Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-12-25
THE RUTLAND HERALD
IGNORING POLITICS.

When the political issues involved be-
tween the different pasties that exist or
may arise in this country, cease to be OF
any Importance, and the science OF
craftsmanship shall have degenerated
into a scramble for the spoils of office,
we shall be ready to join hands with
those generous souls in politics who GO
in for ignoring all party lines, in the Sc
lection and appointment of civil officers;
but while there are vital principles upon
which the people are divided, and one
party has such majority of the popular
suffrages that they carry elections for
men that represent their own views, ii
Is degrading acknowledgement of their
own lack of candor and confidence in
their own views, for them to ignore
party lines in selecting public servants
10 carry out their highest theories in the
best government in the world. Public
legislative and executive officers, are the
particular opponents of the political SEN
timents of their party, and when any
party places part of their power into
the hands of their opponents, they not
only weaken their own influence and
give aid aud comfort to the enemy, but
they also tacitly acknowledge that they
do not believe in the principles they ad-
vocate, and to which they adhere.
For all the time since the recollection
of most men in this country, the people
have been divided upon questions of pol
icy and expediency, and at times upon
questions of absolute right. Formost of
the time there has been two great par
ties, so nearly equally divided that both
were required to exercise all their energy
and tact in order to prevail in the gen.
eral elections of the country, as they
have occurred. Neither party has ever
monopolized all the honesty, integrity,
or ability of the nation; but the same
has been so evenly balanced that no
mind is acute enough to discriminate as
to which side contained most of the ele-
ments of good citizenship. Every man
who has sufficient intellect and force of
character to form an opinion, will be
. upon one side or the other of every issue
that he regards as important; therefore,
unless we make party test in these
appointments, we must consent to assist
In the destruction of our own political
ideas. He who is not for US, will iney-
itably be against us, and the majority
can never afford to give the party in OPP
position to them the advantage, which
every increase of official power must
carry with it.
1t would seem, then, that the idea of
ignoring party lines in making selections
and appointments, is unwise, and if the
issues are vital and important, unsafe.
We would except from this rule two
classes of officers, and only two. First,
the judiciary, which is not in any man
ner the representative of popular will or
popular feeling, but are tribunals insti-
tuted to adjudge of the rights of men,
according to the immutable principles of
right, under the laws as they really are,
without fear, favor or prejudice, or any
consideration of policy or expediency;
and secondly, the officers of the military
service, who are but instruments in the
hands of the Executive to carry out the
will of the civil officers who are APP
pointed over them. In this country the
military is held in strict subordination to
the civil power, and military officer, in
the performance of his duties, must car
ry out the first principles of army disci-
pline, and obey lawful orders without
regard to his own convictions of their
expediency or policy. To such an off,
Ger party hostility does no harm, and
party fealty adds nothing to his power
or influence.
With these two exceptions, we cannot
see the reason for ignoring politics In
appointments. There are capable men
enough and TO spare in every dominant
party TO abundantly supply all official
places and represent the sentiments of
the party, and this demagogism that
courts popularity by stultifying all
claims to honesty of purpose, is of a
kind that earnest men will not approve
off, Forgiveness of enemies, does not
require an enthusiastic union with foes
to destroy friends. If we have no
grounds for political parties, and piinci-
pies are to be made subordinate to men,
then we better unite in sweeping away
all party names and party measures, and
form one grand mutual admiration soci-
ETY., In which he who is fortunate enough
to have the most personal friends and
fewest personal enemies, will be most
successful in obtaining positions of trust
and power. This will probably bring to
the surface more of the negative nonen-
titles, who never formed an opinion,
than any other scheme that could be
adopted but while we. have parties
founded upon principles as deep as those
of the government itself, fidelity to party
will be a badge of honesty, and he who
seeks to ignore party in official appoint
ments must carry the imputation of be-
ing either dishonest or incapable of rep
resenting the principles and sentiments
of any party.