Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1878-01-18
Senator Edmunds on Appointments.

Senator EdmunCS, OF ermOnt, mas
written a letter to the President which
creates quite a sensation in political
circles. inasmuch as it takes the writer
out of the list of those Senator's who
are credited with the determination to
wage relentless war with the Executive
for the control of appointments. 1t is
upon the relations which should exist
between the Executive and Legislative
departments of the government in re-
gard to appointments, and it is in per-
feet accord with the views Of the Presi
dent upon the subject 1t is, in fact, a
powerful reinforcement of his position,
and from quarter where only hostility
was looked for, and must exercise pow
erful influence in preventing an open
rupture, by weakening the malcontents
who would precipitate it. Senator Ed
munds points out the corrupting mfu
ences of the old spoils system, and then
says:
1t has appeared to me that much
could be accomplished in the right di-
rection by the absolute abstention of
Senators and Representatives from rec
ommending particular appointments at
all, unless their advice should be asked
by the Executive department, and, ac
cordingly, since the incoming OF the
present administration have endeavor-
ed to consistently and steadily abstain
from doing so, and believe | have kept
my purpose. | have thought it consist
ent with this position that when appli
cations or recommendations for places
were sent to me, to forward them to the
proper office, with a written statement
or memorandum of the character and
standing of the signers, if known to me,
I have thought it my right indeed, my
duty, whenever any of my constituents
in the employment of the Executive de-
partments have complained of its action
as unjust in respect to him, to make all
necessary inquiries, and endeavor to rec
tify what should appear to be wrong.
Those, | think, ought to be the clear
and positive boundaries, in respect to
appointments between the members Of
the two branches of the government
am gratifed in believing that this
course is satisfactory to my constitu
ents, and in feeling that neither my Off
cial course nor that of the Executive
department, so far as | am concerned,
can be affected by any influence to
which | have alluded, but to have
proper and fair effect, whatever course
is pursued, ought to be uniform, consis-
tent and universal. Any system will be
radically wrong and will fail, that opens
candidacy for duties and honors of pub
lie trust to the citizens of State or
section, only upon the previous knowl
edge of the executive branch, or simple
recommendations of private persons,
while there is brought to bear for can
didates of other States and sections, the
powerful and personal solicitations of
Senators and representatives, whose
gratitude for success may be drawn up
on in an emergency, or whose disap-
pointment in failure may prejudice
them against some necessary measures
recommended by the Executive. 1t can
be easily seen, too, that there would be
no gain to the public welfare if the prac-
ticc of following volunteer recommends
tons of Senators and Representatives
or to give place to the influence of a pri-
vate citizen, or to a business or broker
age, in Offices, as it is said has some
times happened. 1t is not probable that
the fitness OF persons appointed would
be increased by such change as this,
and it is clear that the responsibility of
ha Of nfc
would be less easily ascertaincd and
would not have so strong motive to
satisfy public opinion, as those who have
been elected to the House or Senate by
their fellow citizens, and who are gener-
ally supposed to desire fresh proofs of
public confidence With the vast ex-
tent of our territory and population, the
number of place holders has, Of necessi
ty, become very great, and the means OF
personal or other definite knowledge of
the men by the Executive branch has
proportionately decreased, and in the
same degree the evils of patronage, in
whatever hands it is to be, practically
exist.
/ think these can be greatly initiated
by an entire cessation by Senators and
Representatives from whatever advice
or solicitation respecting appointments,
and by the establishment, by law, of def
mite relations respecting the selections
for the main Offices and employments,
and the terms upon which they shall be
held, so that the Executive branch and
the Legislative department may be and
feel perfectly free in their respective
spheres, and so that the holders of Office
may feel also that they are the servants
of the law, and not the personal tenants
at will, in their places of either the
heads of the Departments or the Con-
gressmen.
l am, respectfully, yours,
GEO. Z. EDMuNDS. ]