The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1849-10-10
political.
From the Nete York Courier and Enquirer.
ph. Recent Elections.


The result of the late elections IN Maryland and
Georgia following as they do upon like unfavor-
able results in Connecticut and Tennessee, WILL as
matter of course be hailed by the opposition press
as indications Of the waning popularity OF General
TAYLOR and be rejoiced over as evidence that his
Administration will not be sustained by the people
How much of truth and how much of mere party
policy will be indicated by such claims, and the re-
jocings based upon them, every Intelligent iih'i
must determine for himself We must confess
however, that were prepared for the worst! anu
consequently, We perceive IN these ihuloa'od,s ~
the popular will, far as they may DC cohsiueioI
such, no great cause for anxiety ~ 70 isn' a,l'
proper, however, always 10 look lhreateheu IAN
ger manfully in the face; and, far as praccable
not only endeayor TO avert 1t, but by cHeiui eA-
animation of the causes, guard against recurrence
OF the evil.
II the reverses alluded to had occurred next year
instead of the present-if, after a session OF Con-
gress with the principles and measures OF the Adj
ministration fully developed and ialry before the
country the people had thus abandoned the Ad-
ministraton should not hesitate to arrive at the
conclusion that they had deliberately and for what
they deemed good cause, decided against the Adj
ministration of General Taylor. But such is not
the fact. The measures and principles of the
Administration have not been developed and
brought before the country in the only way known
TO institutions; and il follows that, whatever OF
change in public sentiment the recent elections
may indicate, is based solely upon the distribution
Of the patronage Of the Government.
Now, have ever contended that, while the
prospect of patronage, and its exercise alter gov
eminent is fairly under way, isalways an element
Of strength, the simple exercise OF power to appoint
by incoming administration opposed IN toto 10
those who preceded Them is always calculated ma
terially to weaken those upon whom this power de-
wolves. And it is thus only that the popularity OF
General Taylor's Administration has been appar,
entity affected il is frc;n this cause solely that our
opponents are enabled To point TO the recent cleo
tons as affording what they pleased TO consider
conclusive indications that the people have repudi,
ated the very Administration they 50 recently called
into power. But every reasonable man knows that
for every individual who has been grathed IN his
aspirations after place, there are not less than
twenty, possibly fifty who have been disappointed
and they, together with their friends, ten times as
numerous the disappoints themselves, constitute
host Of disappointed men, whose simple dcfion
in the recent contests was certain 10 produce the
result TO which we allude, and over which our enc
mics rejoicing.
Such. we contend would measurably have been
the natural consequence of exercise OF the APP
pointing power by the Administration, even II 1t
had been iudiciously used, and IN every case the
proper person had been selected TO receive the
places in the bestowal Of the Administration. But
such an exhibition of wisdom never has, and never
will occur. 1t never yet happened TO any admins
ration, that the best men were always selected 10
fill the Offices of the Government Such display
of knowledge is more than men have light TO ex-
pect from their fellow-men. Errors In Judgment
and errors in policy are inevitable; but we freely
confess that these errors have been more nuner-
under the existing Administration than under any
Of their predecessors.
The causes for this numerous. Prominent
among them is the fact that the President Is SIM
pie minded soldier all unused TO mere party affairs,
and totally unacquainted with the politicians of the
country His predecessors have all been men with
whom politics, and the machinery through when
party managed, were as familiar as the duties OF
the camp to General Taylor; and, consequently,
when they came into power, they were acquainted
with men in every State and every city, and every
town III the country, upon whom they could I'M
plicitly rely for information as to who were best
entitled to receive the minor offices OF Government;
and their own knowledge of the leading politicians
of the respective States enabled them 10 determine
for themselves unaided by their cabinets, trho
should receive the principal appointments IN the
Gift of the Government And. when conflicting
Claims arose, they knew to whom TO apply TO obtain
the necessary information TO enable them 10 decide
wisely. They always knew ho constituted the Getu-
al well the pretended leaders IN every State IN
the Union; and their task, therefore, in deciding
between friends, comparatively an easy one
But not General Taylor. We shall never forget
his remark to on the day he first took his sea-
with his Cabinet. ''It will be, said he, "a some
what novel event for President TO take his sea
with a Cabinet composed of gentlemen, every on
of whom was a stranger To him ten days previous
ly-whose persons, even, he had never seen"
Under these Circumstances-totaly unacqualnte
with the local politicians throughout the Union an
absolutely unable to make from personal know
ledge those leading appointments IN every Stat
upon which the fitness of all the subordinate one
depend without the experience and knowledg
necessary TO enable him to determine between tn
conflicting claims of prominent asplrants-and >
unacquainted with the relative standing OF men i
their respective States as 10 be utterly unable 70 de
tarmine who told him the truth and who were basel
,aisrepresenting all who did not agree with them II
continent; is il strange, we ask, that under thes
circumstances, he was compelled IN his desire TO q
right % throw upon the respective heads oil depart
ments a large share Of responsibility, and PERM
4 a discretion making appoint
ments, which President taken from the politician
of the country would have necessarily made HIN
self, upon knowledge acquired during party tram
ing of which Zachary Taylor cannot boast, an
which did not appertain TO his Secretaries, who wei
not themselves candidates for the Presidency
Is perfectly manifest, that MIR. Clay, Mr. Webste
General Cas-, Mr.. Calhoun and others, az wen
every man who has reached the Presidency, nav
acquired precise knowledge Of men IN every Stai
of the Union which General Taylor does not poe
sess and which does not belong even to the men
beers Of his Cabnet-none OF whom have been en-
gagged in race for the Presidency. IL therefor
followed that his Cabinet even was not able 70 max
up his deficiency in party knowledge; and, const
olenty, very many errors have occurred IN uhe %
stO1al Of office ip every quarter OF the Union, no
withdrawing the best exercise OF all the knoWledg
and discretion possessed by the heads oil depar
ments.
Prominent among the errors in party view-f
il Il In its party aspect and it, bearing upon the r
cent elections we are considering this question
was the attempt TO get rid Of fierce contentious b
tween different sections Of the Wing party by di
appointing both, and giving the office IN dispute
a third party, 20 no-party candidate, or Wh
IL termed a moderate politician. better know
ledge Of local politics would have determined q
action Of the Government in favor of the appllcai
who really represented the Whigs Of his locality
but in Ignorance Of such knowledge, IL was oit'
deemed wiser to take a third man; and the pOlit
cal evils and local dissensiOns growing out OF "a
course are nnumerable. II was well intended
ard. in ignorance Of the true course 90 pursue,
was far wiser than 20 have appointed the iavorlte
mere faction, which would frequently have bee
the case when acting in the dark. This course hi
therefore been very extensively adopted through
out the Union and the natural result u, coolne
on the part Of the most active political friends,
the same time that the appointment oil suDordinat
devolves in most cases upon men AZ ignorant oil y
claims andservices Of political individuals az y
General and his Secretaries. Wiser and lees scr
pulous Presidents would have appointed wiser AZ
less scrupulous agents 10 ill up the minor apPon
ments Of the Government; and thus for party pa
poses, and 10 accomplish party ends, would DO
distributed the patronage u the Government mo
discreety, at the same time that those who dld y
work and bore the brunt Of the recent President
A n. ttl..ls .Fffs Il r4fff