The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1893-06-22
Senator Butler on the Dispensing of
Federal Patronage.

Senator Butler, of South Carolina, has
written very sensible letter to con-
stituent who had written to him COM
planning of the Presidents course in
making some of the appointments in
that State. The Senator quotes the con-
stitution to show that the power of APP
pointment is vested in the President
alone, and that Senators and Represen-
tatives have nothing more to do win
the selection of officers than have any
other class of persons in the country
that they can recommend men they pe>
lieve to be suitable, just the same as any
other citizen can do, or they can 1urnlsh
information to the appointed of1lcef
when it is in their power to do So Be.
yond this the Senator does not belleve
it is proper for Senator or representa-
tive to 60, and to attempt to dictate the
appointments in their respectlvs states,
/ he believes, would be as grave a VIOLA
| ton of the constitution as for the Presls
dent to attempt to dictate and control
| the action of the legislative body. Sen
ator Butler says the people will sustain
the President in dispensing the federal
patronage. There is no doubt but that
| the Senator's construction OF the consti-
tuition is correct, and if his views were
more generally held long step would be
taken in the direction of improving the
character of the public service. Not
only would the adoption OF the Senator'S
plan afford a great relief to the eXecu-
| tive. but it would relieve the members
of the legislative branch of the govern
ment as well OF most of the disagreeable
work that falls upon them. Under the
present system, for several months after
the Inauguration of a President all the
Senators and Representatives belonging
to the party he represents are compelled
to give most of their time to running
about Washington, to the White House
and the departments, endeavorlng TO Sc
cure places for the crowds OF their CON
stituents who are constantly beselglng
them with their clamors for office. rms
is not the sort of business the constltu-
ton intended members OF the natlonai
| LEGISLATURE should devote themselves to,
but in too many instances it is the busl-
ness their constituents had in view prl-
marly in their election. In too many
States and congressional districts man
is looked upon as a. good senator OF d
tion to his ability to secure appoint
ments for the professional politicians
among his constituents, and many use>
full man has had his career in Congress
cut short because of his inability to dis
tribute the Offices to the satisfaction OF
the people who had sent him there. Inc
clan.or of the officeseekers is often SO
unreas enable that if the President should
place at the disposal of member OF
Congress every place in his district and
many more than it's proportion in the
general government service outside OF
the district, the Congressman would
still make more enemies than friends In
dealing out the places
The above correspondence from Sena-
tor Butler, of South Carolina, furnishes
food for serious reflection. The factional
controversies brought about by the dis
tribution of patronage, is a source OF
great annoyance to those holding elect
i've positions, and upon whom rests the
responsibility of making choice. To this
want of harmony among Democrats, in
selecting candidates for the various fed:
eral positions, can be ascribed the delay
of the President in making appoint
ments. And what is still more deplora'
BILE, are the personal attacks caused by
real or imaginary grievances, of which
the Observation-Disclosures mud singing
affords a striking instance. Democrats
must lay aside their petty differences.