The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1861-06-19
Parties aud Office.

| Parties Al0 O1t1Ce.
Certain Journals, which did their best to
keep the Republicans out Of power, now
clamor against the use of that power to I'll
subordinate offices with men who have
aided TO achieve their triumph. Their argu'
ment runs that, because the country is in
volved in perilous civil war, wherein al
parties cheerfully and heartily unite to
maintain the Union and the Constitution,
therefore the Democrats who hold office un-
der Mr.. Duchanan's appointment ought to
be continued in place.
But this rule is only allowed to work one
way. When Gen. jackson summoned the
Nation around him to resist and put down
the Nullifiers' rebellion, Wings wed with
Democrats in the unaninity and heartiness
of their response: but nobody suggested
that Gen. Jackson should thereupon divide
the civil offices between the two parties, and
he never thought of doing anything of the
sort. Why should the rule that served
then be repudiated nowa
Two months ago, the Democrats carried
the Municipal Election in St. Louis, prcvi-
ously Republican. Did they leave the Re-
puhlicans in Office? Not they! They
pitched them out neck and heels at the first
opportunity. So in other cities where pop
ular disgust at the hesitation to reinforce
Fort Sumter threw us temporarily into a
minority. Nobody supposes or imagines it
would be otherwise in Philadelphia, in
Rochester, in Chicago, if the Republican
ascendency should in like manner be sub
verified there. Yet Democrats and Republicans
in those cities heartily unite in upholdfng
the Union. Why should that fact constrain
Republicans to keep Democrats in Office and
yet leave Democrats perfectly free to turn
out Republicans
There is confusion ofideas involved in the
assumption we are combating. Supporting
Union is one thing; supporting thu Admin
istration quite another. Many win fight for
the one and directly vote against the other,
as they have a perfect right to do. 1t is by
no means the special duty nor the special
interest of Republicans to maintain the
Union. The States we thus save to it will
doubtless vote to txrn US out of power on
the first opportunity. On the other hand,
our Democratic UnioHists are fighting not
only to preserve the Union but to extend
and consolidate their own power. With the
present Slave States in the Union, they can
probably rule it three terms out of four; let
Secession become fixed fact, and their
chances of future ascendency will be mate
rally lessened. AS patriots, we are CRATE
full for their enthusiastic devotion to the I'm
ion; as Republicans, we feel that in sustain
ing the Union we are working for them
quite as much as they are for us.
Whenever the Democrats shall be willing
to divide the merely ministerial and subor-
dinate places under the Government fairly
between the two parties, fix. their salaries
permanently on amoderate scale, and say,
"Henceforth, no man shall be removed from
s'any place which pays less than $4,000 a
''year except for proved incapacity Of NAL.
''feasance," we are ready to unite with them
in firm, irrcyocable compact to live up to
shat rule. But SO long as they turn out
nearly every opponent whom the fortunes
Of politics bring within their reach, we can
not do otherwise than follow their example
They began this game wantonly and with
out excuse. Whenever they shall be willing
to make an end of 1T, an authentic intima.
ton Of that change of heart will be prompt.
lly responded to. Meantime, we protest
against the retention in custom houses, post
Offices, &C., Of Democratic clerks, inspectors,
&C.. who got in by prescription, and kept in
by giving money and effort to help defeat
the Republicans. Ifyou say the incumbents
are needy, we answer there are Republicans
equally needy and more deserving. If you
say the incumbents are for the Union, we
say there are Republicans at least equally SO,
and who are certain to remain Unionists
whether in or out Of Office. Ifyou say you
are opposed to prescription, we respond thai
we seek 10 rcbukc and punish prescription,
and il possible to convince our antagonists
that it is not only wrong but Improbable
Thus only can we hope to establish . justel
and more beneRcent system. Finally, we
urge that naked justice, to say nothing
Of gratitude, demands that the places held
BY Democrats under our Republican AID
ministration, by Democrats who were ap:
pointed because Of their presumed efficiency
as partissns-shopld be given to Republic
ans, many Of who were removed and all
prescribed by the last two Administrations
We call upon the repositories of Fedora
power to do justice in the premises, and dc
| it soop,-N y Tribune.
TO ARMS!
| XDUR cDUZv7RY CALLc/
"Having received orders from the "war Depart
\ ment at Washington" to raise Regiment of Volun
teera In for three wears. during the war.