Evansville weekly journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 184?-18??, 1848-06-08

0CFIt has been either the fortune or the
instinct OF Gen. Cass to be an office holder du-
ring the greater part of his life. But he has
seldom received office from the peopls-almost
always from Government. He has been mar
shall of Ohio Indian agent, Governor of Michi-
gan, Secretary of War, minister TO France, all
the gifts of the Executive power. The only
office he ever received from the people was
that of member of the Ohio LegisIature-and he
has been elected once as Senator by the Legis-
lature of Michigan. Now Gen. Cass has some
literary pretensions, yet, if we except the arti-
Giles which it is alleged he wrote at an early
age against Jefferson, he has written almost
nothing on politics or political principles. Is
| it not singular and significant that in long
| life thus spent in public office, he should have
avoided all occasions for the assertion or de-
fence of great principle? During his public
| life political questions of the utmost nagni
| tude have occupied all the great minds of the
country. Yet Gen. Cass had never taken
enough interest in the cause of political truth
and liberty to lend them the aid of his pen or
tongue, he has contented himself with holding
on to his office and declaring himself in favor
OF whoever was IN power. Hence Cass has
kept Office under Jefferson, Adams, Jackson,
Van Buren,, Harrison and Tyler. Whoever has
been King, Cass has been Vicar OF Bray. Now
we think it is quite clear that man who loves
truth and principle would find some opportu-
nifty in the course of long life to advocate
thein particularly when from the receipt of
high pay out of the public treasury he would
be exempt from the toll of making living by
hard work. Yet here is this gentleman for
some thirty Yeas, whilst the country has bees.
agltated by questions of great magnitude, very
quietly putting his pay in his pocket, growing
rich, and letting things take their course. -
When the late war with Great Britain occur
red, Gen. Cass went TO Canada as an inferior
officer with Hull, and was included in his sur
render. 1t is said that Cass was opposed to
the capi tulation and broke his sword in anger at
it, but this story is disputed; at all events this
apodryphal glory is all that Cass achieved in
this war or in any other war. He seems to
have discovered that fighting the British with
the sword was rather a serious business, and
has since contented himself with the tongue.
Gen. Cass has been In Office for twenty seven
out OF the last thirty years; and for eleven of
the years of this period at the rate of from six
to nine thousand dollars per annum. Prior TO
that he was Indian agent, usually very.lucra-
tive situation, and in Cass's hands not at all
Invaluable. Now if Gen. Cass is proper
nominee after lifetime of office-hoding and
feeding at the public crib, what becomes of the
doctrine of rotation in office? Is that doctrine
also to be abandoned by the patty? or is
'twenty-seven years of easy, qrel paid public
service not long enoughto relieve an office.
holder from further duty?
The party has commended that rotation in of
flee is cardinal doctrine-that it is necessary
in order to prevent the incumbent of Office
from becoming aristocratic --from losing his
sympathy with the people And the party has
been particularly jealous of diplomatic func-
tionaries and above all of ministers abroad
exposed to the conuptons and intrigues of for
eign courts, But now here is the most invet-
crate office-holder in the land, the man who
has contrived to please and be pleased with all
kinds of Presidents, Democrat, Wing, and
mixed-the man who resided six years in a
corrupt foreign court, and finally surpassed all
the other ministers of that court who represent
ed despots in fattering the French King Louis
Philippe--and this is the man now in this pro-
gressive age to be nominated by the Democrat
ic OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES Journal