The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1853-06-28
NATIONAL CONCERNS.

iy differ in opinion, about the measures of pub
lie policy to be pursued. There are periods
when these differences of opinion take tas
hold of the public mind. and divide us int
hostile parties, which look upon each other al
enemies and oppose all their acts as the art
of enemies designed to promote selfish ends
and injnre tho masses. Such opposition, il
believed, and the parties governed by sucl
sel6shness. of course sacrifice all generous re
gard for the public intere Z. and sink into mere
factions. Whenever the bitterness. the blind
ness. and the selfshncss of factions give place
TO desire TO promote the general good, and
people show DISPOSITION to judge the acts OF
their rulers by their merits, we may hope fol
good Results. But while VIC hope for good, We
should not forget that such periods of quiet
sometmes indicate general apsthy and a
public Indifference to public affairs, and de-
mrnd increased vigilance TO check the prog
| ress of fraud and speculation The New
York Tribune has an article on this subject
nnder the head of "PAYING DOUBLE" which
may bo road with profit. Among other things
this article says:
Such "eras Of good feeling" arc ever desira-
bio. They soften prcjudices, soothe rrita-
tions. and afford opportunities for the review
and revisal of op Mons bindly cherished thro'
years of contention and fierce turmoil. They
also afford opportunities for considering and
maturing those great Moral and Social Re-
| forms which i'm times of intense Political agi-
tation and struggle, are too apt to be elbowed
out of sight or postponed to a moro auspcious
| season.
Yet these eras have their dangers also
real, formidable dangers. When the vigilance
Of Opposition is relaxed. corruption and abuse
| are apt TO steal into tho details of Adminisira
ton, and silently corrode The less exposed ma
chinery of Government. Precedcnts are un-
warily established through inattenton or ig-
norancc, which are afterward the source of
immcasurcable evil. Seeds arc crclessy
sowr whence poisonous plants and Upas trees
arc evolved, which years of exertion hardly
suffice 10 eradicate.
If wo are correctly informed, a decision has
heen made under the new rule ut Washington
which will depleto the treasury Of millions Of
unearned money, if not promptly ovcrruled.-
We allude to the new construction, which is
said to have been adopted and acted on at the
Treasury, under the sanction of the Attorney
General. whereby two officers will al the same
be entitled TO pay as fulfilling The functions of
Govonor of Oregon, Utah, Now Mexico, Sc -
the actual incumbent, who is discharging the
duties of the station. and his successor, duly
commissioned TO supercede him, but who has
not yet reached the territory he is to govern
ton and not even on his way TO the region
where his official functions are to be performed
just consider a moment: The laws con-
template the payment of a stipulated salary tn
one Governor and one Secretary Of each Terri
tory, one Indian Agent for each tribe one Sur
vevor General for California and Orcc on &c.
&c. The Appropriation bills provide for thepav-
ment of one salary annaully in each case. There
is an officer actually dischareing the duties of
each siation under a valid appointment, and
his right to payment is unquestionable. But
there is another at Washington, or on his way
thence TO the Territory in question, who also
holds a commission, which authorizes him to
assume tho post and supcrc EIDE the acting func-
tonury upon his arrival at tho place where
tic dntics are to be performed. This man has
been appointed 1--WE speak generality n t be-
cause the place needed man, but became
the man needed place. lie is ono of those
who must be quartered on the Treasury, and
his importantly is successful Why should
this man be paid for services which another is
performing. and he is not'
We are not opposed TO "rotation in Office
On the contrary, we rather like il. We have
not desired to stay the uplifted axe of the
chief headsman at Washington. On the con-
trary, we hope it will continue to fall until
there is no more work for it to do. Wo ask
tho country to admire and remember tho uIac-
rty wberewith almost every Whig incumbent
has barcd his neck to the executioner, how
squarely he has laid it on the block. and how
POLITELY he has bowed to the executioner, rs
he walked away smiling with his head under
his arm. We will not doubt that those who
have yet to submit to the opporation viii mani
fest equal philosophy and good breeding
(The half d, zen who sent their wives
and babies 10 cry in the secretaries rooms at
Washington, were not, we feel morally GER J
tain, appointees of Harrison or Tyler. bur of
that Chameleon breed which has been Whig
and Loco by turns, as the scale inclined this
way or that, for the last twenty or thirty
ycar'.) And as to the people being excited,
or outraged. or horror struck, at seeing this |
brigade of Office holders turned out and that |
other tnrned in. it is the sheerest nonsense--
Ninc-tenths of them
Whether Mossup kick Barry or Barry kick Mossup." |
They have principles and convictions with |
regard tp the proper conduct of public affairs; |
they very generally regret that the pr,cli ice of
turning our petty -postma-ters, tide waters, |
&c. on sheer party grounds has been estab-
lishcd, for they see i'm fearful incentive TO |
and corruption In Presidential oon |
tests. and a gigantic stride toward the central
ization of power, and its concentration In the |
hands of one man; but for the Office holders
as individuals--for this iribe or that--they |
have no serious ,oneern, and would just as
soon see them changed by thousands as by
hundreds. fsi.st |
Bot if wo arc to benceforth pay double sala-
ries to large class of ofice-holders for three
to nine months afer each change of dynasty, |
why then the case is bravely altered, and tho
people ,oiH object to systematic removals--de-
cidedly. Nay; they ought to do so. Whcth- |
or Jones or Simpson shall cheat the Kckapoos |
in calicoes or Goldfish under cover of his an.
tbority as Indian Agent, or I'll his pockets by
winking OF the illegal Introduction Of firc-wutcr
into their territory, isnot a question to break
hearts; but f appointing Jones TO supcrcede
Simpson involves the necessity of paying both
Of them for services that only ono renders,
they may yery well protest ga inst the change. |