The national Republican., 1862-10-27
USE AND MIsysE OF PUBLIC PATRON
AGE.

ACE.
II we may Judge from many signs, the article
which we published last week, pointing out the
fact that the patronage Of the Government is
ling largely used 10 the interest Of Its enemies
has attracted general attention and approval.
The resulting injuries to the public service, are
so serious as even 10 threaten our defeat In the
wal Of life and death now being waged for our
nationality. The time has come for exposing
the cause in which they originate, and the coun.
try will not be satisfied, until an efficient rem
edy is applied.
As 1t Is in English constitutional law, that we
fud come Of the best daAnitions and most val.
ued safeguards Of personal liberties, so II Is In
the contests Of English parties, that we shall
ind the development Of the most important
political principles.
The struggle Of the English wings during
the last half Of the eighteenth century was to
establish the principle that England should be
governed by parties, and not by persons OF
dynasties. And at no point did they defend
this principle mora stoutly or more jealously
han in insisting that patronage should not BE-
dispensed by favor Of the crown, or otherwise
| than by ministry responsible to the majority 10
| Parliament. It is to their labors that is due
tts so firm establishment Of this principle, thai
in our own times and during the present reign
We nave seen an English m,nists,,, 50 out o
office aud dissolve Cabinet, rather than per
nit the Queen 10 appoint single lady Of th'
bedchamber against bis wishes
A government by parties, much more truly
ia this country, where suffrage is universal
than in England, where It is restricted and
| unequal, is government Of the majority Of tht
people. It is such government only whict
| can be a free government.
No departure from 1t, in the vital particular
| Of patronage, can be permitted without tending
directly TO despotism.
! Patronage, welded other wise than in subor
dination to party, or in other words, than II
subordiuation to the will Of the majority Of th,
people, is essentially an arbitrary and ire
| spousble power. Hence 1t is, that in thiI
country, IL Is attracted by an unfailing instinc
TO the side Of that other despotic aud corrup
power, which, after q generation Of threaten
ings, has now at last broken out into open wa
against popular liberty. II was in the interes
OF slavery, that Tyler and Pierce and Buchanan
became successively recreant to the principles
Of isee government, by throwing of their al
legiauce 10 the parties which elevated them I,
tho Presidency. 1t was in that interest, tha
they INDUCED that reckless license Of arbitrar,
patronage, of which we are this day reapin,
The fruits. And il is to that interest, that th
| esponsible cabals who have survived then
| N official place, are now pandering. The pro
| clvity OF like to like is inmutable aud uu
iaiiiug
| We have assumed, and have right to as
sumo that so tar as this ominous mischief nov
rxist., it is not by the direction, but by tn
luattention Of the President, or rather by hi
pre-occupation with other cares On this poin
we have positive and satisfactory evidence, II
the publication, by q court sitting q
ST. Louis, of letter written by the Presiden
on the 10Th Of September, 1861, to Major Nc
Knistry. desiring him, other things being equl
and with a primary regard h" 'he e""norny &
the public service, 10 contract for certain sup
plies with loyal citizen Of loyal Illinois, an
. ! .,>.- .he 1-o--a 49,. ~ - -~-''"s eucu
, share OF The bnrdeus VI Tue war war enutIe
to participate in the incidental benefits Of It.
This letter may be made the pretext for dis
torting pervsrsions and windy clamors, but
was conceived by patriotic aud firm commo
sense which does the President honor. We d
not know whether ho ever found time to writ
similar letters In other cases, but the more
them he may prove to have written, the NOR
the cou,try will esteem him. What he ougt
to do, is 10 make bis letter to Major McKinis
try the basis OF general order, controlling al
the operations Of his administration, great au
small and cause It to be everywhere rigoroui
~ enforced. Such an order would harmonic
ali the influences Of the Government on III
right side, and would afford some rational hop
Of ending this pr otracted aud exhausting sal