The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1883-01-02

The Macon Telegraph is inclined 10 think that
mahy good Democrats, old and young, are fright
eed at aud are aboring under misapprehen-
ston in regard TO the phrase, spols of Office"
Office and spoils OF Office" have become almost
Synonymous phrases The mistake is the most
natural one in the world. The present irrepres-
s.Jie demand for deep, sweeping, genuine, radi-
cal reform ON the part of the Republicans, says
ahat paper, cannot wipe out recolections of years
of Hhrpet-bsg thieving and misrule. We do not
s:un5l that The Republicans really do wish they
were reformed. When Robson murmurs in
.ser,e Jersey tones, that he wants to be an an
;gsl we are constrained to believe. But lie has
;lrot always wanted to be an angel. Nothing in
his past would justify any one in supposing for
IN instant that he ever dreamed Of being an an
gel And what is true of Robson, the leader of
Rae party, is true of its henchmen offceholders
,scalered all over the land. Nothing in the past
conduct OF Republican oficeholders indicated
aus seraphic aspirations. On the contrary in
/. 1hal they went about seeking whom they might
Acvbur, the public mind has associated them
'si;h another power, whom they more closely
.;sesemble.
F.: Ely not unnatural transition the office holder,
q creature of spoils has been COMPOUNDED with
tse thing held, and the Office has come to be re-
/ ssrded not as an Office but the spols of an Of
+ jhceLholder. Though the office-hoder for years
past has been creature of spoils it does not fol-
bw of necessity that he must be such a creature,
ena that the Office must he the means upon which
! &c fattcns Good Democrats haye fallen into
! SAi: error. And having too much regard for
themselves and their party to see them debauch-
| -ed and reduced 10 the level of the Republican
cfisae.holdcrs, have fallen Into civil service re-
fJ.in error.
( An office under the government, continues the
Telegraph, is IA position of trust and may be hon.
tstly and honorably filled. In the hands of Re-
puhlicans this is possibility. but years of expe-
tsence show that it is not a probability. The
taklic clamor for reform jusiifies the assertion.
" rs for good Democrats to show that an Office
f.icr may hold up clean hands. 1t is for them
= check the popular misconception that the
Bi44sling OF an Office is prima facie evidence of
fi.:Aery, trading and corruption. That the Dem
4c'atic party has been held together in the face
q defeat for twenty years, is evidence enough
FIAT there is need of no cohesive force OF plum
nar;" to retain it in tact 1t is not necessary TO
aai,k the responsibility of office to prove the fall
S!'F of the assertion. Nor is it wise to fail to
| If,issp the full measure Of power which attends
&.lccess, for fear that Republican saints will lift
9osy hands TO heaven, cry for reform and charge
Democrats with seeking plumber. Let it be I'M
*yerstood that to Democrats. seeking Office is not
isehtical with seeking plupder The tenet of the
| Hipublicans nOtw outstanding.
Sssemove this misapprehenson and it will be
,etaaent that civil service reform which is con.
bs;td TO efforts to keep Republicans in Office is
tFir likely to benefit the people.