Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1885-06-08

THE REVOLUTION IN FEDERAL PATRONAGE.

THE REVOLUTION IN FEDERAL PATRONAGE.
Some of the oldest and most experienced
of the Southern politicians, who have been
considering the subject with much care,
find in the federal patronage source OF
danger to democratic party unity, which is
the cause of solicitude not unmixed with
apprehepsion for the future. The solid
South was made such in the beginning, and
has continued as such, because OF struggle
for the great principle of local self-govern'
ment, in which was arrayed on one side ln-
teligence. honesty and property, and on
the other ignorance, avarice and dishonesty
The battle has been fought by the victori-
Gus side through all the long years OF the
ence of the federal government thrown IN
behalf of their adversaries 1t YVES literally
a contest for the preservation of everything
that is dear to good men and good citizens,
and the consciousness of the Importance of
the issues that were at stake was that which
welded into one solid mass those who labor
ed for deliverance from the hand OF the
adventurer and the spoiler. The change
in the control of the federal government
has relieved the States of the South
from the menace which has hung over
them from 1865 of improper interference
in their domestic affairs, and they are
now placed on the same footing in this
respect as the other States of the Union.
The motives and the fears which held IN
perfect cohesion the dominant party in the
south have thus been sensibly weakened
but while this is the case, there are still good
reasons enough to prevent change, TOR
some time to come, at least in the existing
political situation in that section, and if the
nsidious and disorganizing questions bound
up in the distribution of the federal offices
had not arisen, there would be no ground
for fear on the one eide or hope on the other.
When men or parties are contending tsJr
what they believe to be great prinni lies in
which the common welfare oDlvI is involved
selfish and personal cons;.II erations are en-
tirely secondary elements of discord and d.
visions are te'. and inconsequential. But
when lace and patronage become part of
! lie reward of victory, most fruitful source
of dissension and dstrust is at once engen.
dered, and the public good is lost sight ofin
the struggle for personal gain and advan-
tage. The wisest men of the South see this
very plainly, and confess without reserva-
ton that the standard of politics must in
evitably be lowered by the contest now in
progress over the Offices at the disposal OF
the general government, and warning cliques
and factions spring into existence. Already
in several of the Southern States intense Bit
terness and animosity have developed over
the claims of rival applicants for office, and
drawn into the circle of opposing forces men
Of prominence who have heretofore been
firm and fast friends. 1t has only been by
the closest unity that the representatives of
good and honest government in the South
have succeeded in maintaining themselves,
and if they now subject that unity to the
strain which roug n audtumb]e scramble
for Office will preciptate, they, may have
cause to regret it. % the ante bellum days
the rule in the South was that the office
sought the man. If this rule could be re-
established what an example would be set
for the rest of the country, and how much
better in every way would it be for the
South itself.-Wash. Cor. Bali. Sun.