New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-03-26

campaign for the election of President.
We deprecate these consequences Of de-
parture from republican principles by
Mexico, but we perfectly believe, and con-
fdently predict them.
EXECUTIVE APPOINTEEs AGAIN IN hot
WATER.
Tie annoyance consequent upon too
much executive patronage comes to the
Governor again from Baton Rouge in the
shape of q fresh attempt on the part Of
some of the citizens to Dust his ap-
pointees. While we do not approve of
the habit, which has become quite
fashionable in some places, of removing
men from Office by resolutions that have
been carefully prepared beforehand and
adopted at q meeting called for the pur-
pose, we are nevertheless satisfied that
the officials of Baton Rouge are not al
together blameless. In their case there
is something more for an melting cause
than the proverbial itching for Office on
the part of the Democracy. Abuses,
neglect of duty, ignorance and incapacity
have been openly and specifically charged
upon several of the officials, and as we
believe, for good reason and on substantial
grounds. A committee Of citizens from
that place waited on the Governor last
winter for the purpose Of asking him to
make some changes, but as he was for
the moment sorely pressed by the po-
litical friends of the petitioners on the
impeachment business, he was compelled
TO postpone consideration until time
when he would have more leisure.
Latterly, the trouble has been revived,
not violently, as yet, though force may be
resorted to if "the people" meet with any
opposition; not regularly, for the same
persons who met in Pixies Hall, and
called themselves the people, are not
clothed by law with authority to remove
officers and fill vacancies. The meeting,
therefore, whether great or small, had no
more authority to accept designations
than the seventy masked men had to kill
John Gair. And the assembly at Pixies
Hall was composed simply of usurpers
and law breakers whose avowed purpose
was to correct one wrong by committing
another.
A letter was also received yesterday
from St. Martin, written by representa-
tive Republican, making very serious
complaints, and referring to grave charges
against Taylor Daspit, tax collector Of
that parish, and his deputy, Louis E.
Laloire. We cite this case, in connection
with the Baton Rouge trouble, to show
that dissatisfaction with Republican off,
Gals is not confined to the Democrats of
the localities in which they discharge the
duties of their positions. And though it
may be true that a jealous political enemy
is ever on the watch to find fault, and
magnify trivial errors into grave derelic-
tons, and assign totally irrelevent rea-
sons for amotion from Office of Repub-
lican officials, yet we can not deny that
in many cases there has been very good
cause for dissatisfaction. Duties have
been neglected; some incumbents of
Offices in country parishes habitually
spend the greater portion of their time in
this city, leaving their Offices practically
vacant for weeks and months at a time
or to be run by deputy; while, in other
cases, no effort is made to please and
conciliate the people with whom they
come in official contact.
Those Republicans who have accepted
Governor Kellogg's commission to collect
taxes, preside in courts Of justice and dis
charge police duty owe the Republican
party, the laws and the State, through
their representative, the Governor, some
duties. They ought to be able to sustain
their position by virtue Of their own good
conduct, and thus add strength to the ap-
pointing power. If the Governor finds
that he has appointed weak and corrupt
men who CAN not stand alone, but must
be constantly bolstered up, he owes it to
himself and party to accept their resigna-
lions and try new lot. Ofice.holders in
the country should realize that they have
more to do than win the favor of the ex-
ecutive. They must deserve the conf
dence of their immediate neighbors, for
though the Governor may appoint the
weakest and most shiftless vagabond in
the parish to an Office, the strongest man
can not hold on unless he acts justly.
Doubtless too much dependence has been
placed upon the power and disposition of
the Governor to defend weak officials
against their Democratic enemies. 1t will
not do to steal hundred dollars, and, by
paying one dollar out for party pur-
poses, to charge the whole larceny
up to the account Of the party.
Neither will it answer to discharge
the duties of public Office in such man
ner as to lead people to suppose the in
cumbent feels quite Independent of them.
Practically all officials are removable in
one way or another if they incur popular
ill will through acts Of injustice. The
Governor himself is no exception to this
rule, and came near being unjustly, but
not illegally, suspended from Office last
winter. In pure democracy the people
are directly supreme; in Q republic, which