The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1885-12-19
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The administration of President Cleve-
land, so far as appointment to, and re-
moyal from, Office is concerned, has been
subjected to very severe criticism, not only
from Republican journals and their follow
ers, but also by the Bourbon Democratic
press and it's votaries. The first, out OF
pure charity, may be tolerated. because the
disastrous defeats suffered by them have
deprived them Of all other political capital,
therefore nothing remains for them with
which to excite and animate their party,
except assaults upon the President for ex-
ercising his constitutional prerogative, as
head of the nation, in removing his adj
versaries from Office and appointing his
friends in their places. The Republicans,
therefore, are to be pitied rather than CEN
sured, or even chided. It is truly a sad
plight for that once great political organ
ization to. be placed in, to have no other
topic to discuss than that of the decap'ta-
ton of Office holders who are OF that faith.
All the principles they formerly upheld,
advocated and rallied around, have been
buried, never again to be resurrected.
The Democracy, on the other hand, have
run up their standard, upon which is in
scribed in flaming letters, their immutable
principles. upon the highest summit OF
political achievement. There it is destined
to wave in triumph until the grand mission
of the party is fulfilled, which will be accom-
plished only when the necessity for political
examinations ceases to exist. This TACT
ought OF itself be sufficient to prevent
cadaverous office seekers OF the Bourbon
stripe, processing TO be Democrats, from
belaboring Mr.. Cleveland in harmless terms
because his duty to the whole party will
not permit him to allow them to monop-
ollie the federal patronage. They might
lust as we'll suppress their clacque, becauseit
will have no more effect in swerving the
President from what he conscientiously be-
lieves to be right than would the pouring OF
water ON q goose's back prevent it from
plunging into a pond.
Wherever Mr.. Cleveland has seen the ne
cessity for removing a Republican, and ap-
pointing a Democrat to his place, he has
always promptly done SO. What more
could be expected from him under the CIR
cumstances OF his nomination and election
to the office OF President? He. by his writ
ten and oral pledges, committed himself to
the doctrine of Civil Service, as contained
in the amended Act of Congress, passed
nearly three years ago. In this he was up
held by his party during the canvass. Be
sides that, his hands are tied tightly by the
Tenure of Office Act OF 1867. Many
hundred changes have been made by him,
because good reasons for SO doing have
been brought to light for the removal and
appointment of Others, and these will keep
cropping out until within a comparatively
short time all Republican officers will have
gone "where the woodbine twineth," and
honest, capable Democrats occupy their
positions. Mr.. Cleveland is not infallible,
hence he may make some mistakes in his
appointments. Every other President who
preceded him has committed the same
errors. But he is honest though and has
not, and will not appoint any man whose
character is known personally to him to be
questionable. This fact nc man, however
violent a partisan he may be, has dared
gainsay; hence his errors, if there ar,
any, are those OF the bead and not OF the
heart.
In regard to the Bourbon element nov
clamoring for Office, and loudly censuring
the President because he will not make a
wholesale sweep OF Republicans now occu-
plying nice, easy Federal positions, it can
only be said hat they, having secretly OPP
posed Mr.. Cleveland during his canvass
nave no right to expect any favors from
him; hence their fault finding amounts to
nothing, and their curses, like young chick
ems, will 90 home to roost. The "outs,"
however-that is the Republlcans-as they
are the losers, are excusable, in a meas
ure, for their opposition to the course
OF a Democratic President in removing
them from Office. They are entitled
to and ought to be commiserated with.
Poor fellows! they have been sucking the
public teat and fattening on Federal pat
ronage so long-almost a life time-that it
is quite natural they should grunt now
that they are compelled to rustic for
acorns upon which they are compelled to
exc out a miserable existence. The only
fear is that they will die in their wallow,
because they have not ambition enough
left to extricate themselves from it. Those
among them, who have sufficient vitality
to honestly work for a living, when turned
out of office, are the last to complain.
They know that to the victors belong the
spoils: and that when they were appointed,
q quarter Of a century ago., Democrats
were compelled to make room for them;
hence, what is sauce for the goose is sauce
for the gander.
1t is gratifying to find SO many Republi-
cans, sufficiently posted in philosophy, us
not only to refrain from finding fault with
the President, for removing them or their
friends from office, but who have the man.
illness to stand up and justify him in re-
warding his friends by bestowing official
favors upon them. The News, one OF
the most sprightly Republican jour.
nails in the land, published at
Philadelphia, referring to this matter, says:
president Cleveland's frank and manly
statement Of his intention regarding his ap'
pointments has been met by the Republi.
can Senators in the spirit in which it was
made. He notified them in effect that il
any one would show to him that his nom.
inee was unfit, he would not send his name
to the Senate for confirmation.
'In return, the Republican Senators in
caucus have determined to make no
f~actious opposition to the Presidents
nomination, recognizing his right to ap.
point at pleasure; that their rejection Of
nominees will not restore past incumbents;
and that they will only make rigid inquiry
into the antecedents OF persons appointed,
rejecting only the unfit and those who are
apparently nominated for purely partisan
reasons.
"This determination of the Republican
Senators is highly creditable to their pub.
lie spirit. The President was elected by
party vote, but he is President of the
whole country. As President he cannot be
guided altogether by partisan motives. He
has the right to make nominations. For
the Senators to present a partisan front
against them would be as great a misuse
OF public trust as it would be if Mr.. Cleve.
land were to nominate only "offensive
p~artisans." Judging from the spirit in
which the President and Senate meet ach