New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1877-03-20
TIE ouRss OF 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 INSCRIPTIONS, 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 a succession of assassina-
tons which have had 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,
native of the State, shows, also, that the
murders have been for partisan purposes
| only, while the circumstance of his hay
ing been shot from the very courthouse
demonstrates a 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 Carbonari of
Italy swears its members 10 commit any
murder which may be assigned them by
lot, there is no 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 a condition of the fatal
gift of patronage. 1t has just imperiled
the Union. 1t holds Louisiana in anarchy.
The true remedy for this mischief will be
to recur 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 a
patronage powerless in Republican hands,
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, AID upon the chief representa-
tives of the Republican party. The in
cumbents appointed by a Republican
Governor are driven from their iurisdic-
ton or shot, and we are not without ex-
amples in which the officers of parish
have been nominated to the Governor by
a Democratic committee.
Since the principle of 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 a practical null
lily, 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
all acts which bestow upon the executive
the power to appoint assessors, tax
gatherers, or other officers, and provide
further that all parish and other munich
pal officers shall be elected by popular
ballot. The government can thus un-
load q responsibility which can give
it no strength. The controversies which
are now concentrated in New Orleans will
be RENTED with their attendant strife to
the parishes. The Democratic unity
which now defames the Republican party
and assassinates its officers, will be di-
vided, distracted and viii be neutralized.
The snake will bite itself. Incidentally
the coIored vote will be sought and de-
Tended in these local conflicts, and in con-
sideration that it shall be given to Dem
ocratic constable or a collector, it may be
be guaranteed for the Republican State
and Federal ticket We regard the one
man power as an abomination and dis
grace. We consider the pursuit Of Office
through the favor OF one man as shame
full dereliction from Republican doctrine.
We have seen that the gift Of patronage
j