Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1857-03-18
Rotation in Office.

Uncontradcted reports from Washington du-
ring the last two weeks, inform us that rotation
in office" will be the order of the day with the
new Administration. Some doubt exists as TO
the extent to which removals will be carried; it
being asserted on one hand that inferior minis
terial officers will be spared, and on the other
that there will be clean sweep,sooner or later,
with few exceptions. n recent and apparently
authentic announcement declares that the Presi-
dent regards four years service in important
places" as furnishing reason for change. The
plain English of it is, that every occupant OF
place worth having will be ousted to make way
for new man. According to this rule, not on
" must Heads of Departments and Foreign Min
listers 90 out, but also Heads of Bureaus, Cmet
Clerks, Consuls, Collectors of the Revenue, Sub
Treasures, Indian Agents, Land Agents, Mar
shals, District Attorneys, Postmasters in the
cities and large towns, &c. Indeed, 1t covers
the whole ground, and throws the doors WIDE
open to office seekers for such is the rage Tor
office that there is no place, whether 1t pays or
not. which somebody besides the incumbent
therefore, has cause to tremble, and enterprlslng
outsiders who are ambitious to serve the public
had better stir themselves. Let them be as en-
ergetic and prompt as possible, they VIII stlll
find somebody ahead of them. We are credibly
Informed that one gentleman who was only talk
ed of as likely to occupy seat in the Cabinet,
was, previous to the Inauguration, besieged by
applicants for one place or another.
For Federal office holders we have no parti-
cular sympathy. The party to which the pres
ent generation belong, introduced the doctrine
of rotation" and consistency requires them to
carry it out. 1t has heretofore been very
pleasant operation to them, when they had to
turn out Wings and put in Democrats. 1t Will
hardly be so agreeable now, but we shall take
little malicious pleasure in seeing the elected Of
ticials treated to dose of their own physic. At
the same time q benevolent man might feel
some compassion. The recent famous victory
is like the apples of Sodom to the whole race OF
office holders. After all their labor and expen-
diture of time and money, what have they gain
ed? They have their President, but lose their
place-the victory turned to ashes just when
they were about to sit down quietly and enjoy
it. 1t is not uncharitabe to say that most Of
them were less influenced by patriotic motives
than desire to keep in office, and in losing that
they are deprived of everything they value.
South Carolina, with all her vagaries, has
some admirable traits She seems to be the
only State in the Union not given over to othee
seekers. The present Postmaster at Charleston
IS said to be the second one who has held the
station since the organization of the General
Government, and for the eleven "important"
Federal offices in the State there are now only
two applicants The entire Congressional dele
CATION, with the exception of Mr.. Orr, are OPP
posed to the principle of rotation" Notwith-
standing the pleasure we have promised our
selves in witnessing the practical operation OF
the principle, we must approve and admire their
position. As we have formerly said, the doc
trine of rotation" is false in theory and injuri-
Gus in practice. 1t proceeds upon the erroneous
idea that public offices are constituted for the
benefit of individuals who may hold them, in
stead of the community at large; and results in
filling the places with inexperienced and incom-
petent men. Just when Consul at foreign
port has qualified himself to discharge his duties,
he must retire that some other independent vo-
ter may receive the fees. As soon as an Indian
Agent has acquired sufficient knowledge and ex-
pereuce to render good service he must come
back to civilized life and allow successor to
take an excursion among the savages at the ex-
pense of Government. And so of nearly every |
ministerial Office. Frequent changes necessarily
cause detriment to the public business, besides
fostering a restless desire after Office in indivi-
duals, which prevents thousands from forming
habits of steady industry, and is thus an evil of
no small magnitude. But the triumphant De-
mocracy demands rotation" and we submit.