The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1871-09-06
Senator SciiurZ ON Grants Nep0-
tiSln.

a late speech of Senator Schurz in Chi
cago. Coming from him the censure
administered to Grant is especially
severe:
I am convinced that much would be
won for this reform by the limitation
of the Presidential office to one term.
When President cannot be elected a
second time, the temptation will no
longer exist for him to use patronage
as machinery of corruption for the
purpose of securing his denomination.
We shall then witness fewer scandals,
like that connected with a prominent
newspaper editor in the East, who one
day wrote an article against the Adj
ministration, was appointed Collector
of customs the next, and on the third
declared that the peace and happiness
Of the country demanded imperatively
the denomination of President Grant !;
real cash-down transaction, of which
the Springfield (Mass.) Republican re-
marked that the President did not ev-
en- give this appointee the ordinary
dry goods credit of thirty days. You
MAKE A PRESIDENT INELIGIBLE FOR A
SECOND TERM,
and the market where conscienCcs are
bought and sold will at least be limit
ed to that extent. We shall then have
Presidents who can at least honestly
think of this reform without being tor
tured by the idea how much advantage
they might draw for themselves from
these very abuses, and that pitiable
servility will also disappear, which, in
order to preserve Office and patronage,
works against all better conviction for
the reelection of President, before
he has proved that his first election was
deserved. The favor with which the
idea of .civil-service reform has been
received by the best portion of the peo-
pie permits us to hope that very soon
the necessity of revival of those finer
feelings of honor in political life, which
distinguished the first years Of this re-
public, will be recognized. It is well
known that Washington, as President,
refused an Office to one OF his relations
just because he belonged to his family.
We have now come so far that this re-
fusal will he ridiculed as stupid prude-
ry, and an absurdly exaggerated deli
cacy. No, it was no exaggeration OF
tlelicacy > it was the entirely correct
feeling of q gentleman, at the head OF
the State, who recognized the high re-
sponsiblity of his duty, TO impart to
his subordinates his measure of his own
example. However much he deserved
q reward for that which he had done
for the country-and nobody ever did
or deserved more, before him Or after
bim-he showed that he looked upon
his Office as an obliging opportunity to
render still greater service, and not as
mere mich COW to feed him and his
Kin, and he could ask of every govern
ment officer under him the same mo-
ton of honor and duty; but when now
a President puts
HIS COUSINS AND BROTHERS-IN-LAw
by the dozen at the public crib, then
the whole chorus of flatterers exclaim
ga trifle who will find fault with him
for that 2" And he who feels the indie
cency of such acts, and expresses his
feelings, is simply denounced as a
traitor, whose heart must be full of
black designs.
No, these are no trifes. The cous-
ms and brothers-in-la of the Presi-
dent may as officers, be no worse than
Others; but when lie puts them to the
public crib the chief of the State teaches
his subordinates by his example, which
lis everywhere visible, that in his opin-
ion public Office may be used for sell
fish ends, to make out of it what can
be made. When the chief of the State
takes presents, and then puts donors
into high offices and dignities, the men
so appointed may be very worthy men,
and the presents may have had moth
ing to do with their appointments, but
the chief of the State has shown his
snboIdinates that, in his opinion, an
officer may take presents, and then
grant his official favors to the donors
in an official way, and who will then
wonder when the subordinates, follow
ing the high example, also take pres
ents and give their official favors to
the donors?
The New York papers are making
much clamor over the fact that while
Republican conventions pass resolu-
tions in favor of civil-service reform, a
United States Marshal declares to a
subordinate officer, whom he has just
removed, that for the removal there
were only political reasons, and none
arising out of any official short
ings. Is that surprising, when the
chief of Government, after having de-
clared himself in his message in favor
of civil-serviA ~form, continually and
persistently removes officers whose Of
fetal conduct was nnimpeachabIe,
merely for the purpose of putting po-