ; and even the most stubborn of its leaders are willing to admit that they can stand with advantage a little moro of Jackson and Jefferson in their modern platform. One term wus also the favorite principie of Henry Clay, and it was like■wise the sole campaign text upon which General Harrison was elected. Thus we find it indorsed by the historie approbation of both iarties, while therc can be no better proof of its imiversal and unremitting populaiity with the reoj)le, than that alinost every Presidential candidato has contributed his recognition of that fact, by pledging hiniself, in advauce of his eloction, not to be a candidato a fiecond time. Tliis pledge was given by Ulysses S. Grant; and it now remains to be seen wketber the people are willing to forego their hereditary wish in order to give hirri andhisfamily another lease of powtr. There is one Qtlier element whieh we must not overlook in counting up tho force of the one-term principie as applied to the miserly and speculating man who now oceupios the chair of state, and that is the labor element, which after years of comparative lethargy is now working to the front witli all the sounds and syinptoms of an earthqaake. These workingnien do not believe in kings. They are of the opinión that ourpolitical structure was fashioned in servila imitation of monarchy when wo broke loose from Gn;at Britain, and that it an abuse of the first idea ot' republioanigm to put a singlo man at the head of the State. They regard that man ;is a king, cali hira whatwemay; and thoy aro right. With with us he is more than a king ; for, as such we see supple Senators bow down before him, and behold him gain votes and change majoriiies, even in pursoance of bis personal hatos ind plettSTUces, by the donation of COUimiseiona or offoreign posts. More than a king, forke hasmore power ; and worse Ihan a king, beeause unless he be cheeked by the one-tnrm principie, the natural laotive ot' n king to be upright and leave a good name wilh his people, is overbornê by the Presidontil craTiug to be re-eleeted, r.t tho expense of every sacrifico of conscience and of hoiiuc. TIn-si' am the opiniona oi' the labor men wh are now ioming to the front; who. believe, . woreovev, do the Inleriiatiomils, that the trae depsxiitory of tlio executive power of a repnbüe is a coinmitteo of persons liko those ut the head of the Swiss ('onfedoration, which has been a model of quiet, frugal, and sagacious govirnment ever since it was stablished. And so think wc. Wo have thus groupcd hastily together tho forees whieh wo think will ero long expresa themselves in unisón against the renomi ■ nation of (■ïKidl Orant for next Presid(nt of tho United States] beeause we think that one of tho ti, ( pieoea of serTico we eau just now render to the country is to show to those patrióte who hang upon the fence that they oasnot ntake a safe niarket by eUnging to the C&B8ol'ing fortunes of General (irarrt.