Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1866-04-12
Prss,d.ntiai Patronage.

! no doubt that one point Of it was very sug
! gestive, and that was his opposition TO the
further increase Of Presdentisli pal aironage
Alteady that patronage is immense and
alarming. Ii it had been enlarged by the
addition Of the control OF the Offices Great ed
| by the bill in question, the President, with
] the old Federal Offices, and the lntefna
Revenue appointments, and those of The
new bureau, could have exercised direct
influence upon the elections which would
have been not only dangerous for himself
but demoralizing to the country. 1t was
| giving too much power to the Executive, q,
he justly objected. For although the coun
try might willingly and gladly con6de an al
most sbsolpts authority to an incorruptihle
simple, sagsciouG and purely patriotic mar
| like Abraham Lincoln, it might tremble &c
know that any successor of his would in
herit it. If Pierce or Buchanan could have
exercised, in addition to the prerogative
they enjoyed, such power as Mr. johnson
declined in his veto of the Freedmen's Bill,
the disastrous consequences would have
been incalculable. - ....f r.
The perils of the increase Of Executive
patronage produced bv the vast number Of
new offices created within few years are
now painfully evident. There is at this very
time an adulation of thet President which
is unprecedented and humilating, and an
eager and obsequious anxiety for his favor
which the high Tory party of any monarch.
icsl country would dsdain to feel or to dis
play. Candidates for State offise hurry to
Washington to ascertain whether they are
welcome at the White House. Office hold.
ers think it necessary to offer to resign If
they pursue course which they fear the
President may not approve. Party Con-
-ventiens nervously speak him fair. Great
questions Of national policy are discussed
not upon their merits but upon the pfoba-
bilities Of the Presidential smile. The
newspapers wrangle fiercely whether the
result of elections condemns or favors his
supposed views. The central question of
politics not is it just. is it right is it true
policy, but-does it please the President?
1t is a state of affairs utterly unworthy an
honorable people. 1t is a most alarming
sign under free Constitutional Govern.
ment. r...... .a .r r..a a,' g.,
The excuse offered merely reveals more
clearly the danger of the enormous patron
age of which we speak. 1t is urged that,
to differ with the President, is to run the
risk of encountering the organized opposi-
tion of the army of Office holders, who, in
other countries, are called the creatures"
OF the Government But when that is the
controlling motive of public action the ma
tlonai GENERALIZATION is complete Honesty,
Intelligence, capacity have then ceased. to
be the requirements of the public servants;
every consideration is subordinated to the
Presidential pleasure: the hasest syco
phancy is then tha eardiua) condition of tselit
lcal success, and the republic has alreSdy
rooted into lower empire. r''
Every party in free government when
it accedes to power naturally wishes to
maintain harmony fn all its parts. Believ.
ing its general policy to be essential to the
national welfare, and understanding the ne
cessty OF smity between the legislative and
executive powers to the success OF that
policy, each branch is honorably bound moi
tolpermit slight differences to prudence alien,
alton, but by produce, sobriety, good sense,
and good faith to maintain the unity which
insures success. But when differences have
become vital and irreconciable. separation
or surrender are inevitable. And here is
another peril of great Executive patronage,
that one man chosen primarily to be merely
the executive officer OF the national will Ii
able, in the event of fatal difference with
the legislative branch, to WELD power
against the immediate and express represen
tatives of that will, which no hereditary
monarch in a constitutional country can, ex
ercise. How dangerous to the public vel
fare such conflict might be under certain
circumstances every man can see. How
demoralizing the mere possibility of such /,
conflict is, every day shows
Yet, as there is nothing which, ,wher
nF trx
would SO scornfuly repudate as one man
power /; as there, is nothing they. would ,,bt
so justly jealons if their suspicious were
once fairly aroused and as, in the event O
such conflict, they would stand unitedly
and irresistibly with their immediate repre-
sentatives, every good citizen will striv,
earnestly to avoid the possibility of its oc
currence by removing the temptation of be
ginning and fhe means of waeing such 9
conflict. The authority of the executiv,
branch of this Government is adequatel,
maintained by the veto power. If, how
ever Congress is so unanimously persuaded
Of the expediency Of law that the Presi
dents reasons do net change its conviction
the Constitution contemplates, by the two
thirds provision, that the will OF ConRres
shall become law, notwithstanding the Presi
Dental objection 1t certainly does no
contemplate that the President, despite tn
two.thirds vote of both Houses shall op
pose the national will as expressed 4 over
whelmingly by its representatives. Yet tn
enormous patronage of the Executive make
this possible; apd such patronage, and th
veto and the military aud naval comman,
combined, invest the President with q. pow
or 40 hugely disproportioned to any other j
the Government that it cannot be safsl
tolerated, -, ggs .E.f5.7 Nv rtni
e,There are two obvious remedies; one j.
direct aud the other direct. The first is tn
Zone term system, which is liable to man
objectieus, and the second the limitation
the Presidential patronage to certain ugtea
Offices y and the widest distribution of th
mass of patronage between the various ID,
partments aud Congress. To some remed
of this kind for very plain peril the min
of the country will inevitably turn. Th
reform will be radical, and can only be e.
fected by a strenuous and long effort.
} will be resisted by the party that oppose
all progress, which worshiped slavery while
, was trying to strike the nation to the hear
! and which now resists equal rights. b.
like every other necessary and wholesom
change, the good sense of the people vi
| 4 nA Nm,