The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1872-06-11

tation."
The President notorously has taken
gifts while in the public service-some,at
least after he lwl been elected President
Until the Galena tanner of q few hun
dred dollars year Ito borrow the word
OF my colleague, one of his supporters
is now rich in houses, land and stock,
above his salary being probably the rich
est President since George Washington.
He. has appointed to his Cabinet Greeks
bearing gifts, without seeming to see the
IindecoTum if not the indecency of the
transaction. At least two, if not three
of these Greeks, having no known posi-.
tion in the Republican party Or influence
in the, country, have been selected as
counselors in national affairs and heads
of great departments of the Govern
ment
Nor does the case Of the first SeGreta.
ry of State, appointed as compliment,
differ in character from the other three.
The President, feeling under personal
obligations to Mr.. Washburne for iih.
portant support, gave him complimen-
tary nomination, with the understanding
that after confirmation he should forth
with resign. l cannot forget the indig-
nant comment of the late Senator Fes
sender, as we passed out of the Senate
Chamber, Immediately after his confrma.
ton. "Who," said he, sever heard be-
fore Of a man nominated as Secretary of
State merely as compliment ?' But
this is only another case of public SER
vice subordinated to public considera-
ton
Not only in the Cabinet, but in other
Offices there is reason to believe that the
President has been under the influence
of patrons. Why was he so blind ? AS
to Thomas Murphy's Custom House, of
New York, with all its capacity as po-
litical engine, was handed over to this
agent, whose want OF recognition in the
Republican party was unbalanced by
Presidential favor, and whose gifts have
become notorious. And when the de-
mand for his removal was irresistible, the
President accepted his resignation with
a diffusion of sentiment natural toward
a patron, but without justification in the
character of retiring officer.
have now completed the survey of
two typical instances of nepotism and
gift-taking officially compensated, in
which we are compelled to see the Pres
ident. In these things he shows him.
self. This is no portrait drawn by critic
or enemy. 1t is the original who stands
forth, saying: "Behold the generosity 1
practice to my relations at the expense
Of the public servicel Also, the gifts
take, and then my way of rewarding
! patrons-always at the expense of the
public service" In this open exhibition
we see how the Presidency, instead cf a
trust, has become perqnisite. A Pres
ident that can do such things and not re-
cognize at once the error he has commit
ted shows that supereminence of ego
tism under which the Constitution, Inter.
national law, and municipal law, to say
nothing of Republican Government in
its primary principles, are all subordina-
ted TO the Presidential will And this is
personal Government! Add an insensi,
bility to the honest convictions Of others,
and you have s characteristic incident
of this pretenson. LAWYERS cite what
are called leading cases, A few of these
show the Presidential will in constant
operation, with little regard to precedent
or reason, so as to be caprice if not
lpretension.
Other Presidents have entered upon
Office with certain modesty and dis
trust, but our soldier, absolutely untried
in civil life, entirely new man, entering
upon the sublimest duties, before which
Washington and Jefferson had shrunk,
said in his inaugural: "The responsible
tiles of the position feel, but accept
them without fear" The next step after
his inaugural address was the selection
of Cabinets and, in this selection, the
general disappointment was only equal.
ed by the general wonder. All tradition,
usage and propriety were discarded
The just expectations of the party that
elected him were set at naught, and the
safeguards Of constitutional Govern.
incnt were subordinated to the personal
pretensions of one man. Marked among
the spectacles which followed, and kin
dred in character with the appropriation
Of his Cabinet as individual property,
was the appropriation of the offices of
the country.
Mr.. Sumner here repeated the charges
Of nepotism, appointing relatives to Of
flee, etc., and criticised in severe terms
the conduct of the President in sending
a message to Congress March 6, 1869,
asking them to set aside fundamental
law in order that Stewart might enter
upon the duties of Secretary of the
Treasury; he (Stewart) being one of
those from whom the President had re-
ceivsd gifts. He next spoke of the mil
itary ring at the White House, and said
the Executive Mansion had assumed the
character of q military head quarters
To the dishonor of the civil service. and
in total disregard Of precedent, the Pres
ident had surrounded himself with Off
GERS of the army and substituted military
forms for those of civil life, e,detailing for
this service members of his late staff, al
though Congress has shown purpose
to limit the employment of military OH,
GERS in civil service by three different
statutes. Hln
Mr.. Sumner condemned the President
for the taking away from their proper
duties of officers of the army to make
them Presidential Secretaries in defiance
of law; the su5ordination of the War
Department to the General in Chief; the
attempt to devolve the duty Of the Navy
Department upon deputy, so that or.
ders were to he signed, "a, E. Borie,
Secretary of the Navy, per D. d. Por-
ter, Admiral;" the effort to absorb the
Indian Bureau into the War Depart
ment: military interference at elections
the efforts to secure the repeal of the
Tenure Of Office Act, which limited the
Presidents power Of appointment: and
Presidential interference with political
questions and party movements in dis
tant States. from Louisiana to- New