Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1857-06-25
SPIRIT OF THE MORNING PRESS.

The InteiIigeNceT mOurns over the degene-
racy Of the times, as exemplihed in the tone OF
populasA political sentiments of the day. While
we subscribe heartily to much, very much our
respected friends say in this eloquent, just and
powerful article, we demur most emphatically
to the inference fairly deducible from it. that
the disease of indiscriminate ofice-seeking af-
fects the Democratic party alone. Our friends,
if they will turn over but a very few leaves in
their memories, will surely recolect that the
pressing solicitations Of his dear friends did
more than aught else to hurry President Harri-
son to the grave; and that never, in the whole
history of the Government, has the disease
ragged to so deplorable and disgusting extent as
during his brief occupancy of the Executive
chair. In concluding the article on which we
comment above the hteiigeneer moralizes as
follows:
eve may expect, however, TO witness this pc
riodical scramble Che word has the merit of be-
ing descriptive IL not classical) for official pa
tronage so long as the worse than feudal doctrine
on which il is founded maintains hold upon the
retainers of party. As under the system Of feudal
tenure the baron had his fautors and servitors so
under our present system of public patronage the
relations between those who give and those who
receive the honors and emOluments of official
place would seem to be of a character equally sig
nlncdbt OF protection granted on the one hand and
dependence confessed on the other, as indeed is
implied in the etymology of the word (pn fronage)
by which these relations are expressed Yet for
the poor honor OF thus being tenants al will liable
at any moment to forfeit the protec ion of the pa
Tonage they receive, multitndes are found ready
10 sacrlnce the personal pride of being the archi-
tects OF their own fortune in country whore that
PERSONAL pride is deemed the most sensitive and
where the avenues OF enterprise and employment
lie open to all who choose TO enter them Under
circumstances like these, is il not anomalous that
the ''wid hunt for oftice'' should vet be SO char
acteristc of the American people, and does not
fact 50 extraordinary indicate some strange per-
versity and corruption in the current morality Of
our modern politics 20
The Union says:
The points decided by the Pennsylvania Su-
Preme Court, on the application for an Injunction
10 restrain the Pennsylvania Railroad COMPANY
from becoming the purchaser of the main line Of
The public works of that State, were Us follows
81. That the Legislature had constitutional au-
thor1ty TO authorize the sale of the main line.
- That the Pennsylvania Railroad COMPANY
may lawfully become purchaser at such sale
-. That the Legislature have constitutional
authority TO repeal the tonnage tax
- That the Legislature cannot bind the State
by contract from imposing equal taxes and that
the condition of sale to the Pennsylvania Rail-
road Company in that respect is void and an in
junction to that extent is granted. But
IS. That in all other respects the sale may 90
on and the Pennsylvania Railroad Company NAV
bid and purchase on the same terms as other cor
pora,iOns or Individuals"
The Union also announces that Governor
McMullin will leave this city for Washington
Territory about the Goth proximo.