Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1858-12-31
THE sTATE GoYERNMENT.

this country, is the reorganizatons, annually
of the State, and quadrennially, of the Nation
al Governments, with an almost entire change
of the officers and Of the political character Of
the administrations, yet without riot, tumult,
or any Of the excitements which occur in a
revolution, or even in an ordinary change Of
rulers in other countries. Naturally, as day
fades into night, and as the night brightens in
to morning, these changes take place, as quiet
" and peacefully as if every citizen considered
it, not necessity, merely, but as one that is
conclusive to his own particular personal vel
fare. Less than one week will elapse before
this annual change takes place in the capital of
our own State, when the entire Government,
now in power retires, and new one, COM
posed in part, it is true, of the same men, will
succeed to its place, by virtue of the election
held the last month
The Inauguration Of the new Government
is ever a matter of deep interest to the citizen,
whether he feels it to be So or not, as the char
acter and official acts of the Government have
an influence rarely appreciated, as well on the
public morals, as on the social, POLITICAL and
pecuniary interests of the people. But, at the
present time, the subject is invested with a
greater than usual degree of interest, The not
very gradual decentralization of our politics, and
the abuses and corruption which had been intro
duced into the administration of our public
affairs, prior to the election in November, 1856,
had caused such we'll founded and wide spread
alarm, that the people determined on a change,
and effected it at that election. As result Of
that change, a check was put upon the waSteful
expenditure of the public money and more than
half a million dollars a year was saved The
system of fayoritism, by which subserviency
to the powers that be, rather than the proper
qualifications for public trust, WAS made the
basis Of appointments to office, was done away
with, check was put upon the Legislation
which regarded party interests rather than
the public welfare, and other reforms, of sim
liar character, were initiated and carried for
ward, SO far as the time and the circumstances
of the cases, respectively, would permit
In this state Of things, the new Government
is to be inaugurated, and in view thereof, the
with peculiar interest. The Legislature in
both its branches, is essentially a new one; so
small is the portion of the present members
which have been returned to it. 1t therefore
remains to be determined, whether it will take
up the work Of reform, where the Legislature
Of 1858 left it, and, going forward in the direc-
ton which they indicated, carry it on to its
contamination, or whether it will permit the
abuses Of former years to be renewed and get
new foothold. If the members carry out the
wishes and expectations Of their constituents,
there will be no fear OF the results, and we will
hope for the best till we have evidence of the
contrary. But watchfulness over our public
men is the surest way Of securing such course
as we wish and expect. 1t is one of the evils
that all dominant parties have to contend with,
in free Government, that many of the most
unprincipied politicians flock to their standard,
and seek to control them and to use them, for
their own particular benefit. And it should
not be concealed, that there are, now, in the
Republican ranks, many of those, who were
deeply involved in the abuses and corruptions
Of former years, some of whom have obtained
seats in the Legislature. Such should be made
to understand, that they are looked after, and
that their interest consists in carrying out the
wishes and expectations of the people. Satisfy
them of this, and we may, with more certainty,
calculate upon their voting rightly,
We have no fears of any open attempts to
renew old abuses or to institute new ones, ex-
cept under the pretence of reform. 1t is, in
deed, under some such covert pretence, that
abuses too often originate. And this makes it
the more incumbent on us, to watch carefully
the course of legislature, to scan every new
measure that shall be proposed, and to weigh
well the consequences of its adoption.
The new Legislature may, if they will, dc
much to relieve the people of the burthens
which yet press upon them, as the result of the
bad legislation OF former years If they will
come directly up to the work, honestly and
fearlessly, as we trust they viii, in the foot
steps OF the Legislature that has preceded them,
they will entitle themselves to the gratitude
and respect of the people, and will receive it.
If they do not, another year will find other
men in their places.
An attempt will be made, as we understand,
to have an extra session for the revision of the
Statutes We have heard no good reason Civ
en- for it. and do not, as now informed, believe
it wise Or polite. We think the subject should
be taken up at once, and proceeded with, and
can see no good reason why the work may not
be done, with all other necessary legislation,
in less time than has been occupied by the ses-
sions of some of the Legislatures of late years.