Washington sentinel., 1854-06-24
ExEcUTIvE PATRONAGE.

on the necessity of sustaining the democratic
organization, necessity which, judging from
the tone, rather than the expression of its sen.
timents, it would urge even at the sacrifice of
the principles ofthe party. This organization
must be sustained, not alone in virtue of the
principles which it was formed to advocate and
promulge, but because the President is "for
the time being the head of the democratic
party )" and of consequence any expression Of
dissatisfaction at the course of his administra.
tion is blow aimed "at the party of which he
Is the head" In other words, the President
who has been elevated to rower by party.
must receive the unqualified support Of that
party, whether he represents their principles
or not. Such is the proposition which turks,
though not clearly expressed, in the article Of
the Union.
Such principle, if once established, would
be death blow to the republican party, and
would result IN the success of centralsm. We
yield to no man and to no paper in the strength
Of our allegiance and the sincerity of our devo-
tion to the democratic party. But that allegi.
ance and that devotion are derived from the
principles upon which the party has been
founded, and from the efficient means which
organization presents to carry those principles
into practice. For no light and trivial cause
would we seek to disorganize that party. For
nothing less than q violation of its political
system would we oppose the administration Of
Its choice. So far, we endorse cordially the
sentiments Of the Onion. If, therefore, in the
dispensation of his patronage, the President
should make an appointment which we did not
personally approve, or should refuse an appli.
cation which we desired him to grant, we would
willingly forego our personal predictions, for
the support Of his administration. But if in an
appointment, principle is involved, and the
President should sacrifice that principle for any
cause, then would We feel, not only justified, but
impelled to censure his course.
The federal government is strong enough
without any adventitious aids to bolster it up
in the administration of misdirected power.
1t can only fulfil the design for which it
was created when the checks and balances Of
its complicated organism are allowed freely to
work. When allthe elements Of the system act
mutually upon each other, affected, but not
controlled by the coordinate powers of the
government, then alone can the resultant be
the success and prosperity Of our institutions.
But when these coordinate branches are made
to subserve powerful and controlling execu.
tive, when they contribute to, and uphold ag-
gressions upon principle, which may be made
by the executive, then does the federal system
not only squint at monarchy, but it becomes
an absolute centralized despotism.
Where, indeed, is the real difference between
the policy prescribed by the Union, and mill
tary dictatorship? If President is to be
placed beyond the opposition, or even remon-
STRANGE of the controlling party in the country,
may he not, while looking from his high Office
upon the trembling, awe-struck, and subservi.
ent masses below him, well exclaim, in the
language Of the great Louis, "L'etat c'est
moi" The great principle of monarchy, that
the king can do no wrong, is at once estab.
lished. Strengthened in power and sustained in
aggression it would soon be followed up by the
rule Of perpetual dictator.
Apply the principle to practice Suppose
an administration should err, shall no one
dare to correct itf Suppose an administration
should become corrupt is there no power to
purify it? Is the mammoth party which ele-
waited this central idol, and clothed it with the
regalia of Office to bow down in awe and meek
submission to its own creation? 1t is but the
absurd principle of the heather to make god
and then to worship the work of their own
hands.
The result Of this tame subjection to any Elk.
ecutive would be to enhance its power and to
increaseit corruption, until its will would be
come law, and its nod would, indeed, be !" the
seal Of fate, the sanction of god" The pope
is not held more infallible in the see of Rome,
than the President would be in this degenerate
republic. The man who had the Independence
to demonstrate, would be forever proscibed
The statesman who looked back with honest
longing to the pure principles Of his faith.
would sink into obscurity. The press that was
reckless enough to lift its hand in support OF
the Constitution, would be held up as an exam.
pie of treason and infamy.
If parties were more equally divided, and
could thus serve as mutual checks TO the
growing power Of each other, there would be
less danger in the assertion Of the principle
which Turks in the article Of the onion. But
with the present prodigious growth Of the
democratic party, and with the large acces.
sions which sectional fanaticism will soon drive
into its organization, it is Of the greatest jim
portance to check the tendency which power
always has to centralize ITSELF The Constitu-
ton has wisely provided those checks, which
may easily be imposed by the different branches
Of the government. We would not rob the
Executive of any Of its legitimate power. We
would uphold it in its exercise; but we would
denounce q principle which would be the in
siduous means Of depriving the other CO ordi.
nate elements Of our system of the proper ex-