Daily national Democrat., 1860-03-17
51aiIr qyationaI Democrat.
. word on the City Election.

DruocpAr Your journal, as l
,...,ood. is always open to eommunlea-
u"u.' . a.recially upon public questions, and
Ttoke some interest in our coming city
wish to have one say any way,
e'S .;, is over. l am as much in favor OF
LII Limo marty distinctions as any one' but l
. .nrot conceive the object of such course
.anv of our city elections, when it is upon
,.,o - particular question affecting our own
I,,ol affairs. That desperate effort Is beng
Sade to make such distinctions and to arouse
mnortv animosities upon outside or nntional
.,;oNs is true. and that it is to be used to
,rry ont the purposes of those who have
'.,.ofore ' been the especial objects of party
r,ror and who know that in proper and
,;,i,imote fight they would be the last ones
.'lrn nm 1t is not proper that party feeling
.hould be aroused or tests made only with the
obove exception. All other issues are for
.;., 70 the selection of our city officers and
t.ad,olead mems minds off from the true
ands to be accomplished by such election, to
nrofer men who will pander to party predJ-
ndioes and esteem one class of citizens above
another and to dispense favors unequally, to
% create unkind feeling and to defeat the
,erv object of this municipal government in
which each have an equal interest
From such party distinctions between dlt-
farept classes of citizens and the spirit OF Ia
voriti.m shown heretofore, selfish feeling
has been called into action which almost vir-
tually suspends that social feeling which
should be especially fostered in relation 10
our city affairs and when at this time our
officers are to be elected for the long time OF
two years, every mans personal interests
have become deeply involved in the result
of this contest. The object of government is
in no event to be used in carrying out the
ends of any particular class, but the advance
ment of the general good and to protect the
interest of all classes and conditions. Our
city government was not established by any
set of persons for their own peculiar benefit,
but for the mass, for their general good, the
protection of person and the enjoyment of
nroperty, to establish social feeling and
community of interest An election held un-
der the determinations that are made 80 tar,
would be opposed to the entire object of the
establishment of our city government, to give
it an aspect of political party ruling in our
city dispensing its patronage and favors to
its own satellites of officers, elected upon
purely national principles, holding office for
the spols and not placed in office upon any
question affecting the local interests of our
city. Then the selection of our city officers
to carry on our city government for the next
two years should be of such men who are
identified and worthy to be trusted with its
interests, who will carry out its objects and
conduct its affairs on the most economical
scale of persons who act free from party
tests, influences and prejudices, in short, men
who will do the greatest good to the greatest
number and have the prosperity of the city
at heart.
Again, men should be elected who are the |
farthest removed in their acceptance of Of |
flee from the consideration of the amount to
be received by them from their Office ad-
nit that the frailty of human nature is not
proof against such temptation. But the larg-
est amount given to any city officer under
the new charter, with perhaps the exception
Of Marshal, is not sufficient to tempt the Gu
pidity of any one, taking into consideration
the labor to be performed, and no one who |
seeks office now for its spoils alone can be a
proper person to hold it, and yet it is noto
rious that prominent candidates on the "Dem-
'eratic" ticket seek position for the fees of
'fice, Insignificant as they are. Such men
will not do.
Then it is already talked of by aspiring
candidates to official honors and for official
to evade the true intent and |
meaning of the new charter by legal quibbles,
to increase the expenses and consequently |
the taxation of the city instead of decreasing
it, for the purpose of feeding at the public
crib, If it can be done. I do not know but the
attempt will be made to misconstrue the
new charter. Both tickets should present
sufficient names from which to make a good
choice. The only question should be who
will make the most competent and faithful
officer "VER1rAs"