, 1840-12-12

-O-
The office hating Whigs-those patriotic
souls who entered the political arena with
such dIsinterested motives--have been chan
ged, by the magic of success, into the fercest
oiice-seekers. We were under some appre-
before the election, lest, when Gen.
eral HARRIsoN should be elected, he would
find it difficult to get his followers to accept
they all professed to hold the "spoils'
AID the .'spoil smen" in such detestatIon.-
We had no idea that these patriots would
prove SO greedy after The spol!s, as the follow
ing, from the New York Herald, 4 Wing pa
per. makes them appear:
"OFFICE NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. OF PAR
TY.-ren briet days have hardly sunk into
the West, since the election of General Har-
rison was placed beyond a doubt; but in those
ten days, Il more sudden revolution has taken
place IN he morals, tactics, talk, and purpo-
ses oil the politicians, than could have been
effected by the conversion OF Satan into a
preacher, or the outpourings Of ST. John the
Babtl>t ,Isen from the dead. Last month it
was all song and cider--all morals and re-
~lIgion-all piety and patriotism, among the
politicians. Now that the victory is certain,
tie elements OF sublime selfiShnesS and pure
corruption are beginning TO show themselves
in new phases and new shapes.
"Wha has produced all thi, awful change?
The prospects OF the spoils--the expec
,ation Of getting otiice-the hope OF reward;
the passiCn for emnlument.
in theciiy of New York alone there are
probaly o'er 5000, if not 10000 candidates
Tor the various offices which will be under
the con,rd of General Harrison, after the
4th Of Mach next. The number of offices
in this CITY and State are not over 500 or
ihereabout. and already upwards OF so or
100 patrols for each office ave started up.
and claim item for valuable services At the
last clectIol-some in fighting, some in ~
inc, some II singing, some IN spe king. In
Boston. Ba trmore. and Philadelphia. Il like
proportion ,fUtfices and candidates exist
making in rAnSe four great Atlantic cities n
bout 1000 offices. for which there are 10000
patriots signing To fill.
IN this CITY. the movements already tax.
Ing place are the most amusing and laugha-
bic. not To say melancholy and moral. that
can be rnaginei. The cligues of Wall street
were never more busy than they are at this
tune. the Wing politicians have ceased
sIandrring the Loco Foros, and are now en-.
gagged in the delightful business Of slandrring
each other. Every prominent mans private
and public character Is under dIsScu>SInn, and
the way IN which thew secretly stab each
other t. the vtals is worthy OF Italian as
SasSinS. cduraton IL the business OF throat
cutting. and tasing their regular degrees in
,nbl,, r,tI.r. TI,a ,aE,rnns ,i,a ,,A,.i tI,,o.
the prospects, the public and private virtue,
which IT was expected would come in like an
avalanche. with the new President, are al.
ready cast To the four winds Of Heavens; and
nothing Is heard of but .%'oiiice. "''oifice," .'of-
flee Hardly 4 word IS said about the
measures which General Harrison is expect
ed to introduce, calculated TO ameliorate the
CONDITION of the country; but much true elo-
quence and precious SANDER are uttered a.
bout the new cabinet, new collector. new
pnStnasters. and other new public officers.
The truth is, we fear that ifGeneral Har-
riSon does not take care. greater instances of
gross decentralization and public robbery will
take place in tie next four years than have
dlsrraced the country during the last four
Men are getting up petitions tnr ofiice--and
preparing memorials and procuring influ-
ence. that DO not possess the slightest claim
10 any species of confidence. Men without
character, capacity. talents or morals, are
the most busy in this degrading business
CIigues of the most worthless reprobates are
forming in all our large cities to control and
direct the councils of General Harrison, and
to m~onopolize all the Offices of honor and
profit in the gift Of the new President
fGtobs.