New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-07-27
4 SWORD WITH TWO EDGES.


conquerers. Yet it is not an uncommon
thing, in actual warfare, that these Capuan
conauests bring weakness to the victor,
| and sometimes. as in the captured wines
and wealth around the Kremlin. con-
| tribute to defeat the captor. Mr.. Jeffer-
son, the founder of the Republican party,
comprehended the danger Of this sword
to the hand that yields it, when he said
that an appointment to Office made tout
OF twenty applicants one migrate and
| and nineteen enemies" 1. will be found
true. The profitable contract given to
| an importunate claimant; the. lucrative
Office conferred upon an incompetent
or inscriptions striker. b:ing'a response
bility upon the appointing power which
| the personal influence Of such miscreants
can never compensate. From this it fol-
| lows that these conIUests, as III regular
warfare. should no: become the prey OF
individuals. They should be at once
turned owe. to the commis,ary department
to be accounted for as part Of the public
| property acquired by the act Of war. The
spoi,s of campaign. therefore. are to be
held and appropriated strictly to the ad-
vantage of the party. They should be
applied to illustrate and extend the prin-
ciple. Of the party. There is ali the diff
ference between the responsible applica-
ton of a military conquest. and the
irrespons ib!e destruction of armed free
hooters. This feature alone distin-
cuisines modern warfare. President
Grant understands this rule. He leaves
thi petty department to the direction OF
the bureaus. He does not bother with
such tribes. 1t is by no means Repub-
Iican principle to endow the executive
leader of the political host with the dis
tribution Of the common conquest. Re-
publicans are by tradition and doctrine
Jealous of TIE zone man power" and pre-
fer entrustiug the award Of money or
patronage to the representatives Of the
people.
There are especial reasons why the
executive should be Invested of much of
this petty patronage In the first place.
he can not possibly judge the qualitica-
tons of a hundred nominees for subor-
dinate and distant offices. In the second
place, if he makes bad appointment it
is charged not against him personally.
but against the party to which the execu-
tive belongs. A due accumulation of all
the defauIters who have signalized their
dishonesty during a single executive term
will constitute formidable issue against
the party. Every voter can understand
the end of theft. but few voters will ad-
nit the NJ crit o: politica! principle
as an ofse: to official robbery. Parties
in the United States have been more often
put on trial for the dishonesty Of their
officials, and even of their representatives.
than for the unsoundnes, of their political
doctrines. The Democratic party has
been twice or thrice driven from power
for the default Of their men. They have
been defeated by schis,n arising solely
from a ursuit of the spoils. The Repub-
lican party was endargereda at the last cleo
ton by a somewhat similar schism. Recog-
nizing the settled principles Of American
politics to be- as stated. it becomes the Re-
publican party to exercise the greatest eau
ton in the selection Of Republicans for Of
fee, and to place the most visilant guard
around the award Of public money or
public franchises.
We are even inclined to doubt whether
the party responsibility arising from the
appointment: Of parish or municipal off,
GERS by the executive may not ve1y far ex-
coed the strength thereby acquired by the
party. A ioca! majority is undeniably
entitled to select its own municipal Off
GERS, just as every township in New Eng
land elects its own seiectmen and other
town officers. There elections are entire
IL independent OF the State majority on
federal election. The effect of this re-
publican partition of powers is to satisfy
the suttragans. They have been beaten
in the presidential election. Very well. 1t
tends to restore the content Of that town
to see the pigs OF political opponent
drawn to the front by constable OF its
own appointment.
In some cases, as perhaps III Louisiana.
4 uuestio nable accumulation Of patron
age has made the Republican party an
swerable for official nalfeasance occurring |
in distant parts of the State. This must |
be explained perhaps defended. 1t is a
process and often attended |
With grea: expense OF time and temper |
It keeps 4 party Oh the defensive when
t should be advancing tie unspotted |
banner CT its principles. There is another
serious consequence Of this weapon OF
wo edges. Throughout the whole State
he people are not merely concerned tor
he result o! federal election. but for
he appointlnen. OF their own local Ulcers.
There is. then. concentrated upon the
party and its leaders the LEGAL
liscon:ent OF each parish! il which there
nay be vacancy IL tie Office Of mayor,
ldernan or police iUrvman. There is
aore fgh: il q parish majority over a
heriff than over a presidential election,
nd al! combinin: their opposition against
be State authorities makes a formidable
onspiracy. That this branch Of patron
ge brings no additional power to party
) evident. That it would be better TO
rotit by the divisions upon these offices
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