The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-06-01

what words would JEFFERSON use II he were
here to speak on the opel, and Tulti1 ss
said that popes not to neglect their own blood;
| that they should not show themselves worse than
latlons, and the class Of bears and lions the most
ferocous OF all was cited as authority for this re-
f%s M s en
charity must BE- at his 20, own 6onn, ex
| In appointments to office, merit and not blood Is
| the only just recommendation; that nepotsm has
his relations upon s the Church that the appointing
power OF the Pope is treated as Q public trust and
rs s IS sns
knows from experience the banelul character OF
AMERICAN AUTHORITIES ON NEporIsM.
The nepOtism Of Rome was little known In our
country. and do not doubt that Washington, when
20 wns seo y ha sc Of %
and patriotism which rendered him so pre-eminent.
Through all the perils OF seven years. war he had
whole family without regard to merit fastening all
upon tho nation, and he had learned that this
c rh sye he oI Rejected the Claims Of relations
and In nothing was his example more beautlila
him as ' saying 10 Far as know my own mind
would not be In the remotest degree influenced IN
making BY motives arising from the
his purpose to discharge the duties OF office with
that mpartality and zeal for the public good which
ship to minge so a. to have the least sway on de-
clsons OF public NATURE" This g, excel,
promotion Of his son, John Quincy Adams. After
giving it as his opinion that the latter was the
missing to be the ablest OF all our diplomatic CORPS
washington declares M he was nov now to be
S mot mot s q the n pcs o Witch R0R
regulated my own conduct disapprove OF
ths : caution which p limited at in the
rule it were better had IL prevailed over parental
regard and the extraordinary merits OF the son.
In indicating his conduct ut later day John
Adams protested against what he called
'THE REPRESENTATIVE VIRTUE"
OF M ana PRESIDENT hs ought
nor ought he refuse or neglect to appoint him for
that reason" With absolute certainty that the
sensitive to merit only this rule is not unreason
able But who can be trusted to apply It
ti0ns. In letter to relation Immediately after
becoming President he wrote:-s'rhe public will
relative is made on the ground of merit alone, I'M
influenced by family views; nor can they ever see
entrust to their Presidents for public purposes,
divided out as family property" Mr.. Adams de-
se S Sy ms on as sub
| honor. With two such examples to proceed by
should be douby inexcnsable to err. After his re-
tirement from the Presidency, in letter to kins
man, he asserts the rule again :-''TOward acqulr-
ing the confidence Of the people the first measure
y to satisfy them OF his disnterestednesS, and that
he Is directing their affairs with single eye to
their good and not to build up fortunes for himself
and family and especially that the officers APP
because they are the ittest men, not because
they are his relations. SO prone are they to sus-
picIo ion that when President appoints relation
favor and not merit was the motive. therefore
laid It down as a law of conduct for myself never
to give an appointment to q relatiOn.o That state
ment Is unanswerable. The elect Of the people
must live best to maintain their interests and
by an example OF unselnsh devotion to the
public veal which shall be above. suspicion.
already shorn Of strength In saying that his pre-
dccessor degraded himself infinitely by his con-
d9St on TINS subject Mr. Jefferson tr shows the rgor
mission to another, John Adams is respon-
law, Colonel Smith, as Surveyor Of the Port
Of New York, and ., his wiie's nephew, william
District Of Columba; both persons of great
abilities, and the former serving through the war
sentiment appears in the condemnation Of these
IN a.m refusing another Of his
relations to anything without drawing forth
torrent Of obloquy." But this torrent was
unwilling that republican institutions at that early
day should suffer- thus far John Adams stands
alone. II any other President has made ap
petty Scale as not to be recognized in history.
John Quincy Adams, when President, did not follow
his father. An early letter to his mother loreshad
ows rule not unlike that of Jenerson-
sT s SnOTs 1
sn SdSI i
s. sa$s Il ;s ;
Ss
the justice to believe that have not been so totally
decaey as to be susceptible Of wish tending In that
To Jelrerson's sense Of public duty John Quincy
Adams added the sense Of personal delicacy-both
the Irresistible Judgment against this abuse a
recent moralist OF lofty nature-Theodore Parker
imparts new expression when he says:-'It is
dangerous and unjust practice This Is simple
and mOnitOry.
PRESIDENTIAL APOLOGIES FOR NEporIsM.
Without the avalanche of testimony against this
Presidential pretenson, 1t Is only necessary TO
glance ut the deiences sometimes set up. For such
that even this ntoleraple outrage is not without
voices speaking for the President. Sometimes it Is
SAID that his salary, being far from royal, the peo
relatives; which, being interpreted, means that
the President may supplement- the pettiness of his
nee q pesow ONCE
relations of unquestioned merit, Judge these pre-
tensions Iquote his words Every public man
should be restrained from every perquisite not
known to the laws, and he should make
no claims upon the gratitude Of the
public nor ever confer an Office within
his patronage upon o son, brother, a friend,
upon pretence that he is not paid for his services
by the profits of his Office" 1t is impossible to deny
| the soundness Of this requirement and Its COM
peteness as an answer to OF the Presid entail
! apologlsts Sometimes the defender is more auda.
cious, insisting openly upon the Presidential pre-
rogatiye Without question, until We seem TO hear in
| aggravated form the obnoxious cry xr2.
| "To THE viGf01; BELONG TliiE spor1s.n
| did not suppose that this old cry could be re-
! vived in any form, but since 1t is heard again
| choose to expose it; and here use the language
! of Madison, whose mild wisdom has iumined so
much OF constitutional duty. In his Judgment the
pretension was Odous that Offices and emoil-
ments were the spois OF victery, the per-
qidate ior, tpe Presidency, and be adds in
| words ii0t to be forgotten al this moment, ''The
| principle II avowed Without the practice or prac-
| tised without the avowa, could not fail to degrade
any administraton-hOth together completely so.o
aroa hn rrlo IN Ira M rlv Ormn