New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-01-15
Sacial and Political Evils.

Ex-Governor John A. Dix lectured before
. tho Association for the Advancement OF
Science and Art, in the South Reformed
Church, New York, Monday evening. 10
the pulpit by his side were Ex-Governor E.
d. Morgan and John T. Hoffman. The
turer. The Governors subject was. 1.-The
Socisl and Political Evils of the Times. y
Tho first evil touched upon was the distri.
button of offices by the chief magistrate.
1t is to be regretted that the number OF ap-
pointments has been increased so enOr.
mously that expectations and hopes in re-
gard to them have become an active agency
has sometimes been ueed to promote the re-
nomination of the chief magistrate OF the
Union for . second term of Office. sllude
to Q liod somewhat remote from our own
time; and there was reason for believing
that in one instance, many years ago. Cabl-
net officers were selected before the Presi-
dent entered on his first term with view
one mode of remedying the evil referred
tor ct least of mitigating it, for the rom
edy is not perfect-and that is to confer on
the chief msgish ste q constrained disin-
terestednees BY making him ineligible to
Office for Q second term. 1t will not, it is
true, deprive him of the power of rewarding
his political friends and supporters; but it
WILL O1V00V 0lm u Ou0 VI JUG mOct e0VuCtIV0
motives to selfish action by rendering it's
object unattainable. The distribution Of
the Offices in the Treasury Department
among the States and Territories. according
to their population, under law recently
passed, is certainly fair distribution
Of the spoile, but 20 fulfill the require
nents of the law q man must not
oaly be honest and capable, but
no must be Marylander or q New
NJ Goliforrian II ia ID.
moralizing departure frem the theory of the
government. This tendency to make public
offices subsorvient to local and private in.
terests will lead to their use exclusively for
party purposes-and some progress has
been made in this direction by the removal
of faithful subordinates on account of their
political opinions. Fortunately, unless
certain number of experienced employees
arc retained no administration can 20 on
without miscarriage. l see no remedy but
the ono have suggested-the ineligibility
of the President for second term of Office,
extending the single term to six years, OBJ
WAITING some further evils and adding
greatly to the comfort of the community by
prolonging the period of repose which fol-
lows general election. The condition OF
the national currency is national repr0ach.
The present Congress ia one of great ex-
pectations, and it is to be hoped that it
may do something for the country's honor
and it, own.
There il q serious organic defect in the
constitution of the Stste-thst is, the cleo
ton of the principal judicial officers by the
people. The speaker thought, with the
original law makers, that judges should
They should be appointed by the Governor,
who should act with the advice and consent
OF the Senate. Their election tends to Gre
alto partisan courts. As time goes on there
is danger that We may lind candidates for
these Offices soiling the ermine Of justice by
for themselves. The speaker |
was not one Of those who believed that We
sors. Our moral condition has declined |
WITHIN the last fifty years He remembered |
that forty years ago, during . period of |
eight years, the number of murder cases in |
tho State was less than three per annum. |
Recently there were five convicts in one |
prison under sentence of death. Crimes |
have increased in . larger ratio than the |
population. But crime is more promptly |
md effectually punished in New York than |
Some of the worst examples of democrat |
izstion have been found among men in high |
social position. Persons enjoying 10 the |
lllest extent the confidence of their fellow. |
D tizens have been guilty of the grossest |
abuse Of trust by converting to their own |
use money deposited with them by cOnfid- |
ing friends, and in many instances reducing |
Widows and orphans to poverty and desti-
tuition. Scarcely q week elapees without |
the fight of cashier of .
banking or commercial house, or Q county |
tToae urer with stolen funds in his hands. |
Every man should consider it q sacred duty /
to vote so that the government could not |
fall to interruptions and ignorant rulers. 1t |
would be just penalty for neglecting to |
vote for two years to make the delinquent |
forfeit bis right forever.
Speaking of Tweed, the lecturer said: l |
believe it may be truly said that he was
never imprisoned in strict accordance with !
the sentence of the court by which he was |
convicted, or in the sense in which other |
criminals who have committed. by COM
parison, the most Insignificant offsnser, I'M
dergo their sentences: The typical divinity
who presides over the administration OF |
public Justice is always represented as |
blindfolded. If her bandage bad been
taken of ON Blackwel's Island she would |
have witnessed what has never been seen
before in the history of criminal jurispru- |
dence-a convict who was allowed private |
secretary to help him to take care Of his |
plumber. 1t is not at all creditable to us |
that he has used the money of which he |
robbed the city to subsidize the highest |
legal talent in the State to screen him from |
punishment. His escape from custody and |
the indulgsnces extended to him during his |
detention, constitute the most diegraceful |
chapter in the history Of the State; for it
can not be doubted that they were procured
BY corrupting public officials. The speaker |
thought the public SCHOOL system the surest |
Of our free institutions. There
= ~ need for fear that it u in danger, bat |
the simultaneous movement made In three |
States to weaken it must satisfy M there il |
need for unslumbering vigilance; The sys-
should b thrown open for tho incubation |
II the doGmss Of any ono religious seet.
When called upon to addFe1 TIE audisnce,