The Portland daily press., 1866-09-20
The Division OF the Spells

There Is notion still current, we regret to
say, that the government offices are merely so
many places provided by grateful people for
the maintenance without labor, or at best
with very little, of the men who have been es-
pecially useful In influencing the elections
ITO tue victors belong the spoils" has become
since Jaclson's time a political axiom. The
ancient theory, that Office holders are the
servants of this people, has become practically
obsolete, and large party ia ready to take the
ground, that oil the officers who are nominate
ed by the President or appointed by bis ap-
pointees owe allegiance to him alone, and
must invariably sneeze when their Executive
Chief takes snuff. There is no other civilized
country under the sun where this system is
openly ayowed and reduced to practice. A
change of ministry in England does not affect
more than thirty or forty officials, whose rela-
tons to the ministry are especially intimate
and confidential Removals from Office in
France are never avowedly based on mere diff
ferences of opinion. 1t Is only In our own fee
republic, that the opinions of the humblest SER
wants thcpeoplea we still prefer to call them,
are subject to an inquisition which makes the
tenure OF office so uncertain as effectually to
prevent all but the most faithful and honora-
able from even trying to become thoroughly
acquainted with their temporary duties
The most singular application of this princi-
pie occurs when, as in the present case, the
President and the party which elected him are
at variance. If"the spoils'' really belong to
the victor, that is, to the temporary majority,
one would feel justified in saying that they do
not belong to the minority. This however is
not the proper conclusion, according to the
exposition Of the party to which we are in
dcbted fer this extraordinary principle. The
whole matter resolves ITSELF into this new
proposition: "To the President belong the
srois." 1t is in accordance with this inter-
probation that an irresponsible committee is
understood to have consumed a good deal of
valuable time lately, in consultation about the
division Of the spoils recently captured in the
State Of Maine.
What now will the President be likely to
do? Mr.. johnson has always expressed his
willingness to conform to the clearly express
Gu VIII VI tiiC pCOplc. luT FcSScuU0n SAID On
the night of our recent election that he had
more hope of the President than of some
others, implying clearly that in his opinion it
was far from certain that Mr.. johnson would
set himself in opposition to the unanimous
wishes Of the men who elected him. The
New York Herald, quick to note the move
ments of the tide of public opinion, has al
ready urged the President to pause and reflect
before urging further his private views. The
knot of men who went to Philadelphia on
their own responsibility and assured the Presi-
dent of great results If the patronage of the
State could be placed at their disposal. have
shown how little they could do. They remoV-
cd Col Wentworth from the Navy Yard, but
they could not even carry the town of Kittery.
Their ill-directed efforts have increased Mr..
Lyneh's majority from $500 to nearly 1000.
They have nothing more to seek except their
personal advantage and the advantage of their
Immediate friends. Why, the Advertiser,
which has been, the warmest supporter of the
Presidents power over appointments, said a
day OF two since, speaking of this, political
directory set over the johnson party in this
State,'- r1
A man who has no motive but office, has no
motive worthy of an office, and should never
be appointed to Office. The appointing power
we know, is exposed to great deceptions But
those who impose upon its confidence unwor-
thy appointments are ten times more culpable
than the unworthy appointees.
These men certainly imposed upon the
Presidents confidence, when they represented
to him their ability to accomplish anything in
favor of his policy in this State. An over
whelming majority of the people of Maine is
honestly and unalterably opposed to the Pre.-
idents policy. We do not believe Mr.. john
son is going to reward the directory" for its
failure; we do not believe he will outrage the
feelings of nearly 10000 voters of Maine, BY
needlessly attempting to punish office-h holders
for The crime of sharing their sincere convic-
tons. The Preble House committee may as
wei adjourn first as last