The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1881-05-26

~ put man in who has had ~ training for
the position and VINO cannot bc said to have
any special fitness tor official duties.
he inaugural of President Garfield, deliv-
cred on the 4th of March, contains these
words: The civil service can never be placed
on a satisfactory basis until it is regulated by
law for the good of the service itself, for the
protection of those who are intrusted with
the appointing power against waste of time
and obstruction of public business caused by
inordinate. pressure for place, and for protec-'
ton OF incumbents against intrigue and
wrong. l shall at the proper time ask Con-
gress to fix the tenure of minor officers of the
several executive departments, and prescribe
grounds upon which rem ovals shall be made
during the terms for which lncumbents have
been appointed
However good the claim is which would
make major offices q prey to intrigue aud
wrong, and shield minor Offices from like
havoc, and whether the collectorships of the
country should belong to the exposed or pro-
tccted class, need not be decided here. As
Stunning General Merritt to be an officer of
average fitness and honesty, it might be rea-,
sonably argued that all Senator's should with
alacrity advise his displacement by man
of obvious superiority. Possibly It might be.
said that all should advise the selection to
Gen. Merritts place of man, who, without
superior fitness, had rendered his country, or
even his party, conspicuous and exalted SER
VICE AAe CiSc III uduu QOeS not DelOnS 10
either OF these classes. The avocation of Mr..
Robertson, and his Legislative and Congress
slonal experience and surroundings, do not
denote superiority i'll the qualities, or that
knowledge or familiarity with the revenue
laws and system of the United States, which
might make him more competent than Gen.
Merritt to collect the vast revenues and admin
lister the vast business pertaining TO the; port
of New York. Certainly he cannot in this re-
spect be held an exception to the rule of right
and consistency of which the constitution and
law have placed the public service. <
We know of noipersonal or political service
rendered by Mr.. Robertson, so transcendent
that the collectorship of New York be taken
in the midst of term and given him as rec
commended. Mr. Robe' tson's nomination, as
reported by the New York Tribune, was a
reward for action as a delegate to the
National convention. If Mr.. Robertson
was Influenced in his action by a sense
Of duty, if he voted and acted his honest con-
vlctlons, 1T is difficult 10 see what claim he
had for any reward. 1t is understood by this,
Mr.. Robertson and sixty-nine other men ac-
cepted from the State convention certain
trust. lhey sought and accepted the position
of agents or delegates to the national co VEN
ton. The State convention declared its plainly
stated judgment and policy was to be observed
by those it commissioned. To this declaration
all selected as delegates gave implied consent,
but several of them in addition made most
specific personal pledges and engagements to
exert themselves in good faith throughout
to secure the nomination of Gen. Grant. They
made this pledge as means Of obtaining their
own appointment as delegates, and they did,
as personally known, claim their seats in the
national convention upon the faith of their
personal statements of their earnestness and
fidelity.
The obligation thus assumed we understood
to involve Integrity as mucn as the Obligation
of one who receives the proxy Of u stock.
holder in corporation upon pledge and
promise pro to vote as his principal would vote.
Whether Mr.. Robertson was or was not him
himself bound not only by honor and imIii-
cation but by expressly giving his word, be-
comes quite immaterial IL view of the claim
made for him. 1t is insisted that he "organ
lied the boil" or as has been sometimes stated
he was the leader of the "bolt." This is to
say that he invited, pursuaded, 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 convention,
but the Republicans of their districts as we'll,
who had trusted in their honor. Whoever
counsels and procures another to do dishon-3
est or dishoncrabie act, must share with that
|. other the guilt, and should share also the
odium attaching to it. p
Il We are, therefore, wholly unable, upon
whatever ground we put it, to see the justifi-
cation for ourselves, should we become parties
to using the public trusts which belong to the
people to require such service in such modes.
But the appliances employed to effect these re.
suits set up new standards of responsibility
and invade, as we believe, the truths and
principles Oh which separate and coordinate
branches Of the government stand. A Sena-
tor has his own responsibility. He is amena-
bic to the State and to the body of which he
is member. He is bound by his oath to ad-
wi md aNf0 NJ ID I'D
ment, before God. Whatever or whoever else
may constran him, he is to be exempt from
executive menace and disfavor or one hand,
and other inducements on the other. A long
standing order Of the house of commons has
been the declaration that member shall suf-
fer expulsion If he reports the wishes
of the executive head of the government
ton is not more jealous than ours in this
regard. To give advice, honest independent
advice as to an appointment proposed is as
much the right and duty of Senator as it is
the right or duty of the President to propose
the names. Be his advice one way or the
other, it is no more an act of disrespect or
treason to the nominating power than the
verdict Of jury, or decision Of a
judge. The idea that the Senate is
simply to find out what is wanted and then
do it, we cannot believe safe or, admissible,
and thus far no party has dared or de
sired to setup such a test of party fidelity or
allegiance.
In this instance such prominence has been
given to the subject, and such distrust been
expressed Of tie correctness of our
positions, that we think it is
right and dutful to submit
the matter to the power to which we alone
are bound, and ever rea,'y to bow. The legis-
lature is in session. 1t has Republican ma
i"ritS. aud New York abounds in sons omit.
as able as we to bear her message and com
mission in the Senate of the United States.
With profound sense of the
obligations we owe, with devotion to
the Bepublican party and it's
cause Of 'eliberty and light" with rever-
ent attac hment to the great State whose inter-
csts and, honor are dear to us, we hold it
respectful and becoming to make room for
those who may correct all the errors
we have made, and interpret Alright
all the duties we have miscnnceived.
We therefore enclose cur designations,
but hold fast the privilege, as citizens and Re-
publicans, to stand for the constitutional
rights of all men and of all representatives,
whether of the States, the nation, or the
people.
We lave the honor to be, very respectfully,
your obedient servants,
Roscoe CoNKLING.
THOMAS C. PLArT.
To His Excellency. Gov. Cornell.