American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1881-05-28

IL
public trusts are to be, or would i'll any event
be, made personal perquisitcs, to be hapdled
and disposed OF not only to punish independ-
encc of Senatorial votes and action, but to
hIuidate the personal obligations of any indi-
vdual, however high in station, the co nd itions
are utterly vicious and degradng. and their
acceptance would compel the representatives
of States to ding down their oath and repre-
sentuiive's duty at the tootstool of Executive
power.
Following this sweeping and startling Execu-
tive act came ominous avowals that a dissent
or failure to advise and consent" would be
held an act of oifcu-e exposing all Senators
from whatever State, to Executive dispteas-
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 ill., aud the success of which we earnest
ly WISE, FOR every reason and motive which
can enterintO the case. We know of no theory
avowed by any party which requires such sub
mission as is now eXacfe1. Although party
service may be fairly considered in making a
selection of public officers, it can hard y be
maintained that the Senate is bound to remove
without cause incumbeuts merely to make
places FOR those whom any individual, even a
Preside nt or member of his Cabinet, wish
es to repay for being recvednt to others or
serviceablo to himself. Only about
two years ago the Senate advised
that General Merritt be appointed Collector at
New York. 1t Is understood that among the
senators who so advised was Mr.. Window,
now Secretary Of the Treasury and head Of
the Department whose subordinate General
Merritt Is. Another known to have given the
advice was Mr.. kirkwOod, now Secretary OF
the interior. IL is said that, like the Post
master-General from our State, these Cabinet
officers were not taken into consultation
is
none the less instructive. That the late Secre-
ton up to its expiration Qess than ten weeks
ago. app owed OF General Merritt as an officer.
is well known. and it is not even suggested
that any citi zen hal petitioned for his remov-
nj, or that official delinquency on his part is
the reason tor it; In place of an experienced
officer in the midst of his term fixed by law, it
is proposed suddenly to put a man in who has
had no training for the position and who can
nH be said TO have any special fitness for its
Official duties.
In the inaugural of President Garfield, de-
livered on the 4th of last March, stand these
words;
"the Civil Service can never be placed on a
satistac DRY basis until it is reyuiai et by law.
For the good of the service itself, 70: the pro
lection of those who are intrustcd with the ap-
pointing power, against the waste of time aud
the obstruction of public business caused by an
of incumbents against Intrigue and wrong. j
shall at the proper lime ask Congress to fix the
tenure of minJr Offices of the several Execu-
tive Departments, and prescribe grounds up
on which removals Shall be made during the
pointed"
How good the d stinctioa is which would
make major Offices n prey to intrigue and
wrong, ard shield minor Offices from like
havoc, and whether the cullec .orshps of the
the protected class, need not he decided here.
Assuming General Merritt to be an officer of
average fitness and honesty. it might be rea-
.onably argued that all Senators should with
alacrity, advise his displacement by a man of
Obvious superiority. Possibly it might be
said III It all should advise tn, selection i'm
superior fitness, had rendered his c0un ry or
service. The ease in hand does not be-
long TO either of these classes. The vocation
professional experience ami surround
ings. do not denote superiority in the
qualities, the knowledge, business habits and
familiarity with the rctenuc laws and system
of the United States which might make him
more competent than Gcncia al Merritt to col
business pcrtan ng to the Port of New York.
Certainly he cannot i'll this respect he held an
cy on which tho Constitution and laws have
placed the public service. We know of no
Robertson SO transccndent that tho Collect
orship of New York should he taken in the
midst OF term and given TO him as a recom-
pcuse.
Mr. Robertson is reported by the New York
Tribune to have declared that his nominal on
was a reward for his action as delegate to
the National Convention. If Robertson in his
action was Influenced by a sense of duty, il
he vo; ed and acted his honest convictions, it
" a: d, not to speak of such great reward. Tho
acton of which an estimate is thus invited is
understood to be this: Robertson and sixty
nine other men accepted from the StateConven.
{ on certain trusts. They sought and accepted |
tional Convention. The state Convention de-
cared plainly the stated Judgment and policy |
mtssioncd 10 this declaration all seleote1 |
rs delegates gave an implied consent hut |
several of them, in addition, made most |
specific personal pledges and gagemcnts to |
exert themselves in good faith throughout to |
secure the nomination of General Grant. |
tanning their own appointments as delegates, |
and they did, us we both persona ly know. OBJ !
upon the faith OF their personal statements Of |
their earnest, ness and fidelity. The obligation |
thus assumed we understood TO involve the
: corporation Upon the pledge and
vote Vo @heher hi' RpFbnspa
was or was not himself bound not only under
ing his word, becomes quite fmmateriaI in
view of the claim made for him. 1t is insisted |
hat he ''organ I'd the bolt,' or, as it has been
state. "he was the leader of shc
bolt This is to say that he invited, persuad-
I'd, induced others whom he knew had given
iong SO, to violate their word and bctray, not
only the Republicans assembled in State Con-
rention, but the Republicans of their districts
rs well, who hal trusted In their honor. Who
ever cOuusels and procures another to do a
dishonest ordishonorab!e act must share with
odium justly attached to it.
weare, therefore, wholly unable, upon what
ourselves should we become parties to using
he public trusts which belong to the people, to
,canite such service nI in such modes But the
up new standards ofrespOnsibility and invade.
rs we believe, the truths and principles on
which the separate and coordinate branches
II the Government stand. A Senator has his
,wn responsibility. He is amcnable to his
state, and 10 the body of which he is a m EN- ber7
He is bound by his oath to advise and con-
ent' on his consc ence and judgment before
train him, he is to be exempt from Executive
menace or disfavor on the one hand, an Ex-
'cutive lnducement on the other. Long stand
ng on the orders of the House of Commons
las been a declaration that a member shall
uffer expulsion who even reports the wishes
influence the votes of members. The British
constitution is not more jealous than ours in
dependent advice, as to an appointment pro-
,oscd is as much tine right and duty of u Sena-
or as II is the right and duty of the President
n the other, it is no more act of disre-
poet or treason to the nominating power
han the verdict of juror or the decision
L Judge. The idea that the Senate is
IMPLY to ind out what is wanted and then do
we cannot believe safe admissible, and
hus far no party has dared descended to
ct up such test of party fidelity al
zen given to the subject, and such distrust
as been expressed of the correctness of our
os;tions that we think it right and dutiful to
ubmit the matter to the power to which alone
re are bound and ever ready to bow. The
.egislat ure is in session. IL is Republican in
Majority, and New York abOunds in sons
ute as able as we to bear her message and
in the Senate of the United states. |
With a profound sense of the Obligations we |
we, vii devotion to the Republican party and
5 creed of liberty and right, with revercnt
ttachment TO he 81 eat State whose interests
nd honor are dear to us, hold it respect |
nj and becoming to make room for those who | ,
Jay correct all errors we have made, and in
erpret Alright all duties we have mfscon-
eived. We, therefore, incose our resigna-
on, but hold last the privilege as citizens