Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1877-11-23
Southern Democratic Nominations.

The pother among the opposition SEN |
ators in regard to Mr.. Hayes appoint |
ments of Democrats at the South seems |
very ridiculous in view of the facts |
These appointments have been made in |
a few cases in which there was no Re- |
publican of requisite qualifications pre-
sented for the office, and more frequently
in cases where the Republican claimants
were so bitterly antagonized that the
factions professed themselves to be
better pleased with q Democrat. The
case of Fitzsimmon, nominated for Mar
shall of Georgia, rests on a different
basis, namely, the necessity of strength
ening the revenue authorities in northern
Georgia, where Illicit distilling is pre-
valent The ignorant natives of the
mountain region sympathize with the
efforts of the law breakers to resist what
they regard as a Republican and hostile
Administration. The President wishes
to break down this alliance of ignorant
party spirit with crime by calling to his
aid representatives of the local Democ-
racy
1t is impossible for the country at large
to quarrel with such a policy as this,
however heinous it may seem TO few
party martinets in the United States Sen
ate. If the Republican newspapers and
politicians of New York city think it
right to support John Morrissey in order
to attain measure of reform which they
deem attainable in no other way, we do
not know why the President of the
United States may not have some discre-
tiOn and liberty of choice, outside of
party lines, in appointing the officers of
the law. Take this very practical ques-
tion of the collection of the revenue,
which attests the integrity and efficiency
of an administration as well as any; we
know that there are large districts of
thinly. settled and wild country in the
South where Illicit distilling amounts al
most to brigandage, and where troops
have had to be used by the present ad-
lninistration. Whisky has been the daily
diet of the people for generations, and
for the first time in our history it is made
the subject of tax. The collection of
the tax is backed by almost no public
opinion, especially if there is joined to
the other motives of lawlessness that of
political and sectional animosity. The
same considerations which enable the
State governments in Democratic hands
to WELD the conserving and wholesome
influence of public opinion, will enable
Federal Democratic officials to rally pop
ular feeling on the side of law. In those
districts Republican officers must be men
with very little personal following or lc-
cal influence. These considerations
would probably justify the appointment
of more Democrats to certain offices in
the South than the President has named.
But, apart from these justifications, the
fact that after Mr.. Hayes Administra-
tion has adopted the Democratic policy
toward the South a caucus of Republican
Senators could only summon courage to
carp at few appointments of Demo
Gratis to Southern offices, show the com
pleteness with which Mr.. Hayes com.
mands the situation. AS to the Senate
rial suggestion that Democrats appointed
to Office be especially pledged to carry
out the laws, Mr.. Hayes is understood to
have assured the committee of Senators
who visited him that he had endeavoTed
to look out for that very thing. In every
case he had assured himself that his
nominee was Loyalty disposed, but, OF
course, if the Senate do not find him so
they are at liberty to reject. The party
managers find again that they have sci
a trap and caught sunbeam.
1t Is not good time now to cultivate
or depend on strict party lines. Party
government has not been suspended, bu
it must be in some degree modified, wher
the people at large are so indifferent Il
party ties as they are in many leading
States. 1t has ceased to be an essentia
of responsibility that a man should al
/, ways belong to the same party or sup
port the candidates of the same party
for all the offices. The liberty thus as
sumed by the individual citizen at thu
ballot box must be shared with the frs
citizen and Chief Executive of the coun
try in making nominations before thu
Senate. He must be at liberty on occa
sion to bolt the party candidate whel
untitled to the position for which he i
offered. Mr. Webster assures US tina
there was time in our history, befor
Jackson introduced the doctrine ant
, practice of spoils, when the civil servan
was not required to wear the party col
= lar. Happy will it be for the purity an,
integrity of government and the freedom
of public opinion when the civil servic
is no longer party service, and whe
the appointment by the Chief Magistrat
5 of few persons from the opposition
for obvious reasons af administrative ei
ficiency, will not call deputation of ri
7 monstrants to the White House from tn
l Senate wing of the Capitol.-SprfRgfel
9 Mass Republican.