St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1886-10-30
HAVE THEY SINNED?
IMnrehonse Clarion.l

COutciupOtot IA ueihNiuiHs tHcii
removal, giving rs a reason that
the Presidents civil service Or
der" was openly violated. In the
recent Congressional contest for
the Democratic nomination several
Federal appointees participated
actively. United States Marshal
Gibson. Collector of Internal Rev.
enue Shields, and A. w. Craudall,
who is Assistant Postmaster at New
Orleans. planned The battle and
were on hand ut Ruston. They
were there, it is said, in the inter-
est of Gen. King. We have heard
that Mr.. Shields headed, and was
the spokesman for, the King wing
Of the Concordia delegation. All
Of these men, it is clnimed, owe
their appointments to King, and
were his personal and political
friends at Rlston. Therefore, SO
argue some Of Kings enemies,
these men have put themselves on
record as defiant rebels against Mr.
Cleveland, and the President must,
off with their official heads, to car
ry out his idea Of civil service under
the law.
For one, we do not think the
civil service act ever contemplated
sach purposes AS the claiming of II
citizens hands politically. We
think the aim was to prevent Off
GERS Of the Government from using
their official positions to further po-
htical ends. Such Infamous meth
DDS as assessing subordina.es in
official departments of the Govern
ment per centum Of their salaries
for the success of the party which
tue Offices were SO prone
to corruption that it was found
necessary to lesislate upon the
question. But to deprive citizen
of the right and privilege and plea
sure of expressing himself, and
taking an active but honorable part
in political contests, merely because
he has an official commission from
Washington. is more than any
brave man world submit to, and
more than Mr.. Cleveland contem-
plated in his order relative to Che
of that law.
Mr.. Shields and the others men,
toned above had as much right,
under the law, to attend tie Ruston
Convention, as they have to vote
for President in 1883. No man
nor newspaper has ever alleged any
improper conduct against those
gentlemen while ut Ruston, and the
mere fact that they were there anil
a desire to have King re-
turned to Congress, surely does
not entitls them to the penalty Of
official death. II such is the law
We glory 10 the spunk Of the man
who openly and boldly disresards
t. II to hold an office under n
Democratic President means tue
of one Of tho dearest
lights known to an American citi-
right of free speech-then
lone but renegades aud unprinci-
,led slugsards can b- found to ac-
,ept such office. On this question
We agree with the Vicksburg Her
I'D. which takes the following view
If tho position assumed by the Off
;ials who attended the Ruston
When men become office-holders
hey do not lose their citizenship,
nd they as citizens. have the uD-
Questioned right to exert political
influence. Aud we do not think |
President Cleveland has ever writ
ca Or said anything to circum-
cribe or limit The rights OF citizens.
What he desires is that no Federal
ffice- holders shall prostitute their
ffices to political purposes. As
itizens they have the right to vote,
o administering candidates, and
o perform any political duty that
God citizens may perform. so they
o not use their offices within their
wn party or against other political
arties.
The citizen may espouse any
olitics he thinks Test; the Office
er Sc should be non-partisan. That
the Presidents position. and he
'ill DE heartily sust aimed in it by
IL good citizens, regardless OF
'arty.
In the Ruston Convention there