Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1830-01-28
From the National Journal.
LETTER ON REFORMING. VII.

VIVA, canine appeIite the psople have for
Office! 4 II grows by what il leeds on 5" 1t is
hungry, greedy and Unsuitable; the hounds,csl,
led off from pursuit, seem ready, ike those OF
Ac ,son, TO deyeur their master
Hope increases applicants, and despair ur-
ges imporunty; the SUCCESS Of one awakens
The de sire of many. Deluded by their ina
eination, or deceived by promises. they H"fk
here 10 realize their dreams OF amhI'Ion; aud
are doomed 10 suffrr all the modification OF
ne elect, and all The bitterness OF dissppoin,
men. Sometimes 10 sof en- The harshness OF
refus al. their claims are deferred, and .1pecta-
lion krp, alive, until, tired OF delay. exhausted
by expense, and disguised with the scene, ,'hry
retire under Inc most humilia,ng reflections.
The President has done much, b. has turned
out as fast as he could, TO make way for them;
bu, he cannon crafty all at once. Thru. when
he creates a vacancy here are so many claims,
go many int s,s pre- and future, to be con.
sul,ed, so may persons standing in various re-
la,ions who must be heard, and, after all, The
nu u,ber to be disappointed, makes il painful 10
think of. The anxiety Of candidates, the
zeal Of friends mutually aiding each o'her,
the working. in,rigue and combination, make
the heart sick. This patronage is slippery
thing. You are in constant danger OF losing
Ten friends Will. you render one entirely indie
psnden, Of you and the party: thai is you
m,ke ten enemies, and one ungratrful. The
collisions Of intrresl aud the clashing OF par.
ties, require profound knowledge Of mrn and
Of political combinations. You must have the
chess board before you, calculate every chance
and anticipate every move We have to look
to thu great interests, grea' States and great
men, and es,ima their value by their bolitca !
power. Notwithstanding the desire OF the Pie.
siden to do what is right, and his great eau
ZION and deep penetration, he fnds u very
difficult and delicate :ask TO hold the balsnce
between them.-InJeed he cannon confer The
slightest favor upon any man, however he may
have served The parry and deserved his grail
'uds without murnarings, heariburnings anu
je alousi.s. wonder he is not tired OF IL
But This is not all-,here is the distress OF
those who are turned out, 10 which we canno'
shu, our eyes nor ears. God be inercful to
them and their children !. The disgust which
the whole scene excites, sic keus me. and turn
away. This is the first weakness have be,ray-
ed A man 10 reform the age, must no mole
sit down to lsmen' over private talamiiy, than
general weep over the field Of battle and
| shudder a, blood and carnage. A noble and
manly spirit animates my mind, and serls my
hear, against The claims of pity. If could
br moved there nave been some touching ca
SEES. have obtained suca mastery If myself,
that suppress every rising emotion, assume an
air Of dign,hrd inG,ffrrence aud mock at their
| misforrunes. Some Of these cases appealed
very strongly to the public sympathy, and
feared tina, arrfu' addresses 10 the feelings OF
the people Nigh, produce general burst OF
ind, gnation. Barsey's IL a hard case. He servrd
f.i,htully during the last war; he is descended,
you know from hero whose name is asSocis-
ted with courage and chi.alry; He is p OF, and
with numerous family; his wife is he daugh-
ter Of signer Of The Declaration Of Indepen-
dence he was turned Out, and his place given
to a Printer. I watched with intense interest
The NO, kings Of The guan' spiri, 81 Baltimore,
and if such case, will not excite such people,
W. have nothing to fear.
You remember lhr old republican Gerry. He
was real Seventy Skier BIZ, you knew him
better as Vice Prrsiaen, in later times while
you served with him. He Gied poor, leaving 4
helpless female famiy-a wife very inhi n, and
several daughters, dependan, and destitute;
but in consideration OF h,s services 10 his coun-
,ry and the destitu'e situation OF his family,
Mr.. Monroe conferred an off e upon his sou,
10 enable him 20 support his widowed mother
and orphan sisters. He has sinrr that lime
pPrfo med all the duties OF that Office with en-
tire sa isfac,iop, and all the dn'ies OF son and
bro,ner. He too was dismissed He seemed
overw helmed with the intelligence. | do not
know what will become OF the family. Had
Gerry but served himself with half the zeal he
served his country, his family would not now be
left 10 s,arve. Hi. place is conferred ONO
mater whom-you DOM know him Bur il
>ub>e'vrs very impor'sn, interest; il is li"le
favor, done To The proper person a, the RICH,
time, and il will count. ] can say no more a,
p'esent. No hing strengthens a mans conf.
d,nrc in tie Administration so much as some
distinguished mark offavor conferred on h'm-
self Tn. mutual confidence brcomes secret
sympathy, silver cord and silkrB 'ie'hat binds
them ,oge her; and an Office conferred on
near relation is quite as good In Effect, without
being as bad in appearance
The President eonfers no favors on members
Of Congress, or friends or rels ions, except
those v no support his Administration; and,
ttcre is No. danger tina, their public virtue will
suffer. When WslpoIe said every man had
his price, he Meant those in The opposition he
mt an, to buy up his enemies; he never thought
Of buying his own friends. We never think OF
-, Of m hay ah vl nv the