National Republican., 1873-11-27


make note OF this aud send In their favors
slblc.
THANKSGIVING.
To-day has been set apart by the President
and recommended by majority OF the Gov |
errors Of the States as one Of general thanks
giving throughout the country for the bless |
ings Of the year. To tho New Highlander the |
day Is especially dear, reminding him Of the
Pilgrim Fathers, the good ship speedwell,
and the triumph on this Western Continent |
Of civil and religious liberty. But the day
has outgrown Its mere sectional signia cance
aid become a holiday Of national Observance
In every quarter Of the republic. New Eng
land Ideas have everyw here prevailed, and
the seeds planted on the unpromising rock
bound coast ovcrshadow tho whole land.
Looking back to the events Of the year, we
have as q people abundant reason to be
thankful to the Power who holds the world
iu the hollow Of His hand. Peace has pre-
vailed In our borders, except on the far In-
dian frontier, and, as will be seen by our
ncws columns this morning, tho only spcck
oil war that has fallen upon our foreign horl-
z,n has almost disappeared. It Is true that
particular sections and localities have been
visited with pcstilcuce; that hundreds and
hundreds have died In the fever-strickcn
cities OF Shreveport and Memphis; but In the
evidence Of Christian charity and sympathy
called forth tho terrible calamity has not
been altogether without Its compensa-
tous. The grave disasters that befcll
the country few months ago In the
failure OF many of our leading
bankers and business firms, resulting In the
suspension OF factories aud the discharge Of
thousands and thousands of mechanics and
workingmcn, arc beginning to pass away.
The Thanksgiving skies this morning are
brighter and clearer than the most sapculpe
Of US expected even two weeks ago. In
the produ :tivcness Of all our agricultural
interests, the bursting granaries of the West
and the cotton-la1en wharves of our South
crn ports, We have, asa nation, cause for
praise aud Thanksgiving. Taken all In al |,
our Government rests on surer foundation
than that OF any coun try In the world, our
people are more prosper Gus. Spain is torn
by internal factions-the seat Of civil war;
France looks uneasly to the futurc-republi-
canism and monarchy strug Cling for suprem-
"eyt thJ Ot TcNOlutlOn
become every day and year more aud more
distinct overywhere we fnd war and threats
OF war. Nearing the centennial anniversary
vi our birth, our government Of the people,
for the people and by the people, Is revered
ut home and respected abroad our country,
great In all that goes to make people great
education, activity, enterprise, progress.
Despite the minor and temporary misfortuncs
and calamitles that have oyertakcn us. we
have still the highest reasons to keep to-day
as we have kept 1t In the past.
THE Nav APPOINTMENTS AND POL
ICY.
Tho policy Of Governor Shepherd, In de-
cllning 10 make appointments to those Dis
trict Offices which are deemed supcrnnous in
the present condition Of affairs, Is worthy Of
all commeDdatiou. The organization Of the
government having been fully perfected, and
Its operation reduced TO a system that Is now
working smoothly and efficiently, the Iabors
incident to the administration of the public
Offices arc much lessened, and consequently a
large number OF those officials whose services
were found necessary last year, and for whose
retention and remuneration provision was
made by tho Legislature, are no longer re-
qulred. The Governor, being aware Of this
fact, has wisely taken the responsibility of
lea wing vacant such positions as seem to him
not ab >olutcly necessary to the public service.
In doing 'dis he has economical the public
funds to the extent of nearly fifty thousand
dollars a wear. which Nc could have dispensed
10 the shape Of / 'stronagc In entire conso-
nance with law.
The duty thus perforl ned BY the Governor |
was Of the most unpleas, mt and dlstasteful
character. 1t called Into re pusition one OF
bs qualities most important In an executive |
,fiicer-the moral courage to refuse to ap-
point mcn-fricnds, cven-to ofiice< which
src'not necessary to the public veal.
This policy Is highly approved by the ,'on-
tiipity who arc striving to raise the me. Nns
nth which To pay their taxes. The present.
ii tho money market makes their 4
efforts In thai Direction extremely onerous,
and each dollar eeotthtfzed by our District
officers tends to tighten thtir burdsns. |,
The example Of economy ST by ,he Gov
rrnor Is, therefore, fully apprecfstsd BY the
people, and Is worthy of emulation BY alb the
officers Of the government.
II Is hardly to be expected that the course
pursued by Governor Shepherd will entirely VI
es cape criticism. No doubt some OF those
incunbcnts who are thus left unprovided for
.. the public expense will at first feel much
aggricycd at being obliged to seek other
fields Of employment Aud yet upon the
second sOber thought their own best judY-
mcnts cannot fail TO approve the course
which he has cohs,iDred 1t his duty as a pub
lie executive ofiicorto' adopt. Be this as II
may, the policy was the correct one to pur-
sue, and can In no way he construed
into personal ill-will to the suferers. The
question presented for his Consideration
was one OF public duty antagouized
by wish TO serve his friends at the
the peoples expense, and the readiness with
which IL has been met and determined In
favor Of the best Interests Of the whole pco-
pic challenges aud will receive the approval
Df all.
The OFFICIAL JoURSAL at Havana prints :
the Official orders Of the Spanish Govern
mcnt In regard 10 the release OF American
estates, which looks as II the colonial gov