The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1857-10-15
WASHINGTON. D. c..
From the Richmond 4 Va South
EVILS OF ORGANISM.

II was not at all surprising that 9 politician
of NJ. Buebansn's sseacity should svow a re
pugnapce TO organs" and decline to avail
himself Of their services in the conduct of hi:
Administration. The public accepted the cir.
cumstsnce as an encouraging augury.
In countries where the personal will of the
Sovereign is the supreme power in the State,
AID Government relies upon military force,
rather than the support Of public opinion, q
Court Journal is o logical and perhaps neces-
sary institution. But organism " is quite out
of place in these United States, where the
President is responsible to the people, and the
public judgment is determined by reason, in
stead of authority. taJ--,ll .F.a.l
So far from being help, " organism is as.
certained to be a positive hindrance to an AID.
ministration. For suspicion of corrupt mo-
tive not only deprives journal of its legitimate
influences, but attaches something of odium to
the cause it is retained to support When an
Administration employs the interested assist
anee of professional apologists, the common
sense of the masses instantly concludes that it
wants the strength of conscious integrity. This
effect is independent of the ability with which
the "organ" NAV direct its efforts bat ordi-
narily, the unskillfulness of its aim aggravates
the inevitable mischief Of its recon. Instead
of extricating an Administration from difficulty,
the "organ" only multipGes its embsrrass
ments.
Determined BY these obvious considerations
or by others which his long experience and
acute intellect might suggest, Mr.. Buchanan
gave the public to understand that no organ
shoald ensumber the course of his Administra-
ton. But the Washington Union is not so
easily shaken from Its grasp on the Treasury.
With the capacious swallow of an earthquake,
~ ofsil rafrooa 10 AZ no OF four uaars &C
interrupted suction Neither will it willingly
lose the dignity and power which it enjoys in
virtue of its confidential relations with the Elk
ecutive. So, despite the well-known wishes OF
the President, the Union affects to be the spe
cial organ" of the Administration. In what
manner this arrogant pretension has affected
the interests of the Executive, the history OF
the Kansas controversy will suffice TO show,
without any reference to other instances of in
discretion.
Cut off, in point of fact, from all confidential
communication with the Cabinet, the Union
was left to It's own unaided sagacity to ascer-
tain the policy of the Administration. Inflamed
with an impatient desire to signalize its zeal in
the service of liberal patron, it eagerly avail.
ed itself of every opportunity to extol the meas.
ures of the Executive. Thus ignorant of the
Presidents purposes, and thus anxious to ap.
Plaud his wisdom, the Union is necessarily
precipitated into many embarrassing blunders.
If it awaits an authoritative exposition of Cab
met policy, some enterprisipg contemporary may
get the start in praise of the Administration.
Rather than be beaten in this momentous RI
valry, the Union prefers to run the hazard of
misrepresenting the policy of the Executive.
In the worst event, hnmilisting recantation
can atone for the error.
1t was by such an impulse, and under such
considerations, that the Washington Union was
betrayed into an early an emphatic approval of
Walkers acts in Kansas. The enemies of the
Administration represented that paper to speak
at the suggestion of the Cabinet; and, pleased
with the compliment, it assumed an air of
authority which deceived a few Democrats
into the opinion that it was indeed an I" or.
gan" of the Administration. Thus, for a
time, the President was held responsible for
measures which he did not approve, and,
by the objectionable indiscretion of blunder-
ing zealot, was reduced to the necessity of ex.
planning his position in public letter.
The rebuke is obvious to all the world; but
the Union unfortunately does not feel its force.
Again that paper essays to play the part of
Organ" and again the Administration will
suffer from its folly, if its utterances be accept
ed as the inspiration of the President.