New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-04-22

TO THE PE0PLE---BELOIa THE sP0us
When the Democratic doctrine was es
tablished that the spoils belonged to tn
victors, the leaders resolved that 1--WE arr
the victors." This brings Us back to thu
days of the royal robbers into whose tents
were brought the riches, the vestments
and the vessels Of gold and silver gathered
from the field of victory. It revives the
stories of the midnight plunderer who
robs the dead, stabs the wounded, and
revives the general aspect Of the field in
which the unburied relics Of slaughtered
humanity are the only record Of deadly
strife. The spoils, translated into modern
English, is simply what Packenham was
after-pillage and booty.
The rules of civilized modern warfare
have greatly ameliorated these barbaroua
practices. All the property captured in
battle is turned in to the proper depart
ment, and carried to the general credit of
the war. Thus, all those people who pay
the taxes of war, and are not upon the field
Of victory. either to harvest or to CLEAN
the spoils, receive their distributable
share Of the values captured by their
armies During the civil war, the Con-
federate cotton, or other lawful spoils of
war, went. or were supposed to 60 into
the federal treasury. These spoils did
not belong and were not awarded as per-
sonal perquisites to the officers who con-
Quoted their capture.
We wish to make application of the
rules of public war to the result of po-
litical victory. The right Of administer
ing the government having been alone in
question, the victorious party has I'M
doubtedly the duty Of appointing to all
Offices incumbents who appreciate and
will give effect to the victorious principles.
Does this power give to the leaders of the
victorious party an exclusive right to hold
and distribute these Offices? Such is not
the doctrine of war. They must be so
applied as that all who entertain the
dominant opinion shall, according to their
comparative qualifications for Office, re-
ceive fair consideration of their claims.
In this way the spoils of political
victory are not piled in the tent
of the general; they are placed in
the common treasury Of official appoint
ment to which each individual Of the
party has an equal right Of access. The
people, in their primary capacity, haze the
right to make an elect;,x nomination to all
Offices acithin the gift Of the erecaaive.
Practically, it would operate thus: There
is sheriff, tax collector, clerk, police
juror, mayor or other municipal magls-
trate to be appointed by the Governor.
The members of the dominant party
for the official district should hold an
election to decide what candidate was most
acceptable to the majority. The certi6-
cate of choice verified and sent to the ex-
ecutive should be regarded as an express
sion Of popular preference not to be dis
regarded except upon the responsibility
of the executive to the people, whom he
represents.
We will merely contrast this form of
elective nomination with that emanating
from Tammany Hall and Albany. The
local generals of the political campaign
claim that they are the victors, and that |
the spoils of the district belong to them.
They recommend their own friends or
family, they quarter debtor upon pub
lie Office, or they may take a commission
upon the patronage which they have
secured. Is this just partition Of the
spoils? Is it judicious system of distri-
button ? We have shown that it is not
Just, let Us examine whether it is judici-
Gus.
The administration of President Grant
has been held responsible for the abuses
from this Democratic system
# distribution. How was it possible that
he head of the government should per-
onally know the character of his ap-
'ointees? The selection was left to the
'arty generals, who have been governed
y the motives Of all men intrusted with
'ower for the exercise Of which they are
ot responsible. They send men into
ublic Offices and demand a compensa-
ion, direct or indirect, from exercising
he inalienable right of the people to
esignate by election the appointment of !
heir own agents.
We turn to the history of our own
tate government His Excellency Gov
rnor Kellogg has relied upon the recon-
lendation of the chiefs of party. He
as received committees composed of the
lends Of particular men. He has not q
cen aided by the elective nomination of q
70 people. Hence his deplorable disap-
ointment in many notorious appoint
ents of parish officers. For this cause
I'VE men who have been successful in
,taining the nomination and even ap-
ointment to Office been compelled to fly
ON the field of their own duties. They
uld not have been in all cases the choice Il
the local Republicans, because in some =
stances the local Republicans acquiesced =
the substitution Of other officers. =
Combining ourselves to the State of -
we have no hesitation in re- y
ring to the known and often expressed ="