Spirit of the times. [volume] (Ironton, Ohio) 1853-1858, 1855-03-13

- Bur ysw d sks nsntsrs y
ths Csbsssss thst has just tsrmiasssd IL
sxistsacs. will take ssats in tie s4th
Congrsss. Tbs Anti. .Nsbraska wkirl.
wind prosssstsd alike. the true and shs
faiss. Wa doubt whsthsr ths next Con-
grass will - sny improvement on that
I which vsnt Immediately before il. We
doubt whesher body Of mon almost On.
tirsly vi 3sut experience, in Legislative
sdsin, = issecmpstsnt 10 the adequate
discharge Of the duties Of the National
Lesislstsss Of the United States Of
America. f'
One Of ihe greatest humbugs Of tho
dsy. 10 tie doctrine. 30 often mouthed BY
hungry d>mssosuss--of rotation IN Of:
fee. 1t lis said 10 be democratic doc.
trine. though ! have never seen tho man
who was hardy enough to attempt to
prove Il democratic. | have heard ss
much u that sort Of stuff from wings,
a. from dsnocrats.
Letus veish this rotation idea in the
scales ofconmon sense. A man 10 chosen
represent . districtinC Congress. care
not how we'll qualified for tho place be
may be, how intimate his acquaintance
with the Rules and the History Of Lssis.
lation. he will have much to learn when
hs gets 10 Washington. He needs cape.
vience, in order 10 serve his constituen.
cy as hs should. On the expiration Of
his term,i he has been faithful, he should
be reelected. He has now some prac.
teal knowledge Of his duties; some &C.
quaintance with the actual state Of
things ia Washington; he knows how
to transact business with the various de.
partments Of the Government; and more
than this, be is wide awake to the cor.
rupting influences at the capitol. He
can now accomplish very much more
than it was possible fof him 10 have
done. during the early period Of bis Con.
grsssional career. Yet, on his return, the
dsmagosue yell Of "rotation," is raised
asainst him, and he,is put aside 10 ia.
vor another, who cannot, in the nature
ofthings. discharge the duties Of Mem.
Der Of Congress, half 90 we'll. And,
meanwhile, his constituents. and the
whole country are suffering under the
effects ofignorant, hasty, and immature
legislation,
Whom man has been clothed with
Official trust, and proves himself unwor.
thy. rotate him ont, at once. But. If he
has given proof Of honesty, fidelity, and
capacity keep him in office.ifyou please.
as long as he lives. What wo want. is
faithful and experienced public service.
That business man would be fool,
who should discharge an accomplished
accountant, merely because he had been
in his service for years. He would be
idiotic indeed, If be made practice OF
dispensing with the services of others
40 soon as they had become sufficiently
acquainted With his business io be able
to serve him faithfully. And ~, that
which is manifestly stark folly in private
business, is thought by some to be ,ois.
dom, as applied to public concerns
Excuse me, gentlemen, but can't see
how any man with common sense can
hold an opinion so glaringly absurd.
Look st the evils Of this doctrine.-
"Rotation in office" has made politics a
trade. 1t has given birth Il to tho vile
maxim that "to the pictor, belong the
spoils." 1t has created swarm Of vaga.
bond politicians who are forever in
mischief, and who, unfortunately ARE too
often placed in stations for which they
are utterly unfit. It has kept honest men
out Of Office. 1t has generated the
whole scheme Of 'wire.working." 1t
has made about all the dishonesty and
corruption. 10 high places, under which
tho country has groaned for years.
These are the legitimate fruits Of this
political herssy. and il anybody darss to
deny that 1t is SO. it can be proved. to
demonstration.
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