National Republican., 1878-04-13
PARALLELS HISTORY.

The attempt of Senator SARGENT to in
duce the late Republican caucus to take
such sction as would relieve the opening
political campaign Of some of its most seri-
Gus obstacles meets with severe rebuke from
the Union, which seems to be an ardent ad-
mirer of the Presidents civil-service reform.
1t reminds Senator SARGENT that he
knows very little of the history of the
" country If he is not aware of the fact
that similar circular was issued by Mr..
WEBSTER in 1SIl. And we desire to re-
mind the Union here and now that the cir
cular of Mr.. WEBSTER was never enforced
by the Administration, for the reason that
it was not respected by the people, and
hence was not received AZ law.
This citation of a precedent is little un-
fortunate, for it may lead to comparison
of the past and present, and parallel may
be found that will not flatter the present
effort to make history repeat itself The
Union knows very little of history" If it
does not know the fact that soon after the
issue of this famous circular President HAIR
RIsoN was taken from the country, and its
administration passed into the hands of the
ce-President, who inaugurated line of
policy which gave the Wing Administration
away and restored the Democratic party to
power at the end Of his term. The treach-
cry of Mr. TYLER itself became 80 patent
that the Whig party was paralyzed thereby.
The oflice-holders gave aid and comfort
more to the Democrats than to the Wings,
and hence the circular had little or no influ-
ence either way.
The case il different now, unless the
country is deceived. The present Admins
tration is, and proposes to be, Republican,
while that led by Mr.. WEBSTER gravitated
rs directly to the Democracy as water un-
der the natural laws seeks its level. The
object sought by Senator SARGENT wis to
remove the binding force Of the existing
civil-service order from ninety thousand
Republicans scattered over the country who
are now subject to it. These Republicans
are placed under restraint in the free exer-
else of all their constitutional and accepted
rights of citizenship. They are prohibited d
iIOHn tlklnp part III tnt plilhdIy aCtlUn VI
the party which decides the question OI
proper candidates for position, which is q
serious Infringement upon their free action
as citizens. No one asks that these Rcpub,
lican officials shall neglect their legitimat,
duties to mingle in politics. No one de-
sres that they shall dcbauch them
selves, their positions, or their party by
political imprOprieties. All that is sought
or asked is that an American citizen, wher
he holds public position, shall not be com
PEELED to surrender any of his rights Of cti
zenship as a consideration therefor. Under
q removal of this obnoxious order the public
official is in no degree released from the le'
gitimnte responsibilities of his position. II
he shall neglect his duties to attend to poll
tics, and the public interest is made to suf
fer thereby, then he isl proper subject o
discipline and removal but what the Re
publican party objects to is that ninety
thousand of it's men shall be placed under
needless restraint, which gives just so much
advantage to the enemy.
The Republican party had been in power
for sixteen years without any necessity for