7674. ROTATION IN OFFICE, Definition of.—
Rotation is the change of officers
required by the laws at certain epochs, and
in a certain order. Thus, in Virginia, our
justices of the peace are made sheriffs, one
after the other, each remaining in office two
years, and then yielding it to his next brother
in order of seniority. This is the just and
classical meaning of the word. But in America,
we have extended it (for want of a
proper word), to all cases of officers who
must be necessarily changed at a fixed epoch,
though the successor be not pointed out in
any particular order, but comes in by free
election. By the term rotation in office, then,
we mean an obligation on the holder of that
office to go out at a certain period. In our
first confederation, the principle of rotation
was established in the office of President of
Congress, who could serve but one year in
three; and in that of a member of Congress,
who could serve but three years in six.—
To J. Sarsfield. Washington ed. iii, 17.
(P.
1789)
