The national Republican., 1869-02-09
o.r wa.hi.sse. Corre.perae.ee.

FKpRuARI 8, 1e0p.
To the Republican!
AN IMPORTANT QUESTION.
VIII Grant be able 70 carry out his declared
intention to put In and Keep 10 once men
who will best dischafgs ths Legitimate duues |
Of the positions they sovsrally hnf Thats
one Of the knotty questions Of the day. Or
will the Offices under his administration be
filled, as heretofore, since the spolls doctrine
became ne rule Of the Government Of the
United States, by men dictated to the Execu.
tive by others who, in debating them, are
governed by considerations really foreign to
that Of the public interest
The question is q grave one, and on Its
solution depends really the success Of his
administration.
oALLoPTSo CAREER.
Il is undeniably true that from Jaekson's
advent to power to this hour, the Govern
men, Of the United States has been galloping
on the road to "total depravity "-corrup-
tlon--fastor than any other government Of
modern times ever went the samc way. Much
of this so deplorable fact Ia the result Of the
eHuberance Of all things American. That 10,
of the immenslty Of the country's resources,
and the temptations incident to the oppor-
tunitiss for speculation the rapid develop
ment Of those resources offer TO all.
TIE rExrrArIos.
While thousands and hundreds Of thou
sands not in Government employment are
accumulating great wealth BY speculation, II
Is difficult to prevent public officcrs, who see
before them tempting opportunities afforded
by their several trusts to profit by specula-
tion, from trying so to do in the discharge Of
their Official duties. There never was time
in the country's history when this element
Of public corruption operated with so great
power as at present. II Is an incident Of our
national condition, and will materially in
crease the difficulties In the way OF Grants
success In reforming abuses. His great pop
ularity and the equally great desire Of the
non-ofilceholding classes to see him success
full In this matter will immensely strengthen
his hands, however.
AvBRY BAD PRACTICE.
The great difficulty In his path arises from
the practice into which his predecessors for
thirty years past have fallen, Of surrendering
the patronage-appointing power-of the
Presidency into the hands Of other and wholly
irresponsible parties. Year by year this Gus
tom has been becoming more universal,
until 1t Is now not only claimed that sena.
tors and Representative OF the party in
power are entitled to distribute all the patron.
age Of the Executive branch Of the Govern.
ment In their respective districts and States
but that defeated candidates for like posi-
tions from States represented here In Who'll,
or In part by persons Of the opposite polite
have the same divine right to dispose o
Offices which both Constitution and law
!, place at the disposal Of the President him
self.
HOW IT FILLS oRFIcBs.
write but absolute truth In saying tha
= nine out Of every ten Offices so filled are ii
:, the hands Of men selected, not because the
a will best discharge the duties devolved OIL
them, but rather to reward them for som
|, service rendered to individual members O
Senators, or to aspirants for such positions
or for some service to such parties expecte
from the appointee or his immediate friends
i, Thus have nine tenths Of the Offices Of tn
, Government been paid for for many year
past.
No rejecting man will fall te see that th
= y duties Of public office SO awarded will, as
= general thing, be very poorly discharged
. That Is, that the public service must neeel
- sarily suffer from the fact that almost all Il
= offices are filled from such considerations.
~ THE REMEDY.
1t Is certainly true that there Ia q simp
and sure remedy for this state OF thing
This remedy is hrmness on the part Of Graz
In carrying out his declared determination
appointing (and insiOting ths, tho sau
" policy shall be carried out by an his subo
D. dinates having appointing power) the be
10 men TO be obtained for the places to be file,
y WHAT THE pIsGRUsrLEp WILL DO.
J. He will meet with tremendous oppositiO
y in so doing. Many public men accustom'
10 to dictate appointments to the President "
T. be up In arms against him, more especial
Z. II they owe their own positions or their ho
ID on them to the INSCRIPTIONS labors Of
rs large following Of small politicians who Il
DC on or hope to live on the opportunities
IS sucking the life blood Of the Governme
10 their hackers may be able to secure for the
ELI Already the public have heard Of threa
Is made by members Of tho Republican pal
ed to cmbarrass his administration II he co
tlnues to fall to consult the threateners abe
is his policy, &C. This means neither more I
Nv ing such ''high horses" intend, II they daI
al to try to break down his administrati,
Il unless they are permitted to govern II In
at things appertaining to the furtherance
Id their individual interests and ambition.
RI THE sBw YORK oUsroN.HoUsR RING.
re 1t Is also as confidently stated In the nev
IS, papers, and In political circles here, th
lip "New York" q. .. tho corrupt and self
Is ring in the Republican party Of that cit
he declares he shall not send any man from
ey distance to fill the post Of collector of t
Mt customs at New York.
ie THE COST OF KRHPIsd IT DRs OF THEW
nd The National Treasury Is robbed yeai
a from twenty to thirty millions through I
I'm practice Of filling the subordinate places
ch the New York custom-house with small p
elr iticians. They seek those places to shi
TO honest labor for q livelihood, and to ma
cir the most they can out Of them by compoun
tn Ing frauds great and small on the reyenu,
on They and their leaders are a vast power
ey the State, and are yearly becoming nc
an powerful, as they become yearly more &C
Ie- rupt. 1t matters not which political par
tn may be in power, its men filling the M
ed York custom-house are alike corrupt, nj
are day by day growing more so.
he HONESTY the BBsT Foley.
p While such threats are being utter
ne against Grant and his proposed reform pc
Of Icy by these New York rings-gentry, nine
n per centum Of the Republicans Of that ci
to and State are praying that he may have {
N frmness to set them at defiance, clean o
IT. the Augean stable, and depend on popul