Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1821-03-13

bul l1ey dll tlhOfaCC Ill greater vi 100
degree the spirit of the excluding prin-
clple. In those states which had adopt
ed constitutions before the establishment
of national government, there is o!
course, no constitutional Prohibition
but it is understood that in such cases
statutes have been passed to the same
effect. Virginia, whose constitution was
formed l776, has very comprehensive
law on the subject. Pennsylvania, in
addition to a constitutional restriction,
has q statute which prohibits officers OF
the United States from acting as Judges,
inspectors or clerks OF state elections.
The constitution of this state was formed
in IVY, and although no statute has
been passed on this subject, yet by con-
current resolution of March 1870, it was
resolved as the sense of the Legislature,
that it is incompatible according to the
| constitution ofthis state and Of the United
States,) that member Of congress or
other person holding any Office what
soever under the United States, shon! ID
be member OF the senate or assembly
of this state during his continuance in
congress, or in such Office; and that
whenever member of the legislature
shall be elec'ed or appointed member
of congress, or to any Office whatever
under the United States, and shall ac-
cept of such office or appointment, II is
hereby further resolved, that his seat in
the lcgis lature ought to be vacated.--
Even in the government Of Great Bril-
tain, officers of the excise and customs,
and clerks or deputies in the treasury,
navy, victualing and admiralty Offices,
and long list Of other dependents on
the crown, are interdictcd from being
elected or sitting as members Of the
house of commons.
Every officer Of the United States is in
state of partial acknowledgements. He
cannot set in congress, i'll the state legls-
latures, or in the electoral colleges.-in
the view of the constitution, he is an OBJ
iect of jealousy; he can however at any
time be restored to all the franchises OF
citizen by abellcatlng his office. Oar
government is founded on the repre-
sentative system; it protects the purity
and independence OF the representative;
ii crec,s barrier against the inroads oil
executive patronage, and it intends that
the constituent body should be Tree from
the operation of the same inilaenc Elm
reserving to the national officer his cleo
tive franchise, it was undoubtedly con-
| tcmplated that it should be exercised
in the genuine spirit of republic anism ;
that the suifragcs of the citizen should
not be BIASED by the e,noluments and
honors of the officer, and that he should
not carry into the elections. any of the
influence derived from his official sta
ton; and | trust that it will be univer-
sally admitted, that the national govern
ment ought not to confer Or withhold Of
fees with view Of creating influence IN
state politics. 1t is we'll known that in
| this state, the national administration has
! for some years, selected in almost every
case Of any importance, its officers in OPP
position to the state administration, and
this undoubtedly operates as an en-
enlargement to organized and dlscIplin-
ed hostility. 1t is virtual instruction to
its officers to oppose, and ii Is an invita-
ton to all who are DESTROYS of the pa
tronagc of the general government, to
embark in the opposition. The inter-
ference of the officers of the general gov
eminent in state politics in 1898, was at
that period subject of general and well
founded complaint: in the interval be-
tween my first election and entrance in
to Office, took the liberty of apprising
Mr.. Monroe, the president of the United
States, of the obstrusiye intermedlrng OF
the officers of the general government in
our state politics, and of my earnest
hope that under his administration, this
system so justly and so generally repro
bated, would be no longer tolerated. In
discharging this duty to the republic, |
entertained every wish to promote the
most amicable relations between the
general and state administration, and
can truly declare, that no act of hostility
has been in any shape manifested or en-
couraged on the part of the authorities
of this state.
The documents which | have now the
honor to transmit to you, do not extend
beyond the last general election and the
agitations preceding and accompanying
it. AT the very period when the officers
of the United States, who have behaved
so reprehenslbly, ought to have con-
Quoted themselves with the greatest
delicacy; when a legislature was to be
chosen that was TO appoint the electors
of president; and when the second otfi'
Ger of the United States was candidate
for the Office of governor, all the lntlu