Whig and tribune. [volume] (Jackson, Tenn.) 1870-1877, 1873-06-28
The way.APPeInsmeats 20 OIE,ct
are Made.

The way .ApPsInsmeats 30 OTE'ce
are Made.
Some things occur in this govern
ment Of these United States, which
was organized under the best Con-
stitutiOn of this world, which con-
clusivcly shows that the Constitu-
tion may be good and the admins
tration of the government bad in
deed, not to say ridiculous and viii
famous. In the first place, quanti-
ty of people constitute themselves,
with a great deal of noise, the polit-
ical leaders in every locality; not
that they are the representatives of
the people, but they want to do
something, make a stir, and little
government patronage may be in
perspective. These gentlemen are
loud in their professions Of the eter-
nal principles of their party. The
radical republican says the Demo-
Gratis brought on the war and ought
10 be hung, much less ever to hold
an Office. The radical Democrat
says he is going to stand by the eter-
nal principles Of the old Jefferso
nian Jackson Democracy, and any
man who won't go with him is
Observation-Disclosures heart. And
so these geRtLemeS harrangue the
people, in order to keep up selfish
parties. When a Presidential cleo
ton is about being agitated they Sc
lect a set to represent them, or &C
copt some persons who volunteer
for the business, and they again Sc
lect others, until finally, after good
deal of turning and twisting, some
hundreds Of gentlemen, and not a
few loafers, are conglomerated into
a crowd denomiHated a National
Convention. This crowd under
takes to say who shall be President
of the country, and to work it goes,
to express its opinion. The differ
ent members all have their prefer
ences, and although their individual
power is not much to insure the
success of any one candidate, it is
great to defeat him. After a deal
Of wrangling, when they are all tired
out, they settle down upon some
man OF whom few ever dreamed
some man without a civil record OF
any note-Iike Grant-on account
of his supposed availability, and
forthwith his name, with a roll OF
paper principles, are blazoned forth,
and the campaign begins. Another
man and another lot of paper prin-
ciples are pitted on the other side;
people talk on one side or another;
q great fuss is kicked up, and final.
| ly the election decides who is to be
the great man for four years, unless
indeed he should happen to make &
little man of himself meanwhile, a;
Grant has done.
Speculations are busy concerning
the appointments which the Presi
dent will make, and crowds of hun.
CRY people, in all parts OF the coun
try get up petitions to him for al
sorts of Offices. But first he fixe,
upon his cabinet. He casts his eyes
ovor the country, and as this State
ought to have something, that State
did not exactly come up to the
scratch in the election, and that 9th.
er State must be rewarded for the
overwhelming majority which she
gave him, the accident of residence
is generally pmade to predominant
over merit. A half dozen and one
are selected, and when they are once
safe for some place they begin fight
ing amongst themselves. This one,
coming from somewhere, has claims
to be the Premier. Another man
has talents, or thinks he has; anoth-
er won't allow his constituency to
go unrewarded, and therefore he
expects them to be rewarded in his
person. Finally, they agree, and
without much attention being paid
to the peculiar fitness for the posi-
ton which each is to hold, they
slide into their places, and lol seven
other great men appear upon PEN
nsylvania Avenue.
Meantime the very great man has
gone up to the capital to be inaugu-
rated. lie takes an oath, and STEP
ping forth, delivers a speech which
has been written by some office-seek-
or, and studied over for three
months, and is tolerably fine. The
people shout and appear satisfied.
All praise the inaugural; but it is
ten chances to one that the deliver
or will be pretty extensively abused
, for violating its pledges, before
three months have passed. Then
the scramble begins. Every body
wants every thing, and somebody
gets something. The great test OF
fitness for Office is locality and 10y
atty to party. This cannot, in part
be objected to in regard to those ap.
: pOintments which are peculiarly 10.
cal. 1t is very proper that the PEG.
, pie who are TO deliver letters and
! collect duties should know and bC
acquainted with these with whom
they have to deal. But the princi
pie must be carried further. A
number of foreign appointments are
selected, and forthwith the appoint
ment is made among the States. i
don't matter whether the man be pc
culiarly fitted for the post, whether
he knows anything of the bushes.
upon which he goes or not, but h,
receives share of the spoils awar
ded to u particular locality. LII
must come from some locality net
too near another, from which an ap
pointment has been made, and be I
very loud-mouthed politician, anC
forthwith he is commissioned t.
represent our country abroad a
some place of which he knows az
much as the authorities there know
of him. Myriads of tricks are resor
ted to; myriads of lies are told, ant
great devotion to the party is plac
ed upon record. Finally the groa
farce is over; everybody being ap