St. Landry democrat., 1884-09-06
EXECUTIVE PATRONAGE.
Hts Transmission from the Re
DubIicans to the Democrats.
PicByune.
New ORLEANS, Aug. 14th, 1884.

pethGr delivered over TO Tie aLGOthVJ
ship of party, you are obviously en-
to find Qualifications Tor every |
act of your party officials, at the same |
time that you condemn your opponents
for the alleged preparation OF similar
acts. This is the art and acme OF parry
The press is the attorney |
Of marty, It acknowledges no respon
sihility in the conduct OF one case Tor
the argument or allegations in another.
At nresent you grunible at this jumbo
of Executive and other powers when
all constitutions derived from English
precedent seek to keep separate. I on
seem struck with the incongrulty OF one
judicial candidate disabled by impeach-
ment while his opponent is installed III
fine seat of contest. And you wonder at
a field piece, trained on the door OF
conrt house as posse cOnlltGtuS to ald III
the execution of civil warrant. Now,
Messrs. Editors, why not at the proper
time brayely attack. the abuse OF prln-
cinIe which has caused almost all the
acts of official wrong in Louisiana since
the war It is the exaltatiOn OF the
Executive above the other coordinate
departments of the Government, it is
The endowment of that department
with the sd me prerogative OF personal
patronage as enjoyed by the crowned
heads of Europe. What fight was eyer
so sustained as that against the divine
rights of the king" to exercise dlhcre-
tiOnary powers Church men, noble
men and others nicknamed Puritans
but actuated by precisely the same
methods in opposing the government Of
''the single person" by divine right, as
were our own revolutionary and repub-
lican ancestors. The Wing party WAS
based on the reform of the executive the
Ory, History, or your own memory, will
teach that the sole principle of cohesion
between Clay, Calhoun and Poindexter
was common fear lest the executive of
the day would accumulate in his own
person the purse, the sword and the
spOils. The National executive has at
present all the power of patronage, and
NAV WELD it to perpetuate his personal
Office or the power of his party.
You will attribute this to the Repub-
lican party at present in power. Very
well, it is dangerous abuse growing
out OF the war and the wealth of the
republic. Will your hOnors look through
the platform of the Democratic party
and say whether you can nud any
pledge to renOunCe or reform this
abuse To the victoTs belong the
sDoils is waterlined in all the platforms,
and the most the American people can
expect must be that men untrled and
unproven will prove more honest than
their official predecessors.
To aid in forming an opinion upon the
probabilities of this national reform let
Ms take the example of Louisiana.
When the hungry horde of camp fol-
lowers took possession of all the de-
partments of our State Government, it
was as with license of sack and pillage.
To render this the more ehectual they
made constitution under which the
Executive held the power of appoint
ment of almost all Offices, civil and
military. 1t embraced power of per-
manent or temporary Judicial appoint
ment, descending even to the police
Jury whose municipal form was legisla-
tive. 1t ia useless to enumerate or
summarize the iniquities perpetuated
under this Radical repeal of the cOnsti-
tutional principles of State government.
It is sufficient to say that OF the State
officials some have stolen themselves
rich, others fell victims to the natural
indignation of an oppressed people who
succeeded Id evicting the Radicals from
every political post and pretensiOn in
the State. Now, Messrs. Editors, what
did the victors in this noble and ration
al strife. They Immediately replaced
the abiect Radicals with patriotic re-
formers. Did they abdicate a single
noWerq Did they surrender to the pe0>
Die a single elective appointment ?
Years have passed away, COnstitU-
tional Convention has assembled, re-
form Legislatures have been in session,
and yet the same power OF patronage
which Warmoth exercised, which Kel-
lopg employed, and which Packard
grasped at, have been and are now in
the same legal vigor as when they
caused the revolutionary overthrow OF
the Radical government. So slight has
been the modification of doctrine or Of
doings under the present and the past,
that certain Radical leaders have ac-
cOmpanied the transmit of power and
are now exercising identically the same
| influence in the Democratic as in the
Radical party. The Executive Depart
ment has been removed-like Chicago
| hotel-with such an exact adjustme Mt
| of the motive machinery that the in
mates have not been disturbed in their
ordinary avocations.
| Now, Messrs Editors, the object OF
this prolonged essay has been to ask,
whether when the battle, its smoke and
confusion shall be over-end how it
may-you will demand an amendment
to the State Constitution, which win
deprive the Executive of all patronage
which can either spa exercised by the
Ceople in tIeir primary capacity, or by
their represtS Statives in the Legislature?
Will you1en, and that the separation of
departments, Which Mr.. jefferson pre-
pared With his own hand for the State
Constitution d 1919 shall be rigidly en-
forced? %
Should you yucceed in doing this and
in placing thL Executive of our State on
~ y 80 Ill ,,sI uiAE, +hnA nE n1rnnrt IL