Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1868-06-10

N''i'NN - Nhet te Y YHeatpAt yUtlta Ntdtt Ot ~
the hand Of the ErecutiDe for the 5enejft Of
The Party. And such in fact has been thu
general rule since the 3D. Of March, 1929.
The exceptions to this rule have beeD rare
but there have been exceptions The latc
Senator Collamer held the old fashioned opin.
ion Of Patriots and Presidents, that public
officers are public servants and bound slwsys
to seek the welfare Of the Government and oi
the whole people rather than Of party and
therefore, on accepting the Office Of Postmas.
ter General, he determined that he would not
dismiss competent aud faithful subordinate
officers for party reasons merely, but would
tolerate political independence whenever il
was reasonable and honest and did not inter.
iere with fidelity TO the Government or the
public interests. But Vermonts good man
was not warm in his new chair, and had but
just announced this old rule, when rebellion
in the then Wing party was threatened by a
distinguished member of Congress from Ten
nessee. Meredith p Gentry demanded the
removal Of postmaster in his State, aud the
appointment Of person he named. "Your
reasons, Mr.. Gentry | shall not remove any
man until reasons in writing have been filed
in my Office" Such was Collamer's rule
Gentry was astoundcd and angry; and at the
dinner table Of his mess, which at that time
embraced Wing Senator's, members of the
House, and visitors, from Tennessee, Kentucky
and Vermont, the wrathy Tennesseean com.
planned bitterly Of Colamer's insolence, and
pledged himself with many oaths to 90 to
Baltimore, get up mass meeting in Monu-
ment Square, and denounce the new Admins
tration. The country had come to a pretty
pass indeed, when Meredith p Gentry, a
member Of Congress, could not behead petty
postmaster, without reasons! We happened
to be witness Of this scene, and to be CON-
missioned to report it to the Postmaster Gen.
al, as we did, faithfully though reluctantly
but how the difficulty was settled we never
inquired The point Of this remniscenee is
that the control Of subordinate appointments
raS claimed by the Congressman, thus max
ing the theoretically responsible President
and Secretaries the servants Of the Congress.
man. As then with Gentry, so now it is the
general rule, Though members Of Congress
of the Administration party have not quite
the absolute control Of appointments the
cases are rare in which any appointment is
made in District against the wishes Of the
Member; or in State, against the wishes Of
its Senators and Representatives. OF course
we are now speaking of cases where the
President, Senators and Representatives har.
monze politically In other cases, where
the Administration party has no Representa-
tive, the leading Administration men Of that
section, aided by Representatives of other
districts, and by Senator's assume the dlspo
sition of patronage 1t follows that the in
fuence Of Congressman is generally indis.
pensable. Some Of them demand the abso-
lutte control within their Districts, and get it
some are content to act as advisers merely tC
the appointing power, so far as to require
fair play among the candidates, guard against
really incompetent or unworthy men, and as
sert the just claims of those who are truly
worthy. We do not complain of this Gus
tom. On the whole, it is a good rule tC
harmonic the Executive, the Senate. aud
the Representatives, in the making Of ap
pointments. But there are abuses under
this rule: there are two classes of Rep.
resentatives whose influence is pernieious
the first class consists of those who use pat
ronago to further their personal ambition
and the second is a class of yenal men, (small
we hope,) who will sell their names and votes
as readily as their old boots, for a good price
These are the tools of the lobbyists, the spec.
ulators, and the whiskey ring; and through
such as these, bad men sometimes get intC
office, to speculate out of their subordinate'
or rob the Government Now, when thC
President and Congress are at variance, thii
class of men, in and out of Congress, have al
immense business on their hands, and the re
suits are seen in rascals in the revenue de
partment, frauds in smuggling and in Illicit
distilleries, and loss to the treasury of no
far from half Of the revenue legally belong
ing to it.
Now on these facts we go for retaining thu
check of the Senate on the President, so fai
as there is any in the tenure of office act
Not one jot or title of the guards agains
infdelity and corruption should be given up
and if the ingenuity of Congress is cOmpeten
to add to them, now is the time to do it. w,
speak now specially of the frauds upon thu
revenue by the Whiskey Ring which as
sumes not only to corrupt Congressman, bu
absolutely has millions at its command Il
buy up States in the coming Presidential
election. There is more danger to Grant anc
Colfax from the Ring" than from ever,
thing else.
But there is another mode of reform t.
which We give hearty approval we meal
the Civil Service bill of Mr.. Jenckes of Rhod
Island. The purpose of this bill is to secur'
candidates for Offices, both men and women
who are fitted by age, character and qualifi
cations. In brief, the system of examination
to test the qualifications of candidates, whicl
has long been adopted for Army and Nav
officers, this bill provides for all candidate
for the civil service in Offices which are no
filed by the President and Senate. No per
son can receive an Office without successful,
passing such an examination; and thereafte
all promotions are to be made from this corp
of officials, BY merit, aud not by political o
personal favor. This plan does not chang
A. a,,,o;nt;no nower hnt 70 rioidIv exacnt