, 1875-11-04
Theleeislative Pother.

The legislative and Executive De-
partmea.s of this Territory have come
IN a dead lock which threatens to SER
iously impair the public interests, DIS
graceful to the people and dishonorable
to both parties engaged in it. In tie hrst
Mace majority of one in the Councilac-
.ouired by bargain and combination re,
cardless of the popular expression ana
having for its sole object and Intent
division of spoils-first, to secure the
Legislative positSRs, and secondly to
prevent any change in the Territorial
offices now held by members OF the ring,
which is carried on in the name of De-
:nocracy. but which includes in its mem
bership spoils hunters of both parties
having attained their first object IN a
manner which disguised all decent DEM
ocrats and made them an object Of ridi-
cule to the Republicans, the next part oil
the nrorrsmme was TO reject all nHml-
nations made by the Governor for Iefri-
torial offices, and thus retain those o1fi-
ces in the hands of the present lncum-
bents. This. too, has been done, ana 10
avoid the charge of factious opposition
to lawful authority with tie design o.
defeating the manifest ends CT the law
this Pickering majority write themselves
down unmittigated asses IN setting up
the defence that they do this IN MAIN
tainance of the principles OF popular
rule. The pretext for this is, that the
mode OF electing Territorial Offices IN
this Territory has been -chansed'from
elections by joint ballot of the Leglsla-
tive Assembly to nominations by the
= Governor, subject to confirmation oy
the Council. This change is represen>
, ted in Baneomb memorial passed by
the majority of the Council, as Feeders
al aggression upon popular nights With
out parallel since the days of British
aggressions .upon the rights Of the peo-
ple of the American Colonies. and revo-
lutionary resistance is hinted at as the
only remedy. Were those Legislative
ignoramuses rot aware OF the tact that
this change is made under the Revised
Statutes of the United States, making
uniform law for the government CT the
Territories and only establishes rule
for this Territory which has uniformly
prevailed in every other Territory be-
longing to the Union. Under the rule
of the old Democratic rarty, Of glorious
memory, every one Of the old Northwest
Territories was organized, and IN every
instance the appointments of all officers,
except minor township officers, were
vested in the Governor. 1t was not un-
til after the popular ar.sovazeignty" doc
trines began to prevail that the rights
of the people of the Territories to elect
their own county officers was conceded
by Congress, and the exceptional rule o.
committing the election of Territorial
Officers to the Legislative Assembly OF
Washington Territory, was an act of
Republican Administration and Con-
gress.
We most religiously believe in the
doctrine of popular sovereignty-that
the right of self-government is inherent
and inalienable. We fully recognize
the political axiom that without munic-
ipal indepeadsnce there is no guarantee
to personal liberty. But we disclaim all
sympathy with that form of Democracy
as clearly represented in the "Olympia"
as in the old "Tammany ring" based
upon the motto: "To the victors belong
the spoils::'' and ,aaile that the sole end
and aim of all political endeavor. Who
can tell US what relation the appoint
ment of the ministerial officers of the
Territorial government has to popular
riohts. These offices are clothed with
no more political power or significance
than that of book-keeper in commer-
.cial house. They are simply sought to
!. be used as party bats for the reward OF
party services, through the corrupt
management of party caucusses. All
experience has proved that the worst
and most corrupt way of electing public
sefdcers is by legislative cancus. 1t uni
formly becomes matter of bargain and
sale in which popular sentiment and
popular rights are utterly ignored, and
the practice in this Territory heretofore
has been no exception to the rule.
We exceedingly reject that Gov. Ferry
has placed the power and dignity OF the
Executive office upon SO low plane as
to make it a party to this contest. he
was informed in advance of the purpo"
ses of the Council Combination. Had
he sent in his nominations and on their
rejection for no cause affecting their
qualifications, held himself andhls Office
aloof from further contest, and im>
mediately on the adjournment of the
Legislature appoln.ed the same men
and thrown upon the judiciary the re-
sponsibility of sustaining or rejecting
his action, he would have had the re-
sspect of the intelligent and fair minded
men of all parties. By paltering with
the matter and allowing threats cf retail
iation to be banded about, he has only
given color to the scandal that the com
,bination extenus into his own political
household, embracing not only the
maintainence of the present4ncumbents
il. Office, but the jobs of public printing,
the. contract for keeping the insane and
the present management of the Unlver>
sity. all of which interests the Standard
boldly represents and upon which the
Courier maintains most significant 81
lance.