Mississippi Democrat. (Carrollton, Miss.) 1844-18??, 1845-04-30

| HiSdo NuI ouil uOuitJ uud uiICCl, oui
can neither resist or evade. II comes into
power, for instance, with vast numbers Of
distinguished and meritorious friends need
ing Office quite as much as existing in-
cumbents--as welt, on better qualified for
its duties--expec,ing it, desiring ii, and
supported by the general local feeling Of
their party, which expects and desires the
proposed changes, and which will be dis.
appointed and dspleased if that expecta.
ton is not graiified.
And when il is then borne in mind that,
as general rule, the incumbents have
gone into Office on the same principle, with
fair understanding Of the value of their
tenure Of the places which they were un.
der no obligation TO lakeland in most ca.
SEES supplanting predecessors under cir
cumstances Of private hardshps fully equal
TO that which the revolving wheel of poll.
teal fortune brings again home to them
selves-when it is borne in mind that at
each successive step Of alternate retalia-
ton it becomes more and more impossible,
for either 10 refuse TO take the rent---it
may be understood, even by those who
most heartily dislike this part of ur"sys-
tem," how idle il is TO expect, how unrea.
sonable to demand, from any new party
and administration coming into power, any
thing short Of very extensive change in
the offices at lis disposal
We dislike this as much as any, and
much more than most. Nevertheless, as
practical observers and reasoners, we see
the present necessity out Of which it grows;
the impossibilty of preventing it; and the
folly of railing against it. 1t is in the bad
system that the fault lies, and there alone
can it be reached by any effective cure
ar prevention. Perhaps, too, il is best TO
let It have its full way, without iinkering
at its eternal symptoms with pallotives
and patches, tending only TO delay that rO-
dcal reform which may be best promoted
by allowing its necessity most speedily
and strongly to demonstrate itself, Iaht
reform is only to be found in reducing The
Presidential taking away the power
of removal without good cause assigned
and I'VE ought to add, transferring to local
popular elections large proportion of the
Official patronage now vested in the exc
cutive. Sooneror later, this must be done;
the later it is, the worse il will be--lhe
sooner the better.
The reform here proposed would open
the chance Of honorable Presidential as
piration TO many men of the highest rank
of ability and merit who now stand .neces-
sarily excluded from it. Any one can for
himself easily make up at this moment a
list of some fifteen or twenty eminent de-
mocra's, in different sections of the Union,
who may be SAID all to occupy what may
be called Presidential position, that Is, to
be full worthy and suitable as possible
candidates for that highest Of human p7i-
teal honors; yet not more than three or
four Of these are likely ever to attain it,.
The tendency Of such a state Of things to
foster intrigue, combination, undue mems
even for legitimate ends, among public
men of The highest grades, il is needless 10
dwell upon. A fair justice, too, would seem
TO require, that now, when the great and
fast growing extension Of our country pro
duces The effect Of bringing forward on the
stage Of life so large number of men
of equal, or nearly equal prctensions, this
honor should not he confined to two or
three Of class embracing perhaps do
zen, to the necessary exclusion Of all the
rest. With annual elections, and rceligi-
bility, restricted in practice so as to give
each President not more than three, and
perhaps on an average two years, The
greater number of men of this class would
be taken up by the people in succession,
while the Presidency would move round in
a healthy rotation through the different
sections and States, 10 the satisfaction of
all, and tho avoidance of those sectional
jealousies which are now SO irritating and
so mischevous.
| This is the time 10 consider and 10 act
upon this subject--just at the close Of one
Presidential contest, and before the can
didates have been indicated for the next;
while there are still, therefore, no special
interests enlisted in opposing this sugges-
ton for the purpose OF securing larger
probable term of the Presidency to their
own already selected candidate. There
are already several eminent ornaments Of
our party who are looked 10 with more or
less hope by their respective friends, as
our candidate for lS4s. If the proposed
reduction Of the term should be made, all
could then come in, in timely order, while
| several others now scarcely thniiuht If
though no less mertorious, would also be
brought in the scope Of a legitimate chance.
The Roman Consuls we're annually select
ed--why not our Presidents? The exc
cutves Of several Of our Staies--why not
the executive of the confederacy7
We shall be glad il the Democratic
press generally would copy this article
which we have purposely made short
one--whether to express their concurrence