Ypsilanti sentinel. [volume] (Ypsilanti, Washtenaw Co., Mich.) 1843-1900, 1845-12-31

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u ncishbors. and Requesting their patronage. ID
Executive PArRoNAGE-It may be remembered
by some of our readers, that since we made
some remarks in reference this subject and prom
ised to pursue it further at some future time. We
now redeem the pledge which have too long neg.
iected, and trust that shall not again prove SO
negligent.
The influence which can be exerted, to perpetuate
the rule of the President of the United States, to
enable him to stretch the moderate power which
the spirit of the Constitution gives him, to an
almost dictatoral extent, and when he reluctantly
leaves the chair of state enables him to appoint his
successor demands the closest scrutiny by the peo
pie. We have ever boosted of our Democracy, and
are as democratic as any people with degree
of Intelligence and honesty be; yet, dispute of
this boast, have, in the hands of the President
power sufficiently great to decide almost any general
election We said almost any, in the present state
of parties, we may well say, every contest. At the
the close of last Autumn's campaign, almost any one
of any professions to quilldrivng, occupied himself
with sage conectures, in regard to the which
had produced the result One found it in the For
eign vote, another in that of the Native American
Party, and third in the vote of the Liberty Party.
Now, it is true, that closely the great Wing
and Democratic parties balanced, that the small
weight of either of these smaller clans, or the pre-
possessions of the naturalised citizens, would have
changed the result, if thrown into the scale. But
how were they or any of them, to be induced to
ally itself to the otherl Treason could prevail,
it might one would suppose, have prevailed with the
abolitionists, but il did not; and he who hopes it
ever viii must be wofully ignorant of the rationale
by which such movements are set on foot, and per-
petuated. And after ali, these small satellites, or,
lest offend some them, these lesser planets In
political system, arise in strict obedience to the
peculiar laws of that system, and may therefore be
expected to exist long the system itself shall
endure. They are to be classed among those una
coidabc contingencies which give to the election of
chief magistrate, something of an accidental charac
ter which make his elevation less certain than his
merit or demerit, and not strictly dependent upon
either. =
But, there is one method left in his hands, of Sc
curing to himself, or the successor whom he may
choose, an amount ofsupport, which in the present
state of parties and most likely in the future, would
guaranty him easy victory an effective acqui-
1t is his official patronage. The result of
the last election most conclusivey show this. The
popular vote stood thus: for Polk, 1,327,325 for
Clay, l,2s8, 533; majority for Polk, 1922. The
vote for Brney added to that of Clay leaves Polk in
the minority 1851, but that is nothing for pres
eut purpose II ony proves that the majority of peo
pie in the United States would not choose Polk. 1t
does not prove that they scoud choose Clay; for, if
the choice was to be made absolutely between the
two, no doubt the third party would have gone di-
rectly, as they did indirectly for Polk and Annexa-
ton.
The power which we would reach is that which
the insignificant John Tyler, by accident, had
resting in his hands. Was that sufficient to secure
to himself or the person to whom he might resign it,
3a792 votes? Was that sufficient to shut the minds
of that many voters against all hope of conviction!
Let us see The President of the United States has
the direct control of $4,000 Post masters. Upon the
political character of these depends that of at least
$4,000 deputies; revenue and light house Offices con-
stitute at the lowest calculation, three thousand
more of his s'staDding army" While the army and
navy appointments give him another incalculable
hold the interest, and consequently on the opln-
ions of multitude of votes. But the number he APP
points gives but faint idea of the amount of power
bestowed. To every Office directly or indirectly In
the Presidents gift there at least an average OF
three expectants. We have named thirty two offi-
ces; consequently there to be reckoned $4,000
men who by the hope of personal reward, are induced
to MS for all their influence, and put forth every ex
ertion, to secure the triumph of the persons most
likely to obtain the prize. Let it not be said that
there are as many such adherents each side, and
consequently the chances are thus equazed for the
apparent probability of election is never so even that
the office hunter does not pretty clearly which
side fortune favors. Another circumstance which
heghtens the intensity of exerton put forth by this
legion of mercenares, is that they fight in competi-
ton with each Other and the bravest and most power
ful must be the winner Nor they induced to re-
lax single effort from the consideration that their
conduct will not be made known to the President,
their commander-in-chief. His Lieutenants, mem
bers of Congress, and others, in and out office, are
always report head quarters, and thus the least
service from the etyghts of oratory to the treason
able colonising Off voter is presented as claim to
patronage. This Is brief and unfinished picture to
which we shall hereafter give few more touches,
which we propose to remove by making more Offices
elective by the people. We defy the acutest intel
lect to discover reason why the community served
hxr posf of,co should not have Voice in the