The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-09-04
The Rotary SYSTEM At Eiections--IIints for q
Reform OF our Constitutions.

IACCtAOn6~-xxlnlS
Reform OF our Constitutions.
The city is alive with official electioneerinr
agents. Besides the cautious and private move
ments of the canvassers who are looking for
ward to the Presidential campaign of 1856, we
hear on every side of strokes of diplomacy and
electioneering tricks on behalf of candidates
for office at the coming State and city cleo
TONS The business Of the public departments
at the present time appears to be to secure the
reelection Of the Office holders who preside
therein. From the Governor to the clerks in
the City Hall, every one is engrossed in count
ing votes and casoling or corrupting voters.
Pity the man who, at such moment, has pri-
waite business to transact at any public Office
either at Albany or here.
Yet, so long as our present system lasts, how
can it be otherwise? We elect men to be Pre-
| sidents, Governors, Mayors and so on, and it is
understood that alter they have served one
term, they are to be re-eligible for another.
We place in their hands most potent influence
! to secure their own reelection. They control,
while holding Office, the bread of q large mass
of individuals who, in their turn, control the
electors. Presidents, Governors and Mayors
have large amount of patronage at their dis
posal, and custom has so far reconciled us
tosystematized corruption that no one objects
to this being used as bride. They can put
influential politicians and convention mongers
into office without single murmur from any
one. How is it possible that they should not do
so? They cannot divest themselves of natural
desire to retain their seats, without ceasing to
be men and it would be absurd to expect
that they would wantonly reject the means of
attaining this end that we have placed in their
hands. The practice is inseparable from the
system. President selects his cabinet Gov
ernors and Mayors make their appointments
with the sole view Of securing support for them
selves when they come forward for reelection.
During the whole of their term of office, this
one thought holds absorbing sway over their
mind. Sometimes, conscientious man will
find his way accidentally into one of these
Offices, and will evince some show of indepen-
dence and conscientiousness in his public acts
But the bulk of our elected rulers act ON a
totally different principle. For them, the first
concern is their own fate after the expiration Of
their term: and to that they sacrifice every
consideration Of duty and public good. Such
man as Mr.. Pierce, for instance, will not sign
bill or write message without calculating its
effect on the people who may re-elect him: he
Will not make an appointment without tacit
or expressed stipulation that the recipient of his
favor is to reciprocate by advocating his claims
at the end OF his term he will make all public
business subservient to this, to him, paramount
object. What is true of Presidents is still truer
of Governors and Mayors; and so far Is our ex-
perience enables us to Judge, seems to be the
invariable rule whatever be the character or
merits of the incumbent. A taste of power
whets ambition; and where the feelings are so
powerfully excited that all means seem good.
itwould be unnatural to suppose that any would
neglect the obvious instruments which lie ready
to their hand.
No one denies that this is an evil A yery
serious evil the diversion of the thoughts of a
high responsible officer from the concerns of his
station to the petty details of his own ambi-
tious projects. A still greater evil the corrup-
ton such ambition combined with such power
cannot fail to breed When we think that
with very few exceptions all our subordinate
nicenolders are chosen, NOT in consequence Of