New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1877-03-23
vac nuRss oP PATRONAGE.

sands OF desperate Democratic Office
holders to seize the high places of gov
eminent or throw the whole country into
anarchy, it is obvious that there is a
danger to our institutions for which the
trainers had not provided. The whole
excitement of the past election has been
occasioned by the competition Of at least
one million of men, more or less active
and interruptions, to secure the hundred
thousand offices in the gift of the Federal
executive. There was not the slightest
difference in the principles of the one
party and the professions of the other.
The whole nation has acquiesced with de-
light in the presidential settlement. and
the sole subject of strife is among those
who, having secured the government for
their party, now struggle in the effort to
secure the offices for themselves.
The same excitement has prevailed in
Louisiana from the same cause. We have
recently seen o succession of assassina-
tions which have bad no apparent motive
save the humiliation of the incumbent
and the intimidation of his successor.
That this assassination is systematic has
been shown by the open manner in which
some of the officers have been murdered,
and by the fact that though in each case
performed in broad daylight, the perpe-
traitors have never been known or brought
to justice. The assassination of Weber,
a native of the State, shows, also, that the
murders have been for partisan purposes
only, while the circumstance of his hav-
ing been shot from the very courthouse
demonstrates social determination to
allow no man of Republican politics to
occupy Office in Democratic community.
Mr.. Nichols has offered reward of five
thousand dollars for the discovery of the
murderer of Weber. 1t will be treated
with the same contempt as those rewards
offered by Governor Kellogg. Where a
political society like the CarbonaIi of
Italy swears its members to commit any
murder which may be assigned them by
lot, there is nc danger that they will be
betrayed for reward, since any witness
who should testify against them would
undoubtedly go the way of Weber.
This bloodthirsty determination TO have
Office at any cost is condition of the fatal
gift Of patronage. 1t has just imperiled
the Unicn. It holds Louisiana in anarchy.
The true remedy for this mischief will be
to reeur to the fundamental principle of
Republican government. The choice of
all municipal and other officers should be
RENTED to election by the people. Let
every reader reflect, and he will remember
that among all his ofice-seeking acquaint-
ance there are few who could be fairly
elected by the choice of the people. 1t is
the class Of men who fear the people who
infest the executive chamber with de-
mands of Office. In Louisiana the mode
of appointment to municipal Office should
be changed. The executive possesses q
patronage powerless in Republican bands,
destructive OF right in the hands of the
Democracy. The distribution of those
offices has been practically the sole occu-
patton Of the executive for years past. 1t
has concentrated the indignant rapacity
of the Democratic office robbers upon the
executive, and upon the chief representa-
tives of the Republican party. The in
cumbents appointed by a Republican
Governor are driven from their jurisdic-
ton or shot, and we are not without ex-
amples in which the officers of a parish
have been nominated to the Governor by
q Democratic committee
Since the principle Of a Republican
representative government demands the
choosing Of all officers by the people,
since such is the constitutional practice
of every Republican State in the Union,
and since the distribution Of office by a
Republican Governor is practical null
lity, and little better than curse, why
should it not be Abandoned
Let the Federal government recognize
and guarantee the whole State ticket, ex-
ecutive and legislative, as certified by the
Returning Board, then let Governor
Packard summon the Legislature in spe-
cial session and recommend the repeal Of
al acts which bestow upon the executive
the power to appoint assessors, tax
gatherers or other officers, and provide
further that al parish and other munich
pal officers shall be elected By popular
ballot. The government can thus nm
load responsibility which can give
il no strength. The controversies which
are now concentrated in New Orleans viii
be RENTED with their attendant strife to
the parishes. The Democratic unity
which now deEames the Republican party
and assasainates its officers, viii be d.
vided, distracted and will be neutralized.
The snake viii bite itself Incidentally
the colored VOTE win be sought and de-
Tended in these local conflicts, and in con-
siderasiop that-it shall be given to DEM
oo1atic constable or collector, it may BE-
Be guoransesd ios the Republican state
and Federnl ticket, We regard the one
man pover IS en- abomination and dis
greece We consider the pursuit Of oflce
through the favor 81 one man As shame
tui aereliciion from Republican doslline.
Wehaga seen that The gin Of patronage
is cuHe 70 tie executive which bsslows
VI. and believe lhat us host means Il se-