Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1857-03-31

Whv7 then should men be continued in Office
at the seat of the federal governmental or else
where for twenty, thirty, OF even forty years
And more than this. Why should they be SO
retained, reaping the benefie of large salaries,
and quartering their. sons and relatives upon
the treasury, and, from long continuance in
Office, pleading the very indulgence as privi
lege and adequate cause against removal -
Indeed, many of these old pampered stays who
fattened upon government pap, when death
was about to sever their tenure to their annual
stipends, have been known to name their sue
cessors, in the person of debauched and
worthless son, ninny-hammer nephew, or an
tiquated brother. We are not without exam-
pies of whole families holding appointments
at Washington, and maintaining them with
terrier pertinacity for years. We never yet
have been able to perceive the justice, pro-
Priety, or even decency of quartering families
upon the government, when the applicants for
those appointments are so numerous, and
many of them confessedly qualified. The
shallow and ludicrous pretence set up by Office
holders themselves and sometimes glibly re-
iterated by their minions and parasites, and
other empty healed creatures, "that their ex
perience and knowledge in the business of
their posts are essential to the conduct and
management of the government" needs no re-
ply but to state that it is all claptrapand hum
bug. We opine that their experience and know
Ledge were acquired, perhaps after innunera-
bic blunders and at cost not easily compu-
ted, and surely if they are essential to the
interests of the government, when they ego
the way of all flesh" their will be an awful
hiatus in the affairs % the nation. 1t is the
utmost folly imaginable mot to say any thing
of the wicked hypocracy of the thing) for
these officials to pretend that their offices are
so difficult and hard to fill. The mere state
meut makes the lip curl with dersion at the
verdancy of some or corrugates it with scorn
at the trckery of Others There is really no
mystery in the duties of any of those offices,
and weeks experience and observation of
man of sound parts and proper education would
make him more than an equal to many of
those half made, debauched and exhausted
creatures who originally owed their appoint
merts to influential kindred, congressman to
whom they played the lick-spittle, or perhaps
to the accident of being present watching for
death, resignation or removal, to make breach
and then falling in with the plea Of poverty.
The President, Vice-President, and the Cabi-
net have onerous, important and complicated
duties, to perform yet we have never yet
heard Ct training in their respective offices
being necessary preliminary. And the
same may be said of the foreign ministers,
heads of bureaus, &c, and to hear pulled ND.
self couceited inferior officials discoursing on
the difficulty, completely and mystery of their
duties is not only indubtabIe proof of their
being crack-br lined, but so supremcly absurd
and bare-faced as TO excite some degrees Il in
dignation. 1t would be queer : .4ed if with
in the limits of three mons of square miles,
and in pone.'auon of twenty four millions of
peoPSte,men could not be found capable of filling
the bureaus and clerkships at Washington if
the present incumbents should happen to die
or resign, the latter of which is not conlin-
gency. The stuff. of these official gabblers
about experience, tact" &c, is such as
dreams are made Of"
The principle of rotation in Office is a correct
one, 1t is agreeable to the genius of our Con-
stitution, providing for the election of the ex-
ecutive at stated periodic, aud also both branch
es of the national Legislature. Its recognition
and adoption would be beneficial! to the conn
try, preventing to great degree excitement
and corruption in elections, and we believe it
has the approval Of a large majority Of the
people OF the United States. Mr.. Buchanan
is under no obligation to adopt it in the dis
trihution of his appointments, but are sure
that the Democratic party, erpect him to adopt
it, and will not be satisfied with any policy at
variance with it. We think, Too, that he is in
better position than any former Chief Mag
istrate has been to set the precedent.
THE PUBIIC IANDS