Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1861-03-23
IA FROM tho Cincinnati Commercial.
THE RAID OF OFFICE HUNTERS.

The pews from the city Of Washington of vast
multitudes Of place hunters cOngregating there,
is extremely disgusting and almost disheartening.
Certainly there can be few things more discoura-
ging to tho patriot, than the contemplation of the
eager desire which p0rvades all classes of our
couhtrymen, TO be the servants Of the Government.
1t SCENE that under our Republican form of Gov
ernment,' we have not been cultivating that self
respect which would lead q citizen to prefer q mod
est independents in a hOmely but permanent bu-
siness, to temporary employment in some public
Office, where there is fawnipg without thrift, and
hypocritos anil sycophants have the rankest and
most offensive dovelopement. And SO fatal is the
absence Of the spirit Of personal independence in.
citizens, that when il is wanting we may despaiE
Of the Republic. Ig
1t is almost impossible just now for q decent
man to get to see the President Of the United
States. lie is surrounded by q hungry horde Of
seekers of Office, and beset in oil his outgoings'nnd
incomihgs, his uprisiDgs and downsittings, by the
most impersinent and inportunate Of the horde.
His time is precious to tho country. The honor
and material interests Of the nation demand Of
him the clear-headed confederation of the most
delicate and difficult problems ever before a Pres.
ident, bot he is remorselessly y;ctimized by the
party vampires, and the time and attention tina,
belongs to the country are occupied in squabble
between Office hunters who are in person and mol
itics unutserably contemplate.
About each Cabinet officer, there is a lesser cir
Gle Of blood suckers. Their time is occupied with
the welfare of petty factions, the chickering's OF
jealous competitors for appointments. And each
one of q swarm that gets an appointment is beset
BY q similar swarm, of beggars for subordinate
positions. IT seems sometimes as if a majority Of
the people would be glad to enter the public SER
vice, and putting one party out of power and an
other 10, were only driving the swarm Of flies al.
ready goiged from the poor fox, to givela hungri.
err swarm a chance. Such an evidence of the de-
mobilization of the people is most lamenta5le, and
ominous. The exhibition at Washington is dig
graceful to the party in power, to the people OF
the United States, and to human nature itself.
The tack would not be difficult to trace the dis
rup.ion of the Union to the passion for Federal
ONCE. IL is notorious that the Federal Office hol-
ders of the disaffected States have been the leaders
in the secession conspirncies, . and il cannot be-
questioned but they were in many, perhaps q ma
jority of cases led on to treason by their lust foY
office. II q National Convention can be assem-
bled, one of the great works to be done to placate
the country, and to dignity the Government,
should DO the looping off of the Presidential pat.
ronage. As the case stands, the existence of go
enormous a mass Of patronage in the hands Of the
Chief Executive, is incompatible With The propep
execution Of the higher..duties of his Office, the ro-
Spectability Of the Government, and the self re-
pect of the rsOpie.