Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1861-01-18
To Office Seekers.

The Democratic party, now happily de-
ceased, furnished notable illustration of
this. 1t would seem to dispassionate
observer who had watched the course of
the present national administration, that
the whole purpose for which the govern
ment was conducted, was to furnish plum
der for the greedy unprincipled partizans
who crowd around the Executive.
10 have been at Washington at the COM
mencement of Mr.. Buchanan's term, and
to have watched the scrambling for plum
der, the loathsome obsequiousness, and the
utter abandonment of all manly self re-
spect of the applicant, and the miserable
intriguing favoritism which directed the
disposition of the spoils, were enough to
sicken every honest man at the thought
of federal Office
The fact is that public offices were in
tended for the service and benefit of the
country, and the country was net made for
the sake of giving Offices to the greedy.
Our institutions are such that young
men can rise from the most humble to the
most exalted station. That raw, I'M
calmly, rail-splitting youth should be able
by his own merit, to become President of
great nation is one of the happiest fruits
of our system, and an encouragement to
struggling merit everywhere. 1t is no.
BILE sight to see young man struggling
upwards, despite of poverty and misfor-
tune, and by his own unaided efforts and
his own merit, making himself honorable
and respected.
But when youthful ambition instead of
seeking distinction by merit engages in
scrambles for station, then it becomes a
curse instead of blessing. No true ex-
cellence ever came by that path. No man
ever grew up to be great and noble, an
honor to himself and q blessing to his
country, by commencing hungry appli-
cant for office.
1t is indeed strange, that men will
strive and labor hard for petty Office,
when the world is full of far better OPP
portunities for moral, intellectual and pc
cuniary advancement.
A few days since we noticed going the
rounds of the Republican newspapers, an
article headed "Plums of the Republican
Pudding" in which the number of Offices
in the Boston Custom House and theil
salaries were given as one of the fruits Of
the Republican victory. If such were the
only fruits it were better that that victory
had never been won.
Were we to enumerate the plums of the
Republican pudding, we should say that
there are in Boston thousands of places
where honest and capable young men cal
in legitimate and honorable employment
earn any where from one hundred to tel
thousand dollars year without fear O
being turned out by every shifting politica
gale, orwhat lisa great deal better there ar,
millions of stations where men may earn al
honest, honorable livelihood without losin.
his self-respect, or feeling that he is de
pendant for his bread upon the caprice
of a political demagogue.
If any man, young or old, is fit to hole
an office, he is fit to live without it. If;
young man is capapable of filling clerk
ship in a Custom House, at salary o
$1,000 per annum, he can do as well o
better as clerk or accountant in privat
capacity. If honor and notoriety is wha
he wants let him steal sheep, or rob he,
roosts and get promoted for it. He vii
then be sure of getting notice
Since the doctrine that to the victor
belong the spoils has become the pre-
valcnt theory, no man can hold govern
ment Office without being in danger of los
ing his manliness. His daily bread mus
. depend on his obsequiousncss to his sup'
|. riors. He is expected and required I
7 uphold the administration in every r,
9 spect, if not, off goes his official head.
he has an independent thought or G,
r presses an honest, manly conviction, SON
!. eager, hungry aspirant is ready to carr
7 the news to his superiors, and he mu
give place to some more obsequious instr,
ment
h In view Of the abascment and obscqu