The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1872-03-29

When the motive in seeking and ac-
cepting office is to get money out OF ii
and out OF its opportunities, the mode
of performing its duties is generally that
which will insure the most money.
There is prejudice in the minds of the
masses of the American people against
men who carry an Etching palm" into
the higher offices Of the Government.
Statesmanship, patriotism, and impair
tial Judgment can rarely be looked for
from one whose estimate of the duties
OF his office makes the salary his chief
inducement to accept it. When, there
fore, Colonel Forney exhibits himself
before the country as dickering with
President Grant as TO whether the latter
could afford to resign life office of
eighteen thousand a year in cousidera-
ton of one term of the Presidency at
twenty-five thousand a year, and when
we find the President accepting the first
term only on an implied promise that
he should have a second at the same
salary, we are compelled to ask, In what
estimation does the President hold his
office? If it is valuable only for its
perqusites, there are certain railroads
and several life insurance companies
which would pay as high salary as the
Presidency The position of Collector
of the Port of New York, which the
President has SO jealously kept within
the limited circle of his confidential
friends, would pay at least twice as
much. True it has dignity, and affords
fewer opportunities for molding the
policy of the nation. 1t is not so sub
lime field wherein to exercise the
powers and display the requirements of
deep, powerful, and diversified mind,
in a manner to quicken the march of
progress, or enhance the welfare of the
country or the world. But for all this,
man whose thoughts are upon money
does not care. He necessarily despises
them as visionary and meaningless
phrases.
This conversation with Forney har-
monies in spirit with the general drift
of the Presidents personal and official
course since his election. His Cabinet
appointments as originally made, were
parcelled cut among a few very rich
men, who had led the way in making
him valuable presents of houses, &C.,
while General Two of them were
given to his two personal advisers while
General. Gratitude for past favors, or
services 20 himself individually, die.
tated the appointment of Rawlins,
Stewart, Borie, Fish, and Hoar, no one
OF whom, except, perhaps, Mr.. A. I.
Stewart, would have been, at that time,
selected by any other person for Cabi-
net position. The Cabinet appoint |
ments seemed to be valued as perquisites |
for paying private debts, not as means
of placing statesmen in charge of the |
Government. Messrs. Fish, Borie and
Hoar we're appointed for the pleasing
manner in which they had entertained
the President. Of course, such mode
OF appointing invited the whole coun.
try to compete for Office for making
presents and rendering other pecuniary
and personal services.
In these or any other appointments,
no Republican leaders were consulted.
No impression gained entrance into the
Presidents mind that the Republican
party, and its leaders in the Senate and
House or country at large, were to have
voice in his counsels. The Vice Presi-
dent and the leading Republican mem.
bers OF Congress might as well have
been Democrats for all the share they
we're invited to take in the counsels of
their Chief. 1t was not Republican
victory, but the victory of the General
and his family, that had lifted him to
power.
We have not often alluded to the an.
poin tments of relatives, because, how.
ever numerous or worthless they might
be, we do not regard them as publicly
so demoralizng as the appointment of
patrons,-of men who have only earned
their positions by subserviency to an in.
dividual whether by entertaining him,
giving him houses, or otherwise push
ing his private interests. Where this
system of polite corruption contami ,
mates the fountain of official dignity 1
and power, the lower stream cannot
run clear. The favoritism of the Presi. ,
dent for Murphy, growing out of the So
cial festivities OF Long Branch, may
seem to be mere good.fellowship so long
as it is confined to the amusements Of
the watering place. But when Murphy
receives instructions to pack the New
York State Conventions, in 1871, with
delegates wko believe that Grant ought
to be renominated in 1872. and when
he proceeds to do this by fraud, force
and bullying, we perceive relation be- I
tween the watering place festivities and '
the disgraceful and tyrannical move
ments in the primary conventions
which is not attractive.
We cannot assent to the low estimate
which regards the Presidency. with all
its great powers,-exceeding for the
time those OF any other human poten.
tate,-as the mere means of enriching
ones self and relatives, and rewarding
those who aid in the same work. Yet
this has been President Grants esti.
mate. of the nosition and the consa. |