Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1866-05-17
Preadent will attempt to strengthen his

posi- tion by the use of his patronage
that is, that he will displace men who
believe IN, and advocate, the Congress.
sional policy, and Ill the positions with
either Union men or Democrats who will
advocate the policy OF the President.
And do not know but it Is feared that
men now holdiha' Office, who really be-
lieve with ConsGesl', will, for fear of
losing their offices, profess to believe
and act with the President, Now |
have no knowledge THAI the President
designs any such course o. action, He
may or may not. / do know that
the Democratic press and politicians Of
the country are urging this course upon
him with great zeal and with great
promise Of political profit 20 h'u and
his policy. | cannot help believing that
Lncy have their own prof. and Cd, VA,
teSSo much more at heart than his, or
that Of his policy, in giving this inter
Csted advice. Now, | should as deeply
regret to have any good Union man re-
moved from office, and especially one
that sympathized with Congress in their
difference with the President as any
Senator In this Chamber, or any Union
man in the land. like to have my pc.
litical friends hold the offices, not only
for their own advantage and profit, but
because | am very apt to think they are
the best men, and that the public ser
vice is more honestly attended to than
it would be by men of the opposite pO.
litical belief, Now if this amendment is
adopted will it have the effect to prevent
the President from making changes in
office for political causes If he has no
such purpose or intention then there is
no need Of such an extraordinary pro-
vision being attached to this bill. And
| may be allowed to say that am not
prepared to believe that he designs to do
any such foolish thing. But, assuming
that he has such 4 wish and purpose,
will the adoption of such an amendment
as this be likely to prevent him from ac-
complishing it? On the other hand
will it not look like daring and defyiug
him to do it and be very likely to
produce the very result We desire to
avoid
1T is very reasonable to suppose that
the President would feel great reluc-
lance to remove men of his own party,
appointed either by himself or his mar
tyr predeCeSsOr-even if they did not
believe in, or advocate his policy. If
we attempt to prevent it by the use Of
such questionable, if not understandable,
legislation as this amendment proposes,
is there not danger not only that he will
accept the challenge, but that this very
amendment will be accepted by the peO-
pie as sufficient justification for that
course and furnish a ground for saving
that Congress was the aggressive party
Situated as we are, it seems to me that
the adoption Of this amendment will be
more likely to produce than to prevent
what we all hope to avoid But sup
pose | am mistaken in my views, and in
consequence of a failure to adopt this
amendment the President undertakes to
help his case before the people by turn
Ing good Union men who believe with
Congress out Of Office, and fills their
places with men, either Republicans or
democrats, who believe in his policy. is
there any such ground of alarm in this
as should brighten us out of our pro-
priety and drive US to doubtful and
desperate expedients ? The whole thing
Is founded in mistaken lack of faith
In the people. This has been a common
error OF politicians and public men al
ways but the mistake is greater now
than ever before, and especially in re-
garding any past experience of the eff
feet and power of political patronage as
applicable to the present condition of
thlngs. In former times, when the peo-
pie regarded politics merely as trade
by which certain men obtained q living
when the issues between the parties |
were about internal improvements. the
public lands, banks, tariffs and the like /
subjects, the real merits of which the |
masses OF the people knew but little |
ABOUT and cared lesS-when they had |
no real belief that the success or defeat |
OF either party would make farthing's |
difference with them or the country |
than q body Of stirring, active office |
holders to circulate the documents, ha-
rangue the people and get out the vo-
tiers could produce very important in
nuenCe upon any election. But this
state OF things has no existence now.
ana no reliance is to be placed now up
on the experiences of those days. FOur
long years we were engaged In a most
desperate and bloody war which per
lied the very existence of the nation
Itself, The attention of the whole coun-
try was aroused and was kept most
painfully intent upon the causes and
course OF the war, till it ended in the
overthrow of the rebellion. Almost
very family throughout the loyal North
vas represented in the army Of the
Union by some father, or brother. or
on, and mourning and sorrow were
'arried into almost every Northern
ZONE by the death of some dear relative
n the army, by disease or on the battle
leld, or the still more cruel mode of
tarvation in prison. In this way the
,eople have come TO comprehend every
hing pertaining to the subject as fully
M completely as the first statesmen in
he land. Nor have they since the close {
1 the war lost any of their interest in ,
t, and will not until the whole matter
put at rest. have heard it said here 8
i have read in the public press-that !
ne great anxiety of the people was to 9
ave the matter settled and get all The +
tates once more into the Union to-
ether. The people are anxious to have
ne Union restored, and all act AGAIN V