The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-03-02

with intriguing, managing politicians, and
the manufacturers Of cabalistic platforms, and
occult creeds to mislead the people The Pitts
burg Convention is one of the fruits Of this sys-
tenn of irresponsible representation.
The next most visible effect Of this work Of
political Generalization is to be seen in the
scramble which we witness for the public Of
fees, and the change produced in the dis
pensiDg power, from the Executive to members
of Congress and Senators. Places are now
farmed out by the federal representatives to
their active agents in the States, to the subser-
Went press and the more subservient local in
struments, with regularity and precision such
as might be expected only from some absolute
ruler of the nation. Meanwhile, the President,
who is himself but an instrument of the general
apparatus, skulks behind the Congressional re-
commentators, which are, in fact, the war
rants of his authority to act The constitution,
it is true, dsvolved the duty OF appointments
upon him, with the concurrence of the Senate;
but both these obligations are taken from the
legal parties, and the appointments and con-
6rmations, with rare exceptions, settled either
by local conventions and individuals or by
Senators and members Of Congress. So far has
this shameless work progressed that the lat
ter parties have become sentinels at the
doors Of the Executive mansion, to pass
whom is impossible without q previous war
rant from themselves. The President is,
in fact, inaccessible to the pe0ple-he
speaks con ,erniDg the duties they devolved
upon him, only through the three hundred
representatives to the national Legislature,
who, by the machinery of parties have be-
come his masters, the dispensers Of Executiv
Offices and favora In this condition Of things,
what wonder is it that there is growing IRE.
sponsbility amongst federal agents-a loose
state Of morals and accountability, and vast
increase Of expenditures on the part Of the
Treasury has SO many leaks, and the people so
many defaulters THAT public and private
morals have so fearfully declined, and that
questionable reputation and ignorance are in
stalled in high places? What wouder is it that
our foreign affairs have been so badly con-
Quoted, our legislation corrupted, our govern
meDt surrounded by horde Of Spectators,
gamblers and moral lepers?- that the public
lands bave been squandered, the pu lie treasu
~ robbed, and the national character dis
graced?
All these results have followed the induction
Of the caucus and convention system; and as
that system has become the law to all parties,
and it's principles have been generally carried
into execution, SO have we descended 10 the
scale Of national corruption and official bri-
berry, 1t has made government of singular
stability and purity in design and practice.
one of management, uncertainty and fraud.
1t has stricken dos all the best of our public
men, and thus added ingratitude to crime. 1t
has converted the public offices into tnstru-
ments Of selfish demagoguism, combining re-
wards to INSCRIPTIONS partizaus, prescribing
integrity and ability, and building up every
where in the Union an overshadowing dezpot-
ism unknown to the constitution, aud utterly
.ubversive of the true principles Of demo-
cratic equality.