Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1868-03-02

GUY LuC IA oOu w
if it SO elcct. Or it a continue to
pass them by in silence, and so become
responsible for all the consequences.
We trust this latter course may be aban-
doned i and it is to urge an aggressive
warfare upon q vicious custom that we
enter upon this appeal. The custom re-
lates to the selection Of men to fill the
offices Of government, from the lowest
to the highest. We all know, and some
have regretted to know, that worth and
fitness do not constitute the best recon-
mendation for preferment in this coun-
try. We all know that Offices are dis
penscd as s~ugar-plums are dispensed to
children, as rewards, or to pacify fac
tons, or to influence the vote Of q class.
The effect of this vicious practice is
everywhere visible in the mismanagment
ofpublic business and the heavy defalca-
.ious which come periodically upon the
country like thunder claps from a cloud
less sky. Beginning at the top-with
the President-and continuing down to
the c~onstables in the several election
precincts of the land, and the progress
toward confusion is easily traced. Shall
we ask why Andrew Johnson occupies
his present high station2 Who docs
not know that his nomination BY the
Baltimore Convention was resisted for
the very reason that he could not be
trusted? His ignorance, his unreason.
ing obstinacy, and his dcmagogueism-|
all these dis~qualiGcations were we'll
known. Yct he was suffered to crowd
out OF place Hannibal Hamlin, n man
whose namc is the synonym of public
and private virtue, whose record is
n blemish. Andrew Johnson
was the sop thrown to the Cerbcrus Of a
then dead s~ectionalism. He was nomi-
mated not because he vas fit, but be-
he was n Southern Unionist and
had suffered persecution at the hands Of
and Copperhcads. The result is
pretty we'll known, but the teaching
has not yet taken hold Of the popular
heart. The people cry "peceaci," and
continue to sin all the same. Suffering
the consequences of wrong action can-
not prevent q continuance in wrong
There is but n remedy
for the evils complained Of, and that is,
such an education Of the masses rs shall
quicken their patriotism and their con-
sciences. Until this is done, the coun-
try will be misgoverned aud finally de-
To be an assessor docs not seem t. be
much of IN honor. But it requires q
frst-rate business man, and an Impair
tial one, too, to fill the place well. How
many assessors are chosen for these
qualifications? A constable should be
n man of great activity, honesty of pur-
pose, ~shrewducss, and decided sympa-
thy with law and order. How many
are selected because they possess these
qualifications? Commonly some indo-
.ent, swigging, clever fellow" is
up and sworn in to execute legal
sometimes involving the peace
and security Of life and property. Not
,ne-half of the petty offenders arrested
by constables ever come into Court.
Many c~onstables make it a bust
Tess Of permitting offenders to know of
heir coming, thus giving them time to
escape. Many sheriffs do the same
hing, and worse. Many district attor-
,eys pocket fines, aud State costs, d.
riding with other officials in the
ring" and so plumber the sew
sral county treasures every year.
Many district attorneys connive with
interested parties to get bills of indict-
nent ignored, and so defeat the cnds of
Men of more than doubtful
morals and habits are put into the jury
box to mako up vcrdicts for the viudi.
cation of law and the security of public
or personal interests. Judges are not
selected for their probity and
but generally because they can
make q good speech on tho rostrhm.
And we might go on cnumerating OIL
,ials until VIC returned to the place of
,eginning-the President of the United
the great exemplar Of tho evil Of
which va complain. But it is not ne
'cssary. No intelligent man will essay a
Of, or a denial Of the fact that
ve arc m%isgoyerned because we do not
elect the best men to do public busi-
less. Nor is it a new thing. Tho evil
latcs back thrce-quarters of q century.
I has been cumulative, aud is therefore
nore noticeable in this generation than
n any of its predecessors. 1t is An evil
which must DO abated or 1t will abate
he institutions of the country them
ielves. There is no way to destroy this
.sndency to confusion, a v by the edu-
'ation ofthe people. Politicians cannot