Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1882-05-14
SOUND DOCTRINE.

SOUND DOCTRINE.
The Pennsylvania Republicans, in
their State convention held last
Wednesday, adopted a good plat
form, two resolutions of which must
commend themselves to the favorable
consideration of all thoughtful per-
sons OF whatever party. One of them
is:
That we unequivocally condemn
the use of patronage to promote
personal political ends, and require
that all offices bestowed within the
party shall be put upon the sole
basis of fitness.
Whenever public patronage is
used to bolster up private in
dividuals, it weakens the party
that does it. It was never
contemplated by the founders of the
government that the public patrons
age should be used to keep a few
bosses in power indefinitely. The
Republican party was founded on
principles, and whenever these prin-
ciples are lost sight of or made sees
ondary to the whims and ambition of
leader who has no personal merit
to commend himself to the people.
then the party is weakened, and if
such things are persisted in there is
danger OF destruction. There is
general repugnance among
the American people to being
bossed, and while they may submit
for time they will rebel sooner or
later.
Another plank IN the platform
adopted by the Pennsylvania Repub-
icans is as follows:
That public Office constitutes
high trust, to be administered solely
for the people, whose interests must
be paramount to those Of persons
and parties, and that it should be in
variably conducted with the same
efficiency, economy, and integrity as
are expected in the execution of
private trusts.
''Public Office constitutes a high
trust and the higher the Office the
greater the trust. A Congressman
is elected to represent the will of his
constituents in the, committees
and on the floor of Congress.
| Whenever ne absents himself
without some good excuse, from his
post of duty, he is violating that
trust Suppose that even q justice
of the peace should be absent from
his Office six times out of seven when
his services are demanded, would his
constituents overlook and forgive
his habitual neglect of his official
duties? They would hold him to a
rigid accountability, and if they did
not demand his immediate resig-
nation, they would certainly
turn him out of office
whenever they have an opportunity
to pass upon his case at the ballot
box. It is so OF any other minor Of
fee. Will they deal more leniently
with member of Congress or other
nigh officer, whose trust is more i'm
portant and who is much better com
pensated? The time of a public Of
fcer belongs to those whom he re-
presents. No one will deny this
In our private transactions with
each other, we expect a
faithful compliance with
the terms OF whatever contract may
be entered into. II we employ a
common laborer to DO our service,
We expect him to put in full time,
and if he fails, such failure is taken
into consideration when compensa-
ton is to be given. Why not exer-
else the same care in regard to pub
lie affairs?
We are too apt to begin wrong in
these things. Minor officers are held
to rigid accountability, while
those of higher grade and greater
Importance, may deceive and mis-
lead, and violate public trusts with
impunity. If corrections are applied
to those of high grade, and they are
made to strictly comply with then
contracts to serve the people faith
fully, those of q minor grade will he
apt to follow their example.
The following is copy of the dis
patch sent by United States Senator
Mitchell after determinations were
made in Pennsylvania: