6882. PRESIDENT, Reelection.—[continued].
There is a strong feature
in the new Constitution which I strongly dislike.
That is the perpetual reeligibility of
the President. Of this I expect no amendment
at present because I do not see that
anybody has objected to it on your side of
the water. But it will be productive of cruel
distress to our country, even in your day and
mine. The importance to France and England,
to have our government in the hands
of a friend or a foe, will occasion their interference
by money, and even by arms.
Our President will be of much more consequence
to them than a King of Poland. We
must take care, however, that neither this,
nor any other objection to the new form produces
a schism in our Union.—
To A. Donald. Washington ed. ii, 355.
(P.
1788)
