New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-12-01

and nothing more AMI this absurd state OF things viii
soon cure itself by showing that the President Is not the
IS the best way of remedying this perverson of re-
pul ca1ism 1t is enough 20 say for the present that
anG purely patriotic progress will tud out the right
methods, II the nation VIII make the honest attempt 20
place the civil service upon thoroughly democratic
basis. The first step is admit the radical evil and
then TO set about radical amendment Leave the Presi-
den,y invested with an Its other prcroeailyes,
il You will, Sut strip it of the right 10
disburSe the patronage OF the Federal Government
and you will have gained many n league toward
national purity and tranquility Surely some method
Gu W. leu WIefey these Inohyls eau De Prope
ety. town. hamlet select such OF these public servants
rs execute their offices within their precncts Or II
thar =, not practicable, let the appointments be con-
trocd by Congress- or by the Legislatures OF the several
States by board created in the Federal Government
for tho special purpose Some safe and practical plan
can bc devised that must be In harmony with pure
repub!icansm than the present Capitalization Of Pres
dental prerOgatycs, which is only from al
solntisn, they have been used Che last 80 years
some such steps these in the direction OF progress,
and at The same time throw every conceivable protec
ton around the balotbox, so thgt fraud cannot easily
poute H. shall have new cause from year to year for
thank giving. think IL only reasonable to suppose that
II we cond come 10 more ruy democratic position on
the whole question Of the Presidency there would be less
temptation to the pollution OF that sacred privilege;
Ineie WOuld be less incentive 10 me DIVIDE and
selling % votes to false registration, and false naturdz
uon to fraudulent counting Of votes to the naisnlng
OF cHUIaetcr IN honorable candidates, ana 10 INC
demordzng practice OF betting on the results or cleo
tons. the interests at stake in Presidential election
are ntoselher TOO great as they now are IhSe Is HDt
ing IN the management Of our institutions which OF itself
hCHsOu OF each citizen tine honor OF the DdlOtbON,
except the oath. Ii should he regarded among us
rule that any who would tamper with the ballot
box in any way the enemy Of his country, and would
bctray 1t in any other manner if he had tho
chance. The safety OF tho country demands
that all such men should DO stupt or then
franchise aud allowed to cast an
other vote in their lives the ughtfu conviction OK
such "a crime. Render it odious theft, perjury
In neral estimation, but render II also impossible TO
commit this crime twice, It's enormty Tar exceeds
that OF PERJURY THEFT in its damasns influence upon
the commonwealth. II the time should ever come Wlien
the poop elect their President on the majority
pnciplcNhcn the President shall be seryant OF the
people, and not a.rca. financial chancellor OF tho public
funds; when the suffrage shall be sacredly guarded at
every point and purely ana counted, beeOmes the
dignity OF scitgoyernlns people and the equality OF
Their institutions then may have cause "a be grateful
for the present complications and number them among
the things which have led 10 the pcTtCctug instead
OF the destruction OF government. Then. inst al OF
looking az things rucfuliy on this Centennial IhanksgY-
ius Day let each be Of good cnccr, and play the
times, TO know what Israel ought TO do