Litchfield enquirer., 1875-04-01
Money versus Merit.

The most alarming element in our mod ern politics is the open and corrupt use of money not only in our elections. but in influencing our legislative bodies, filling positions requiring ability and integrity with inferior and venal men
 The loose, moral sense that would per init 8 candidate to purchase seat in Con- gress with as little compunction as he would buy beafsteak for breakfast, would offer no obstacle to his selling his inhu- ence for a mess of pottage. The Demo cratic candidate for Congress in this dis trict does not hesitate through his agents openly to offer to hire Republicans to work for the promotion of his political in- terests and both counties are flooded with money to aid in his election. Now let us for Q moment look into this mode of pro- oedure in respect to some of it's important bearings. Here is a man. for instance, a good citizen, a successful business man, measured by pecuniary standard-that success partly due to skillful management, and partly to favorable circumstances, but with no qualifications to represent this district in Congress superior to thousands of his constituents, and inferior to hun dreds of them.-insisting upon his re-elec- tion for the. fifth term to the House of Representatives of the United States. All this, not because distinguished public ser vices or extraordinary fitness for public life had indicated him as the man for the place, but solely because he believes he has the power to procure his election. Eight years he has insisted upon occupy ing this exalted public position because he has demonstrated his ability to obtain it, and now, for the same reason, insists upon having it for nobody knows how many years more.
 This is modern Democracy-thisi is rota- ton in ofice-this is illustrating the Dens- ocratic @ principle of throwing open all tie avenues to success in business and politics for competitive scrub race. We have for example in this district, legal profession not excelled. in respect of abil- 1 ity in their profession and fitness for pub- lie life by an equal number of their breth- ren anywhere in the State, men who are l from the nature of their studies and pro- fessional training pre-eminently qualified for the graceful and efficient performance of public duties. and yet this man stands like wall of adamant not only between them and the house of representatives, but the senate also. and virtually tells them to stand back until he is pleased to withdraw that barrier. And when will that be? When he has clung to the lower house until vacancy occurs in the senate-to which notwithstanding his sig nal defeat of last summer he still aspires, land has passed over his mantle, we all know how gracefully worn, to his wealthy coadiutor for an indefinite period, then, gentlemen of tue Iitchfeld and Fairfield county bars, perhaps you will have g chance. cannot promise you fo. do not know how long this succession, not exactly apostolic, will continue.
 There is no man in the Democratic par, ty in this district who is an aspirant fo, any high political position who dare op. pose the will of the Man of Iron, for he well knows that whether victorious OF van. pulsed, politically he would be ruined, inasmuch as this candidate for life mem. bership in Congress could, by means oi the delegates from Litchfeld county sub. ject to his control, defeat the nomination indefinitely. I have taken only one class or profession to illustrate inc Enbounded interest of the Democratic party in the welfare of the dear people, but it applies