New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1857-07-10
TuR VIVID HUNT rors OFFICE.

Within the past few years this country has in one
particular presented to the world spectacle to which
no parallel can be found in recorded human history
and which we hope may soon pass away, never again
to be revived IT undoubtedly but natural result
Of the character Of our institutions and the great
prosperity and accumulated public wealth that has
marked our brief existence nation that all classes
should take an intense interest in the political affairs
Of the country 1t is, indeed, quite right and desi
rable that they should do 90 that in country
where the people themselves supposed to govesn
they should seek to become acquainted with the char
acter and workings Of their political machinery with
view to its proper management and should interest
themselves in everything pertaining thereto. But,
unfortunately the matter has been entirely oyerdone
They have become SO thoroughly educated in the
science Of government and the performance of off
cal functions that everybody feels competent to try
his hand successfully and wants an Office, and ,vA
haze IT, if it can be obtained by losing sight of every
other consideration. Hence every Office, bestowed by
appointment or by the will Of the people, becomes
the prize Of desperate rough.and-tumbe scramble,
in which the most active or the most shrewd and
alert generally prove successful The question is not
who is the best fitted for the place, but who can
get it.
The nation has virtually relinqushed its own mode
rate and equitable supervision Of public affairs to
mob Of Unsuitable Office hunters, who, when they
have nothing more to gain in that pursuit. turn their
attention to office making, and help their fellows up
to places below them. And thus, from correct and
simple mode Of administering the government in all
its various branches, have fallen into the practce
of the most abstrse and costly experiments in potl-
cal economy and into the most deploraby compllca'
| ted ways of carrying on the numerous functions
| required by the operations of the public SER
vice. Indeed, sundry branches of the latter are
wonders Of ingenuity in defeating the accomplish
ment of anything having useful purpose in view.
All the circumocution Of the Barnacle family would
fail in attempting to improve upon their mode OF
| finding out :" how not to do q thing" And this is
true not Of the Federal government aone but we be-
| lieye Of every State government in the Union.
This country is not alone in suffering from NAL
Administrations consequence of bad system or bad
men in office other nations have heen and probably
always will be afflicted in the same manner. But
when to this are added the other elements that go to
make up the present condition of our home politics
the miraculous greed for office aud spoils and the
perfectly astounding proportion of the whole popula
ton who engage in the scramble for them, the cool
ness with which everything else is sunk out Of sight
in that absorbing pursuit. and the frenzy with which
oil classes and all parties-the whole population, in
fact, men, women and children-support the preten
sons Of their respective favortes and rush headlong
into the discussion of all imaginable questions pub
lie interest and policy-t forms spectacle so very
remarkable and rare that we do not believe it has
ever been produced by any other nation under the sun
As an example of the extent to which the political
mania takes precedence Of everything else, and OBJ
trades itself where it has business, recent Incl
dent which occurred in Troy, N. Y, is strikingy to
the purpose On the LIST inst, during the session Of
the i" Mechanics and Working Mems Central Com
mittee"-a large industrial association, which has its
clubs all over the State-a committee of Democrats
| and committee of Black Republicans applied fol
| admission, with the openly avewed purpose of cleo
pioneering to obtain votes for their respective parties
at the next election. At last accounts neither com
mtee had obtained permission to enter the hall, bu
no doubt their importantly ,coa obtain it Or breal
up the session. ....... d
| 1t does not exactly square with our taste to writ
homilies upon any subject but will remark here tina
few things are more demoralizng than the greed 70
place and power 1t is not only, when indHlged in tt
excess dangerous to the integrity of the aspirant bu
to every one who comes fairly under its influence.
has sins to answer that not dreamed Of hnte
at in the decalogue. Bribery false-swearing an
illegal voting are common pecadilloes laid to it
charge every day and laughed at but If all its offence
against morality and society could be heaped upo
4 the shoulders of one man, the meekest Quaker con
,munity that ever existed since the days of Pen
would not hesitate an instant to visit upon him til
4 certain and speedy punishment of lynch law.