Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1871-06-10
The Territorial Onices-HOw Shall
They be PermaaenflY PILED?

They be Permanently PILED?
Editor Of Star: The Chronicie Of last Sunday,
In referring to communication signed "Radl-
cal, and printed in THE STAR Of the 18th ult.,
saws:
'Radicalr opens his argument as follows
be remembered that the places TO be filed are
all, In their character and purposes, executive,
and that these, in the very nature OF all gov
eminent, should be properly subordinate and
responsible to the chief exeeutive-the Cover
nor. ConseGuently, they should be appointed
eber eonr ii no other way can there be
Upon this tho Sunday CAroniele comments as
follows:
"This point looks very plausible, supposing
the fact to be that the responsibility of the gov
eminent is centered in the executive; but a. no
such fact exists, or was ever contemplated by
Congress, and, besides, Is not the practice under
any republican form of government, It's adoption
in this District would be movement toward
Capitalization which we doubt very much
whether the people would sanction"
The unfairness of this criticism will be appa-
rent to every intelligent reader. Radical" does
not maintain that "the responsibility Of the
government is conferred in the executive" but
that the responsibility of the ezecstire branch of
the government" is in its chief or head-the
Governor. Hence, as the Offices to be filed are
all in their character and purposes purely execu-
tive, that their appointment should be vested i'm
the Governor, because upon no other plan sscan
there be either proper subordination or response
Will the Sunday Chronicle controvert that
1t does not 10 50 in its articles of SUNDAY last
but it labors with manifest unfairness to wholly
change, not TO misrepresent the issue which
'Radical" thinks involved in the question:
Chow shall the Territorial Offices be filled p,
Thus, instead of printing the whole of "Radi-
cal's' communication, which would reftlte its
editorial criticism, it quotes only another para
graph, In which Radical" exposes the conflicts
farces, the miserable sSortions into Which the
old municipal governments had been converted
growing out of the practice of electing these
subordinate executive officers, and then saws:
Snow were such cases as the aboye'' THAT is IL
unity, harmony, and yigor, in the adjustment of
the executive branches, werel "made the bases
a system of imperialism instead of democracy"
Indeed! is 1t possible! Do We to-day live un-
der democracy? Is ours democracy, or a rep
resentative republic? But the Chronicle con-
tinues: " The trouble with Radical" is that he
has too little faith in the people, and In his APP
prehensiye mood thinks that the less power they
have the better security they will enjoy. The
spirit of the times cannot accept such doctrine;
10 do 70, would admit aretrogression at war with
the very essence Of republicanisIn, and an insult
progressive ideas"
This is very severe about as severe as IL is Just
Let us see. Is the Constitution of the United
States .'at war with the very essence of republic
canism?" Is the organization of the executive
branches of our national gOuernment-the
practice" of Gen1 Grants administration-"at
war with the very essence of republicansm?"
They must be If the theory Of the Sunday Ckron-
icls be correct because the plan for which "Radi-
cal" contends is that Of 'the Constitution of the
United States in reference to the national execu-
uve'-that upon which rests the administration of
Genl Grant, as has also rested every national
administration since the foundation Of the gov
eminent, and Radical" in illustration and SUD-
port of his plan, cited the fact that under the
Constitution, the Secretary of the Treasury all
the different Secretaries, the collectors of reve-
nue. and customs, all the members of the execu-
tive, are appointed by the President. They are
thus made responsible to him. He in turn is
responsible TO Congress and the nation"
Indeed, the plan and principles for which
Radical" contends are those of the old radical
democracy in its palmiest days. They consti-
tuted one OF its cardinal features. Thus Gene
raj Jackson in 1888, in his contest with the old
National Bank, was sustained by the old radica
democracy, by the founder Of the Sunday Chronicle
and triumphaltly by the people, in the remova
of the deposits and the expulsion OF Secretary
Duane from Office. General jackson main
tanned that the responsibility was in the Presi
dent-the chief Executive-not i'm the Secretary
or subordinate. He contended that, very prop
erly, in the adjustment of the powers of the
Constitution, the different departments of the
goyernment-the executive, legislative and judi
cial-were coordinate, and each independent in
q separate sphere, and that in the Chief Execu
i've rested the whole responsibility of the exeeu
tive branch OF the government. General Jack
the executive centered the power OF the gov
eminent, but that in the President rested the
whole responsibility for the proper administra-
ton of the duties of the executive-to see that
the laws be faithfully executed-and that only in
proper subordinatiOn (the strictest accounta-
bilityl of the inferior members to its chief could
there be an harmonious or effective aiminstra-
ton OF its complicated and important functions.
Any other plan, Ire demonstrated, would be as
unjust as mischieyous; any other theory would
be in violation of the Constitution, republican,
he believed, in form.
| The Sunday Chronicle, therefore, wholly
misapproh ends "the trouble with Radical 80 IL
is not that he ''has too little faith in the people
but he is apprehensive that certain demagogues
having an interest in the perpetuation of the old
assxl,N
an exposure Of their designs, succeed by their
clamor for pretended popular rights" and
popular liberty" in deceiying the legislature
into measures for our new government under
| which they might at will revive the demorali-
cations of the old municipal government The
Sunday Chronicles cry OF ''imperialisms," "cen-
tIaliZatiOn," is simply the old and worn out cry
of the States rights secessiOlist against the rad-
cal democracy under the lead Of Andrew Jack
son, and has been raised by the copperhead and
rebel against every radical measure of the last
two years. 1t II now too well understood to mis-
lead: The Chronicle cannot give it either respee-
liability or force.
''Radicals" only desire is, that our new gov
eminent shall begin right that il shall begin
under influences, and the harmonious exercise
OF powers which will give TO it strength and
Vlgor, securing to IL the certainty of success
under proper management, and making IL truly
conservative Of the highest interests of our cit-
zens and the Territory. This, also, he believes
10 be the design of Congress in the creation of
the Territory. Hence "Radicai" again insists
that 'if the Legislature wishes TO perfect the
design OF Congress in the establishment of our
new governmental il wishes TO establish a
benehcent government for the District, to abolish
the Old conflicts of authority and their conse-
quent scandal and mischief and to establish an
harmonious and effective administration of our
Territorial affairs-if ii wishes to work a real
thorough, and practical reform in the admins
tration OF our governmental will, by investing
In the Governor the permanent appointment OF
his ofhcial subordinates, model our territorial
upon the plan of the national executive govern
ment, thus securing unity strength, and effective
yigor in Its chief, and harmony and due re-
sponsibilty among its several members"
WAsHINGToN, June 9, 1871. RADICAL.
WAR DEPT, OFFICE CHIEF SIGNAL Ory1cHR.)
WASHINGTON, ID. c., june 10-1O-3Oa m
synopsis for Tie past tsoeatyfour hours.-The