Arkansas true Democrat., 1857-11-17
MO-. G..

oi executive, legislative or ministerial officials that can escape its judgment. Why relinouish so Vaiuaoie, conservative and salutary prnci- pie Tor such a two-edged weapon as rotation? prlnclple that admits of TO discretion in it's application: Is mere political gulotine, Sa- turn that stays its own children, and as relent- lessly destroys the useful and accomplished statesman as 1t does the useless and contempti- ble t-house politician.
 Step by step we have traced this question through the line of presidents to follow it through the subordinate offices of government, "ouiu De an endless task and can not be ex- Pec'ed oi us lii addition, however to the iac's we nave cited as regards the several de- mocratic presidents it is to be remembered that there was not one of them but that had pre- viously held official positions of the higher grades some of them for years upon years, and several had also filled the vice presidential chair Had this principle of rotation in office been acted upon how less than meagre would nave been the magnificent galaxy of brilliant names that now glisten over all our historical armament. Besides those patriots that filled , tme presidential chair, the names of such as ohnton, Iompkins, Mason, Giles, Macon, John- son. son "oodoury Wright, King, Calhoun, Marcy, iahey, Dallas, Davis and Cass, might, per- chance, have never made their way beyond the plttul limits of some narrow and contracted locality. Where ignorance is bliss 'tis folly to be wise."
 In the present advocacy of rotation the ar- gument has been adduced that, as the people are sovereign they cannot be called upon to give a reason for what they may see proper to do Grant the proposition to be true and we shall ind another, cognate one, of equal truth viz: that the people are in the habit of requiring a reason for any given course of action. In the adoption of principles of government of mea- sures of public policy and the choice of agents to give effect to their will, they demand reasons for what they do. God forbid the dawn of that day when our people shall demand less, for then, indeed, the knell of our doom will resOuud heavily over the darkened flood of time. God forbid the dawn of that day when our people shall fail to discriminate, in the se- lection of their servants, between those who possess merit and qualification, and those who fail to possess either; when intelligence, patr- otom, experience and integrity shall cease to command respect and sink to the dead level of ignorance aud selishness. The argument abov @ quoted and the application made of it are too sophistcal and transparent to deceive a child, and the use of it can only be accounted for on the suppoSition that there are some who con- ceive that their personal advancement might be promoted by such a state of things as we have 1 indicated, whose powers are too weak and fee. be to pursue the upward paths that lead to | legitimate and honorable distinction. To such the degradation of intellect and merit migh I prove welcome evebt, but to the people 1t would prove to be the pha and omega" of | ruin and disaster. CONSERVATIVE.
 Ss5astian county, Arh., Oct. 12th, 1857.