Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1877-03-15
PRESIDENTIAL pREROGArIvEs.

OI appointment anu TO-
spousibility deemed essential in the
early days of the Republic to the
maintenance of the Executive as an in
dependent department of the Govern.
ment. The trainers of the Constitu-
ton appear to have intended to create
these departments each independent
Of the other-the executive, leeisla-
tive and judicial-b gave the Presi-
dent, the head of the Executive De
partment, the power to veto, and in
turn gave the Senate the power OF
confirmation or rejection of the Presi-
dents appointments. There was evil
IDENTIFY q design to prepare checks
against the abuse of power either by a
tyrant, a party or a section. While
the independence is maintained there
can be no great danger of serious cor
ruption nor usurpation of power.
Each being jealous of any encroach-
ments of the other, will, if strong,
maintain its rights, and if showing any
dsgree of honesty will be supported by
{ ,e people. In this is their only pro-
t,ction. AS the old apothegn says
"Eternal vigilance is the price of lib
erty," so there must be constant guard
against the concentration Of authority.
To prevent this as far as possible, were
devised III different forms of election,
and the power and rights given to
States. Thus, the President was
elected by electors chosen differ
emily from other officers, Sena-
tors were elected by the Legisla-
lures Of States, Representatives,
were voted for directly by the people,
and the Judges were appointed for a
life service. These wise provisions by
the fa~r-seeing and philosophical au-
thors of our republican system should
be guarded with a jealous care.
Sentor Benton long ago warned us of
the danger Of the Senate encroaching
upon the Presidents ground; that the
custom, then coming into vogue, OF
naming all the Federal appointees,
was certain to beget a greed for office
and lead to corruption that would en-
danger the stability of the Republic.
Old Bullion's apprehensions were we'll
founded. The present strife at WASH
ington shows a contest between the
President and his partisans in the SEN
ate owe the question of appointments.
In theory, the President and Cabinet
make all appointments, and are held
responsible for the fidelity of the Off
GERS; but this only in theory. Prac-
tically. the Senators select the officers,
each belonging to the party claiming
the patronage Of his State, while the
President, knowing or caring nothing
for the candidate, is held responsible
before the people for his acts. So great
has the Federal patronage become
that the Senator is becoming the
most powerful parsonage in the
land. The strife for this high
position .besniears the States with
corruption, and our own State, gen.
orally so we'll governed, and where
80 little 10 be said against our State
officers, stands out most conspicuously
with its bad record Of senatorial cleo
tions. In these elections throughout
the Union we have been going from
bad to worse since the time the Sena-
tors began their encroachments on the
Presidents prerogative Of naming the
officers of the Executive Depart.
ment, and there needs to be a re-
form In the system. In this view
the scheme Of "Civil Service Reform"
was conceived, which promised so
we'll, but was.overridden by the radi
cal partissns. President Hayes pro-
poses to make this reform q feature OF
his administration, and has put for
ward SEIZURE IS his: representative.
Already war has began against him
in his own party and his success is
doubtful. He seems determined to re-
cover the independence OF the Execu-
tive Department as it was granted in
the spirit of the Constitution. The
array Of Federal officers, some ninety
thousand in number, under the con-
troll Of n man, gives him great
power, as all are active politicians and
interested partisans. 1t seems a greater
service reform would be to
the Constitution and prohibit
officers from taking part in
political affairs and from voting, and
allowing service TO continue during
good behavior-in fact, placing the
civil service on the same footing as
The military and naval service. Such
an amendment may secure the reform
10 the civil service so much desired,
and which will be very difficult to ac-
without it.
|
THE President has made no change
n the appointment of Minister to
England, and Daggett still fingers In