, 1861-04-04
Gbiraa9,-GE:ti :ti1ltt11e
THURSDAY, APRIL (, 1861


come from The Executive Department of
the government, is generally entertained;
hut It grows ont Of one Of the popular mis-
takes which assumes that The governmant
is, in practice, what we see it in theory.
We say nothing If The appointments
made directly from TIC Departments, about
which the President usually knows moth
ing,,to point out custom at Washington
which has grown into a law that the Chief
E6aa,siiiEe-aaRelyy=hass the boldness to dis
obey. IN the early days Of the govern
mcnt, in the creation Of officers, candidates,
amt this time were, mainly unknown 10
the Executive and his subordinatcs Of the,
Cabinet. Reference TO the- Member Of
Congress from the District in which the
applicant resided was only natural His
opinion was asked and the weight was
given to his testimony which attached to
that Of any other respectable citizen; but
he acted merely in an advisory capacity
aud always by request Of the appointing
power. His decision WIGS by no means,
whether favorable Or adverse to The candt
date, binding ~-Latter]y, however, what
WIS at first advisory has become rnanda-
tory, and now"for many years, Congress-
>nen have 80 far encroached upon the
Executive Departments that they demand,
each for himself, the nomination Of all the
local officers in their districts; and SO unreas-
= enable arc mankind that noncompliance
with the demand has grown to be a mortal
offence. The result Of the nole is that
: tAe = President. in this, one Of the
most Important Of his official functions
that upon which the success or failure Of his
Administration chiefly depends-has really
rs little power as private citizen The.
members Of the House Of Representatives
and tue Senators have pushed him of his
stool, aad perched thereon, they not only
make the laws, but with unequalled audac.,
ity select the officials by whom they are to
be carried into effect. 1tiseasy to see how
this usu1pation works. Hon. Mr.. Blow
hard has, by the aid Of 3 few interruptions
friends, succeeded in packing nominal
M convention in strong district, at 8
timeahen his nomination cannot be safely
~bolted,n and is elected. The service which
hiss been done him must be repaid and as
soon as be arrives in Washington, his ef-
forts in behalf Of his friends begin. He
does not inquire, VIII this nomination
please the public and insure the prompt
and faithful execution Of the required Off
cial du.iess will it be generally acceptable
to my party friends and rebound to the
credit Of our cause among the people at
largef-f No such questions as these dis
tract him. Can by this appointment pay
off tins man who carried Swamp Precinct
for me? Will my friend Shoulder Hitter,
ESQ, be content, after having fought my
battles, 10 accept this other place at my
disposal and call the account square? Can
secure the good will Of 3. Box stuffer,
Esq, and command his valuable aid for my
reelection By naming him for this third
post? THESE, astonishing as the inprma-
ton may be to the people, are, too frequent
IT,. The questions which control appoint
ments in these our days, under the new
rtz7i,ee which men1be1s Of Congress have
inaugurated and to which the few last
Presidents have unwillingly submitted.
The old Jeffersonian ruIe-Is he honest ?
is he capable? has been overs1auEhed
and forgotten in the usurpation which
has, grown apace; and great
majority Of the bad appointments
which have disyraced the preced-
ing Administrations, and which the Ad-
ulinistrafion now in power will not escape,
hare grown or will grow out Of this sur
render Of the Executive patronage into
irresponsible hands. Petitio s, under the
rule, addressed 20 the President, are worth
less. They are either not seen or are over
ridden by Congressional pressure; hence
save where they are addressed 10 the Mem- !
her Of Congress, and couched in language |
Which he dRres not disregard, arc of 10
worth. Merit, party service, fitness, ac.
oep:ahility t. the public, are no longer |
thought IF as. the Controlling points in the
decision which all Congressulen are called /
upon to make. Can 1pHy debt for ser
vice rendered., Can ! secure advantages
for my next eau7a:s? Can put relative |
in place? arc the only pertinent inquiries |
Members OF Congress are only common I
clay after a1l: They have the in1rmities
that belong to untitled men and to look
out for No One is as frequently the ami
mating motive as viii. the rougher dia-
monds who do the public less conspicuous
service. The function. that they have |
usurped is in the nature Of things frequent
II and grossly abused-more frequently
because The real appointing power con-
triyes to shuttle off the responsibility of his
acts upon+the Presidential shoulders, and
not unfrequently is, when at home, the
first to condemn in the Executive that
which he himself demanded as his right
1t is time that this system was broken
up-eitat tue appointing power power was
restored to the hands in Which the Consti-
tu'itil vests it, and that the legislative
l'rtuch Of the government was confined to
the duties expected Of it by = conhding
people. We ad*hoped that among; the
reforms which the Republican President
would undertake. this re-asserticn of the
inviolablily Of the Executive function
would be one. We are sorry to say, how
ever, that the sy stem Of which we com-J
plain is continued in full force and that
the President is -to-day, except in the
great appointments, only the instrument
Of Congressional diciation-the aman-
uensis who registers the DEGREES Of mem
bcrs and Of Congressional delegations
meeting by 6tases In many instances; he
has been compelled to disregard his per
sonal wishes, to run the risk Of inflictine
upon tue public an uaiaithful: or incompe-,
test officer, and to seem to disregard per:
eonai 1rlendhhips~of many years standing,
Ito meet the requirements Of the rule which
Congressman. now maintain. THIS we
know and in stating it,swe only repeat
the experiences of every President who
has filled the Chair Of Stale since General
Jackson's day. /
Wy do not cali attention to this anoma.
1cus state Of thinys to blame any one mem+
Der Of the HOUSE or any particular sena-
tor, but to show to the country The usurpa.
tien which is permitted and to protest in
earnest terms against its longer continu-