Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-07-07

ject and intolerable outcome OF 1t is |
Charles Guitteau 1t is not necessary to
establish any direct connection between
these men to make the fact apparent |
that the system which Conkling has
been willing to wreck his party in uphold
ing is accountable for the hideous deed |
which has SO Mortified the nation. 1t is
that system which has prostituted the
machinery of government to the base uses
Of class OF professional politicians pos
sessing neither patriotism nor principle,
nsither convictions nor high intelligence !;
class of sordid elf-seekers who receg-
nize in the contests of parties nothing
more than methods OF securing the control
of offices; who look upon Congress and
the Administration as machines for the
disposition of gifts under the convenient
disguise OF patronage; who care nothing
for measures or men, but only for their own
selfish interests who are neither Repub-
licans nor Democrats, but political pirates
and highwaymen who seek to turn every
movement to their own narrow ends; who
fight reform to the death because they
know that it would be fatal to them who
are disease.breeding parasites upon the
body polite.
Such creatures az Guitteau could never
exist but for the spoils system. Under no
other conditions could such a wretch have
thought it possible to secure lucrative
Office on the pretense of political services
rendered the President. But there was no
insanity in his ambition as the case stood.
Men in all respects as undeserving have
in hundreds of instances succeeded in
forcing themselves upon the Government
in times past. Just such men found
it profitable to attach themselves to the
Senatorial Satraps who, in Grants second
term, aimed at controlling the destinies
of the country through their army of
drilled and disciplined henchmen. Bad
| men, knavish men, thieves, scoundrels of
all sorts, have been brought to tie front of
politics by the normal operation of sys-
TEN which excluded all who possessed
convictions, all who possessed independ-
ence, all who were too honorable to do
dirty work, all who refused to be oh.
sequious to the chiefs of the machine; y
and which selected by an unerring pro-
cess the most inscriptions, the most
stold, the most hypocritical, the least
patriotic and trustworthy, to manage the
political machinery.
The corruption which during the recent
bribery investigation at Albany has liter
ally oozed out in every direction is the
natural result of the spoils system. 1t
must be remembered that the whole of the
Republican side OF the New York Legisla-
ture was selected in the interest of Conl-
ling, and by his lieutenants. Whatever these
men are, therefore, they must be received
as fair specimens of Conklings ideas
of legislation. The fact that most of them
have turned against him does not alter the
other fact that they were all originally his
friends. 1t was a regular ''maehine"
Legislature, and the country has had a
good opportunity of realizing what that
means. The attempt to assassinate the
President, whatever else it does, ought to
convince the nation that the system which
produces such fruits must be destroyed.
Tie American people are not free from
blame in this regard. They have mani
Tested culpable apathy in regard to the
spoils system. They have stood off and
watched the unequal contest between the
championsof reform and the serried ranks of
the corruptionists, as if they had no special
terest in the outcome. 1t is necessary for
them to put aside this Indifference now,
and if they do not recognise that necessity
so much the worse for them.
President Garfeld's life is in the bal.
ance, and it is thus in jeopardy because a
New York Senator refused to abandon the
unconstitutional position that he had a
! right to dictate the Presidents appoint
ments in his State. This is the actual fact,
n1th Ga N+ASutllo are GUY
weighed and considered. There would
have been no assassination but for Conk.
ling's quarrel with the Administration,
and that quarrel grew directly out Of the
spoils system. 1t Is therefore time that
the American people determined on the
elimination of that system They must
make up tAeir minds that there shall no
longer be any prizes to contend Tor in poll.
tics beyond honorary di4tiuctior The
work of the Government must be done on
business principles. The men who do it
must be made to prove their fitness before
they are employed. Politicians must have
no power either to make or break appoint.
ments. Congressman must be confined to
the transaction of the business for which
they are paid. When this is done we
shall have got rid OF the vicious conditions
which have led gradually up through cor
ruption to assassination; but until the peo-
pie put their shoulders to the wheel there
will be no efFectual improvement in the
situation,