The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-12-18
THE DEMOCRACY AND THE ADMIN.
IsTRATTCN,

/ -.
CHIEFLY sustained by the Democratic Senators,
ana Ten. Go1tlon. Of Georgia. marshale,l and
seu the Administration supporters. Twenty
Democrats and only five Republicans voted
10 confirm the Presidents appointments,
whlle live Democratic Senators voted with
the Republicans TO defeat and humiliate the
Republican President. These facts certainly
rresenta very extraordinary situation for on,
consideration.
We are at loss to understand why Gen
Gordon and the other nnetees1 Democrats
who eo-operated with him should have be-
come the champions OF Civia Service policy
which, so far as 1t has been developed. Is a
oisgtace TO the country, a1rl we are equally
| NJ a aoss to understand why Senators Maxev.
Eaton, Whyte, Dennis and Mcdonald should
nave sided with Conlsling and the mass of
the Republican Senators to sustain false
and vicious prineiple for the purpose Of
humliating the President.
| There is so much of wrong 80 much of
political littleness, 80 much Of mere personal
jealousy and antagonis,n on the side of both
the President and Conklng h, their susbble.
that 1t was clearly the duty of the Demo
cratic Senators to have nothing TO do with It,
The Civil Service Policy Of the Administra-
| ton which Gen. Gordon. In the debate, so
| warmly commended. is probably the most
artant and contemplate political fraud which
any Administration ever spawned upon the
country The removals and appointments in
the New York Offices over which the fight
was made 1t is now as clear at the MONDAY
sun, were designed to serve strictly partisan
and personal ends, and that the efficiency Of
the service was not in the remotest degree CON
cerned
In the prosecution Of this remarkable policy |
the President has found no persons worthy |
to fill Federal Offices in Louisiana outside of |
the Returning Board ring Of rascals or the |
old Warmoth gang Of public robbers, while in
South Carolina his Administration is bending
all its energies to make that arch thief. Cor
bin. who has just been kicked away from the
doors of the Senate, United States District
Attorney In many instances, In other States.
mon have been retained in Office whose rec
ords are exceedingly objectionable, while
worthy men have been displaced and others
whose selection would have been re-
gaided as indecent, even under Grant. We
submit that such civil policy was not en-
titled to the laudation of Gen Gordon
or of any other Democrat. Nor had the Adj
any claim to personal consders-
Jon from the Democratic Senators. When
his fight between ConSling and the President
occurred. the insult offered Louisiana. and in
Iced the whole country. by the admission Of
hat rag of honor. Kellogg. into the Senate | J
vas still fresh and ranking hot In our hearts. J
nd the fact was notorious that the President :
nd his friends had not lifted finger to pre- Y
ent the disgrace of the Senate, the humilia-
ion Of Louisiana and q fragrant and detest-
bile wrong to the Democratic party.
Upon the other hand It is impossible for IA !,
Q understand the motives which prompted =,
We Democrats to vote on the case in question
nth Conkling and the Republicans Mr..
'ayard and several other Democratic Sem !.
tors laid down the correct theory of Federal =,
ppointments. Those appointments do not :,
{ right belong to the Senators of the several :"
tates. More has been done to corrupt the
ivil Service by the custom Of permitting :.
enators to control the appointment of Fed -
al officials In their respective States than :.
Y all other agencies combined, The
nure of office act. designed TO destroy =,
e influence of President Johnson, was n -.
and pernicious act, and should ~
ceive no countenance from Democrats -,
pom general principles, therefore, the five ~.
who voted with Consling COM -,
itted grievous wrong; they violated Dem ~
ratio principles and committed themselves ~ ~
precedent fraught with incalculable Ill to H.,
q country. -,
Neither was their course wise If IL was die ho
ted by policy. No more impolitic course va
uld be adopted by Democrats than a sun to,
TT of Roscoe Conkling against the imbecile inc
d already PROSTATE Administration Of Mr. fro
'yes Yet In the first year of It's existence S
g foundations of that Administration are so viii
tten with fraud that 1t trembles and rocks int
its very base at every demand for tho Isl
osecution of its architects the Re to
ming Board; and such is Its imbe ain
ty that 1t has become the foot bali inc
us own ir'ehds. ltls unit to be supported the
unworthy OF attack. 1t lies helpless and $50
ltemptible at the feet of every party, and of
bends for the success OF even It's most In son
niiicant measures upon the aims and poll pri
OF such factions as arise out of personal it
,irations in either party. No more humil- are
ng example has ever been presented to -
world than the folly of an administration
to govern without the aid of a
ted party. 1876
onkling, upon the other hand, is one of II
ablest and most powerful leaders In tho bor,
ate. His power only may be capable of the
trolling the State of New York against the den
nocratic party; indeed, he is one of the 1863
men who are capable of holding the old lean
lical Republican party together as thos
onal organization. If the action of the the
nocrats in their participation in the fight
yeen the Administration and Conkling Hal
prompted by policy, they should have
ed solidly not to support the Civil Service
d of MIR. Hayes, but to break down the Ac
licious power and influence of the most craft
yerous man to the country and the Demo- me- mee
10 party-Senator Conkling. Wig,
e do not condemn the action of the Demo- W
, who voted to confirm the New York | at : :