Iowa territorial gazette and advertiser., 1845-05-10
Moral character Of onlcc-.eekers.

which place in marked light the highly
commendable resolutions Of both the Pres
ident ,at Washington, and our own Cover
nor at Albany, to regard good moral char
acter as the indispensable basis of all
qualifications for Office. Firmly adhered
to, this course cannot fail to exert avery
sensible and much needed influence on the
character Of our politics and Politicians
We trust that neither Of the high execu-
tive officers referred to will ever suffer
themselvt S to be either seduced or forced
BY any amount of ssinfuence" or ''recom-
mendation,' in any case, to swerve from
an innexible execution Of this rule.
| No matter though an applicant may pile
upon his table little pyramid Of letters
from sthe Democracy" Of his locality
No matter though, as in case we have
in view, he may be the candidate Of all
the politicians Of his State, not only rec
commended but urged BY Governors, SEN
ators, Representatives, State Legislators,
&c., &C., &c.. Let not this be regarded
as the frue expression Of the popular riu
in relation to the disposal Of official honor
or fayors. Another and higher express
sion Of tho popular will has placed the
President in his own office, on the very
express expectation that he will exercise
J, all it's functions-(a and in particular this
its most delicate and difficult one) with a
conscientious fidelity, to the best interests
Of the country, and to the spirit Of the
pledges on which he received the suffrage
OF his countrymen. True, as it undouLt-
edly is, as general rule, that in all loca
, appointments, the. wishes Of the local de-
mocracy, rightly expressed and under
stood, ought to be Presidents control.
| ling guide, the rule has, nevertheless, it
Just limitations, and this is, one Of them
that no apparent force of RECOMMENDATION,
Of this description should be allowed L
J overru!e, in the case Of any applicant, th'
fatal objection Of evil repute on The scor'
Of personal moral character. ss "
j The facility with which most men now
i a-lays are induced towrite letters or sig,
i recommendations to Office, with small re
! gard TO the grave responsibility which tie,
4 ought to feel to attacl, to that act, ha
0 reached pitch at which the mischief al
a, most cures. itself by its own success. :
a Every Executive, with his earliest expert
$ ence in the dispensation Of patronage, 500
+ learns the little worth that attaches 10 .
: these yards Of signatures these bushels
o letters. They generally prove nothing BY
e the industry of the Applicant-,he earl
y haste with which he has rushed into III
: field Of competition, and moved down Ii
r harvest, leaving perhaps but scanty CLEAR
ihgs for far better men; perhaps, we ma
81 add, in many cases, they prove nothin
d more than an ,unblushing indelicacy I
e feeling in regard % this kind Of solicit;
!: ton, which may perhaps, imply deser
s. though certainly it is not Of that kind v
At have been accustomed to respect as 1'm de
u neritss In. general, an Executive tru
$ desirous Of making the best selections al
+, of best satisfying the public mind in =
II gard to them. will do well to go behind Il
e applicants thus pressed upon him, ~
es seek out, with voluntary, tender ,of the |
ut yors he has to bestow. that better class
be men who are generally conscious that tbs
,f- proper merits and, claims are such as
.ir need no such extorted public sttestatio,
be and who best prove their title BY leaving
n 10 speak for itself-E. Y. Nesrs. a.;,