New-York tribune., 1871-09-12

-, - not oyaboar the tendency to use patronage
.ar tbs indefinite porpetuation of power.
c. ,;tb the cognate post Of Sheril-One which Of
.on reouircs many deputies, who apt to be
,onna active men, of strong physique and on inti-
.,oto terms with the people over whom they exer-
n;so much influence. Hence, the Constitution of
cur own State thus provides for the emergency:
.sherifs Clerks of Counties. &C.. shall he chosen by
the electors of the different Counties once III every thicc
years and as often az vacancies shall haplen Shr1fs
Shall hold other office and shall be ineligible lof ,no
ucA three years after the termination OF their Offices
In the first Constitution Of our state, framed nt
Kingston in III. it was provided that
"The sheriffs aud Coroners shall be annually ap
pointed and no person shall l~ calabie OF holding
either Of tho said offices more than four y'ars sue'eS
siceiy."
The Constitutions of Alabama, Delaware, Hi
nois Kansas Maryland, Pennsy ylvania Virginia cach
contain provision substantially identical with tho
above. Those of several other States allow Shtrih
10 be reelected once. but not TO serve more than lo
In any consecutive six years. New-jcrscy cI'c'S
Sherifs annually, hut one only he elected 'r'r
in succession. Practically, be is allowed 10 h"'u
three wears though chosen annually, and Is thcrea
ter ineligible for the next three years
ct Is RIGHT TO DE TAUGHT DY AN ENhM''
Simply AS an evidence of the dr1t OF "piiho"
among those who had thoughtfully Watche" l'
years the practical working of our feder"i Govern,
ment, il may be added that the Constitution frame"
for and ADOPTED by the Southern (ohfeucia'y III
cluded this provision:
g., Pet No. nf the Confederate states of Amcricn He
aud the NiccPr sdclt ehall hold thei % "h'tH 'T Wv
term ~ six years; but the President 0h"H |"' '' -
eligible"
How SOON if ever a similar provision shall I've
epp1afto OH the Federal Constitution. 1t were RASH
10 predict II is not essential to the success oi te
reform contemplated that it should ever be- All
that is needed is an intelligent, earnest widespread
conviction that the practice of rcclectlng chiei
magistrate while IN office is fraught with evil and
peril-that il distracts his attention from the proper
cares and duties of his station. and impcls him to
consider not who fittest and most worthy to Ill
tie offices III his Gift, but what choice Will be most
likely TO improve his chances Of denomination. Here
is the night man for a Justice OF our Supreme Court
who has no influential clique at his back here is
rival who is neither capable nor 80 worthy, hut
whose friends control the party machinery III
populons State and can send delegates TO the ap-
preaching National Convention either for or against
the incumbent of the White House who that knows
average human nature can doubt that the less tit
aspirant has the better prospect of obtaining that
.IusticcShlpf And this instance may stand for
thousand
We shall vet achieve Civil Service Reform. Nay;
we must Ofhce-sreking is our National vice. divest-
ing workshops Of apprentices and our farms OF
half the intelligent, energetic, aspiring youth who
ought to make our Agriculture Of the next thirty
wears exhibit a series of brilliant advances and i'm
provemcuts upon all that preceded it. But vanly
shall We hope for such reform through the Topping
off of branches while the root Of the Upas remains
intact and vital That root is the reflection while IN
office of Presidents Governors and other dispensers
Of vast patronage with their consequent temptation
to use that patronage in aid Of their own continu-
| auce in power