Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1858-08-21
The rsse and the 1ressnt.

tne t1e< u 700 piaiuy sna Peia'"Hy sPisie"'~
thas Ne have degsnsrated in political morality
since tleeerljcr days Of the Republic, when, nc
matter how severe ths strifes of partisan warfare
thsrs wxs only u hcssrab!e. heightened, and I'm.
sSlsh contest for ts power 10 control the legi.a-
tipn. Of hesosptry.
iBefors the "a Of yacksonism. political parties
cc.tssdsd sslsly for the establishment Of peculiar
principles Of Uoveranent There we're warm and
eicited campaieas in those days but they were
contests Of principle alone. The great shock OF
The struggle bstvesa the Republicans and FEEDER
aIists in the beginning Of the present century
conyulscd the whole naton-bnt the ISSUE was
simply whether The Government shcnh be con-
ducted upon the Denocratic principles II ,letrr
con. or the Federal principles II 'Ia7'lson al
Washington. Il was only when the jackso..i"n
dynasty introduced new ideas into American poll
tisr-wasn shs infaneas Aoe.r;se proclaimed
that "to the vietors belong the spoils'-when
psrty services wess recognised constituting the
gieateet dam ssd Qualification fac cS6ce-that
our national politics assumed new phase and
or slectous Asgsneratsd from . high-tcncd con-
test for principle 10 miserable and selfish strug
gle Er he Aonoss and enoluments Of ofhT.
Since, then. va have rapidly progressed from
bad u 3dfA-And or progression has been ac-
tolerated BY the general adoption Of universal
ss3neA pThe policy which jackson introduced
of appointing political favoritss to eff'e and of
removing men whose qualifications were undi>pu-
ted, bat who did not happen to accord with the
Administration in political sentimcrt-a pol'eyso
harsh. SO rigid. 80 unjust, 40 tyranncnl- =,
almost necessarily, adopted by other parties in
tho spirit OF just retaliation. Thus it mas hap
peAsd that our political struggles have beromr. To
40 great an extent, mere contests for the posses
sion Of the Government without reference to any
fundamental principles Of policy which it is to
be conducted.
Erm the general recognition Of the rule that
lealous service in the interests Of party entities
man to political promotion. the transition is nm
easy to new test Of party fidelity lately pro-
claimed by the Washington Union. That journal,
the leading exponent Of Democratic principles and
policy in the United States has more than init
mated in q recent article that it is the duty Of
the employees of the Government to contribute lib
orally Of their salaries to promote the interests Of
the party 10 which they are indebted for their po-
siton. That we may not be accused of exasgera-
ting the facts f the case, reproduce an extract
from that journal. from the tenor IF ST., j.. i
not be difficult for the reader TO draw his
clusIon:
I'VE see it reported--we 10 not enc upon what
authority-that tax is II. ed upon the persons
employ ed in the Government service, and the pay
ment thereof exacted. We are quito Ignorant Of
the authority upon which this pay meat is demand
cd, or the purposes to which it is applied when
received. We trust, however, tina. whatever may
be thus collected may be wisely and economically
applied to advance the interests of the Democratic
party in its great struggle with the Orposition,-
1t is said that from oncCluartcr 10 .,Hhat oil one
per cent on the salaries Of u ials Is thus exact
ed. Now, without knowing anything Of 'lc al
leset tax and with no belief i'll its existence n
general thing, We have Just this 10 say the SUBJ
ject. If there is person in the puhlc fer,ice
who does not voluntarily contribute the a.npant
mt least of two dollars and half year each
thousand dollars Of his salary, To support tho
cause Of the Democracy, he Stouti be dismissed at
snoe and his place filed BY one mho pof,taiic
and liberal enough 10 double lie contributions. We
believe the cause to jusfity is support, aud those
scho refuse to aid in that patriotic cork shosti De
the iasf,to complain u they are d,prired 81 the
special farors Of those in porer.'
There is 40 mistaking the meaning OF The above
paragraph, for. it u.s. in every ll... ~. v' sufh-
GENTLY specific. The Union Processes .sn,-
rance Of su,ha tax upon the official, %. 10 Gov
eminent and doubtless il honest in the assertion
1t may not positively know Of particular instance
in which the tax has been levied; yet the writer
must be aware that il is almost notorious thing
in Washington City-scsrcely even attempt
cd to be concealed by the parties themselves that
such an assessment 10 made and is almost univcr-
sally paid. There is compulsian ,4sei to pro-
cure the paymsnt-perhaps not threat Of
dismissal from odce-but it is expected Of them,
in aid ofthe party, in all closely contested cleo
tons. and it is generally paid because i, is rx-
pected.
But this Is not the point. The Union maintains
that whether such tax is paid or not, it ought
to Be. In other words. that it should he under
stood as one Of the conditions ON which any 90
should accept Office st tho hands Of the Democratic
party. shat he contribute portcn of his pay to
the enhancement Of that partys interests. This
Is the sentiment which, very justly, is exciting
the indignant remonstrsnce OF the press all over
the country-and TO their honor be it said. of n
great many Of the leading Democratic journals of
the land.
Viewing 1t - q question Of right and Justice
people will soy that II the employees of Govern
msnt are paid more than their services arc worth,
It d the duty of Congress- to reduce it. II they
can spare q percentage OF their salaries to pay
Tor the advancement Of the Democratic cause, they
can submit to redacti0n Of their salaries to that
extent, without any personal inconvenience II
they can spare an annual contribution from their
pay, it is better it should be returned into the
Treasury, than to b employed in advancing the
fortunes of q politicsl marty Isisa ne,v doctr;,a