The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1882-07-06
PROFESSION AND RE-
PUBLICAN PRACTICE.
An extract from the Republican n

I An extract from the Republican Ma
tiOnal platform of 1880 reads as follows:
/ The Republican party demands the CO.
operation of the legislative with the eX-
ecutiVe department of the Government,
to the end that the reform of the Civil
Service shall be thorough, radical and
complete.
. The execution of the laws and the
punishment of those who violate them
are the only safe methods by which
genuine prosperity can be established.
The equal, steady and complete en-
fOTcement of the laws, and the prOtec-
tiOn of all our citizens in the enjoyment
of all privileges and immunity guaran-
teed by the Constitution are the first du-
ties of the nation.
The assessments being levied by Dear
Hubbell's" committee, and the trial of
the Star Route thieves show their
thorough, radical and complete reform
of the Civil Service, and also how they
punish those who violate the laws and
rob the Government
This levying blackmail upon all Gov
ernment employees is also contrary to
law, as will be seen by the following
from the United States laws of 1876,
chapter 28O, section 6:
All executive officers or employees of
the United States not appointed by the
President with advice and consent of the
Senate are prohibited from requesting,
giving to or receiving from any other
officer or emplOye of the Government
any money or property or thing of
value, for political purposes; and any
such officer or emplOye who shall offend
against the provisions of this section
shall be at once discharged from the
service of the United States; and he
shall also be deemed guilty of a misde
meanOT, and on conviction thereof shall
be fined in a sum not exceeding five
hundred dollars.
We see, then, how the Republican
party profess one thing and does other
wise. Is it not the party of false pre-
tences and lying professions?
The following letter of Daniel Webster
will show his views upon this black
mail business, and is quite appropriate
just at this time:
DEPARTMENT OF STATE,
March goth, 1S41.
To the Hon. Thomas Ewing, Secretary of
the Treasury:
Sir:-The President is of opinion that
it is great abuse to bring the patron
age of the general Government into
conflict with the freedom of elections,
and that this abuse ought to be correct
ed wherever it may have been permitted
to exist, and to be prevented for the fu-
tuTe.
He therefore directs that information
be given to all officers and agents in
yrprn mfr NJ Of hn
that partisan interference, in the pOpu-
lar elections, whether of State officers or
of officers of the Federal Government,
and for whOmsOever and against whom
sOever it may be exercised, or the pay
ment of any contribution or assessment
on salaries, or official compensation for
party or election purposes, will be re-
garded by him as cause for removal.
1t is not intended that any officer shall
be restrained in the free and proper eX-
preston and maintenance of his Opin-
ions respecting public men or public
measures or in the exercise to the fullest
degree of the constitutional right of
suffrage. But persons employed under
the lGOyernment and paid for their SER
vices out of the public Treasury are not
expected to take an active or OfficiOus
part in attempts to influence the minds
or votes of others, such conduct being
deemed inconsistent with the spirit of
the Constitution and the duty of public
agents acting under it, and the Presi-
dent is resolved, so far as depends upon
him, that while the exercise of the cleo
tive franchise by the people shall be
free from undue influence of official
station and authority, opinions shall
also be free among the officers and
agents Of the company.
Similar letters have been addressed to
other heads of departments.
1 have the honor to be, sir, your Obedi-
ent servant, DANIEL WEBSTER.