The daily national Whig. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1847-1849, 1849-04-24
CONFID ENCE,

n man may ne tlnlnentiy Capa Die 10 uis-
charge the duties of public office, not a
shadow Of suspicion may rest against his
integrity, he may have demonstrated his
fidelity to the constitution by long life Of
public service, and yet, if he be candidate
for place under the Government or already
holds office, he may not be selected to fill
the pos he desires, or he may be dis
placed, without necessarily subjecting the
appointing power to charge Of prescription
for opinions sake. And whyi Because
in all governments whether deriving their
just powers from the consent Of the governed
or not, confidence in the repositories Of
public trusts, must be the grand element in
deciding their choice, or the appointing
power will have no guarantee, that the trus-
tees will do justice to their duties The
want Of confidence in an incumbent, OF in
an applicant for Office, can never be sup
piled by any qualifications or qualities, no
matter how high, no matter how cumu-
lative.
But it may be said, that the profession Of
fidelity TO the constitution, integrity and ca
pability to discharge the duties Of an office,
ought to beget all the necessary confidence
in the appointing power. We cannot agree
to this proposition. If public officers were
mere automata, merely passive instruments,
unimpressible agents, this doctrine might be
assumed to be true; but public officers are
men Of like passions with the citizen who
does not hold a public trust. They have
their opinions Of public policy, their likes
and dislikes Of the appointing power, theiI
prejudices in favor Of or against the dynasty
in possession Of the federal government, and
their acts are necessarily influenced, by theiI
political opinions, their feelings, their preju-
dices, in greater or a less degree. Confidence
between man and man, depends not alone up
on the power or ability TO do this or that act.
1t is the creature Of feeling, and more fire.
quently than otherwise, it disregards thelack
Of mental power in the person who may be
the subject Of our confidence. In political
affairs, the necessity Of confidence is over
ruling. 1t is 50 strong, so controlling, that
frequently the appointing power is impelled
to take man, who may not possess the high
est qualifications for the discharge Of an Of
fee, if it has confidence in him.
The people, in the exercise Of their APP
pointing power, constantly exhibit the work
ing Of this great element in the choice Of
their trustees. When they vote for a man
for given Office, they demonstrate that it
is not the successful candidates possession
Of the requisite qualifications for the office
that solely wins their confidence. General
| ~, nay, almost always, il is accorded to the
candidate on totally different grounds 1t is
matter Of feeling, more commonly than Of
the exercise Of cool and deliberate judgment.
They vote for manwho thinks as they do
! upon political questions. In such a man
they have confidence, and in one opposed
to their way Of thinking they have no con-
fdence, no matter how brilliant his talents
or his genius. The operation Of this same
principle is discovered in the custom, which
has very Justly prevailed in our Government
since its foundation, Of the Heads of Depart
ments resigning their Offices on the incom.
ing Of President, who differs with them
upon points Of public policy. Nobody ques-
tons their honesty, capsbility, or fidelity 70,
a moment, but there is want Of confidence
between them and the new Executive, which
no talents, no genius, can supply. If the