The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1881-05-27

the Constitution to tho Senate. and TO the
Senate exclusively. IL has been suggested, I'm
addition. that by re calling these nominations,
and holding them in his own hands, the Presi.
IN Gd 81 %
failure. II It can be supposed that all these
public trusts are to be, or would in any event
be. made personal perquiaites, to be handled
and disposed Of not only to punish indepeud-
ence Of Senatorial votes and action, but to
liquidate the personal obligations Of any indir
vidual, however high in station. the conditions
acceptance would compel the representatives
of States to ding down their oath and repre-
sentative's duty at the fOotstool OF Executive
Following this sweeping and startling Execu-
tive act came OminOus avOwals that dissent
or failure to ..advise and consent would be
held an act Of O6ense, exposing all Senators,
from whatever State, to Executive displeaS-
ure. Thus we find ourselves confronted by
the question, whether we shall surrender the
plain right and sworn duty of Senators BY con
senting to what We believe TO be vicious and
hurtful, or be assigned positions OF dislOyalty
to the Administration which we helped to
bring in, and the success Of which We earnest
~ wish, for every reason and motive which
avowed BY any party which requires such sub
mission as is now exacted. Although party
service may be fairly considered in making .
selection OF public officers, 1t can hardly be
maintained that the Senate il bound to remove
without cause incumbents merely to make
places for those whom any individual. even
President or member of his Cabinet, wish
servicesSie to himself. Only about
that General Merritt be appointed Collector at
Senators Vvh m adv
now Secretary Of the Treasury and head Of
the Department whose subordinate General
Merritt is. Another known to have given the
the Interior. Il is said that, like the Post
masterGeneral from our State, these Cabinet
officers were not taken into consultation
their sworn and official action of Senators 10
none the less instructive. That the late Secre-
tary Of the Treasury and the late Administers
ton up to its expiration less than ten weeks
Is we'll known, and it Is not even suggested
that any citizen had petitioned for his remov-
al. or that Ofhcial delinquency on his part IL
the reason ;1 for Il In Of an
Is proposed suddenly to put a man in who has
had no training for the position and who cam
not De said to have any special fitness for its
In the inaugural Of President Garfield, de.
livered on the 4th Of last March. stand these
satisfactory basis until it is regulated by law.
For the good of the service itself, for the pro-
lection OF those who are fntrustcd with the ap.
pointing power, against the waste of time and
the obstruction OF public business caused by an
inordinate pressure for place and forprotectiOn
of incumbents against intrigue and wrong.
shall ut the proper time ask Congress to fix the
tenure of minor offices of the several Execu-
tive Departments and prescribe grounds up
ON which removals shall be made during tho
term for which the incumbents have beeen APP
pointed"
How good the distinction is which would
make major offices q prey to intrigue and
wrong, ard shield minor Offices from like
havoc, and whether the cOllectOrships of the
the protected class, need not be decided here.
Assuming General Merritt to be an officer Of
average fitness and honesty, it might be res
sonably argued that all Senators should. with
alacrity, advise his displacement by n man Of
obvious superiority. Possibly it might be
said that all should advise the selection in
General Merritt's place of q man who, without
superior fitness, had rendered his country or
even his party conspicuous and exalted
service. The case In hand does not be-
long to either of these classes. The v, cation
of MIR. Robertson, and his legislative and
ings. do not denote superiority in the
qualities, the knowledge, business habits and
familiarity with the revenue laws and system
more competent than General Merritt to coli
lect the vast revenues and administer the vast
business pertaining to the Port of New York.
Certainly he cannot in this respect be held an
exception to the rules of right and cOnsisten-
cy on which the Constitution and laws have
placed the public service. We know of no
personal or political service rendered by MIR.
orship Of New York should be taken in the
midst of term and given to him as q recon-
pense.
MI. Robertson is reported by the New York
Tribune to have declared that his nomination
was reward for his action as q delegate to
the National Convention. If Robertson in his
action was Influenced by q sense of duty, II
is difficult to see what claim he has for any re-
ward, not to speak of such great reward. Tho
acton of which an estimate is thus invited is
understood to be this: Robertson and sixty
ton certain trusts. They sought and accepted
the position of agents or delegates to q Ma
tiOnal Convention. The State Convention de-
clared plainly the stated Judgment and policy
to be observed and supported by those COM
missiOned. TO this declaration all selected
as delegates gave an implied consent, but
several of them, in addition, made most
exert themselves in good faith throughout to
secure the nomination of General Grant.
They made this pledge as the means Of OBJ
tanning their own appointments rs delegates,
tain their seats in the National Convention
upon the faith of their personal statements of
their earuestness and fidelity. The obligation
L0uS dSSuu0U We uuUcIStOOu W luSOlv0 tu0
integrity rs much as the obligation of one who
receives the proxy of 4 stakeholder in
corporation upon the pledee and
would vote whether Mr.. Robertson
was or was not himself bound not only under
honor and implication, but by expressly CIV
ing his word, becomes quite immaterial in
view of the claim made for him. 1t Is insisted
that he "organized the bolt" or, as 1t has been
sometimes state :, "he was the leader Of the
bolt" This is to say that he invited, persuad-
ed, induced others whom he knew had given
their word, and had obtained their seats by
doing SO, to violate their word and betray, not
only the Republicans assembled In State Com
ventiOn, but the Republicans of their districts
as WELL who had trusted in their honor. Who
ever cOunsels and prOcures another to do
dishonest or dshonOrable act must share with
that other the guilt. and should share also the
odium justly attached to it.
Weare, therefore, wholly unable, upon what.
ever ground we put II. to see justification for
ourselves should we become parties to using
the public trusts which belong to the people. to
requite such service in such modes. But the
appliances employed to effect the results set
up new standards of responsibility and inv ade.
as we believe, the truths and PRINCIPLES on
which the separate and coordinate branches
of the Government stand. A Senator has his
own responsibility. He is amenable to his
State, and to the body of which he is member.
He Is bound by his oath to advise and con-
sent on his conscience and judgment before
God. Whatever or whoever else may con-
strain him, he is to be exempt from Executive
menace or disfavOr on the one hand. and Ell.
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