The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-03-27
CHI Al ES ON.
FRIDAY MORNING, MARCH 27, 1868.
Dependence ON Government.

A great change is going on in our coun-
try; the government is getting rich and the
people poor. This is especial. he case at
the. South. With the exception of few
shrewd money spectators and smaller
number of men eminent in professional life,
the only persons who are making money are
those in Office. A common field hand or
charaoterless adventurer, securing place
in convention or an Office in the local OF
general government, csn secure larger
emolument than the learning, the science,
the integrity or the industry of the private
citizen can aspire to. The great mass Of
our people, drained Of their resources, and
incapable of obtaining relief by perjury,
find every avenue to success closed against
them.
The effect of this condition has been most
unfortunate, and that in more than one re-
spect. In the first place, it has reduced whole
communities to despair. In the orphan. house,
in the house ofrelief, in the almshouse and
hospital, among the applicants for rations,
and upon the lists Of church benefciaries,
may be found representatives. of some of the
first families in the land-persons who were
once in comfortable and even opulent cir
oumstances, but who are now reduced to
beggary. In the second place, enterprise
has given place to timidity and dependency,
among business men, who find themselves
more and more involved by every effort
made for their e1trication, and most Of
whom would have been more prosperous,
had they put forth no effort at all,
But especially do we observe striking
sign of the revolution in the number and
eagerness of place hunters. While others
claim the assistance of government on the
score of poverty, these clamor as loudly for
government bounty on the score of loyalty.
They have discovered an easy and open
way to the public treasury. With carpet
bag and a flag, made since the war, they
are doing thriving business. Anybody
can become political aspirant now, upon
the one condition of taking the oath. The
number of paid officials is large, and he
who can subserve the party in power, at
whatever sacrifice of consistency, may re-
tain his place for years. The benefit is
more tangible than any results which accrue
from drudging in stores, shaving in fields,
or tempting the waves Of the ocean.
Heretofore Americans have had pas
sion for politics, even when public employ
ments were few, scantily paid, and precari-
GUS. What e1travagances may we not e1-
pect now, when these employs have become
so numerous, so lucrative, and when once
having been obtained, they may be held for
years through the favor Of powerful and
unscrupulous party?
So long as the present state of things con-
tinues, manliness will be at discount An
army of venal and servile place seekers
diffused throughout the country, unproduc-
tive consumers, officials uncontrolled by the
opinion of the communities in which they
are stationed, agitators by profession, crea-
lures of partisan caucus which sends its
orders from Washington;-we know not any
social evil that could be more prejudicial to
the prosperity, the independence, the virtue
or the peace Of the country.
Even the stability of the government
itself is endangered by the multiplicity and
cainfulness of public employments. DE
TocouEv1ILE has wisely remarked that "of
all people in the world the most difficult to
restrain and TO manage are people of So
licitants. Whatever endeavors are made by
rulers, such people can never he con-
tented; and it is always to be apprehended