Delaware gazette and state journal., 1895-12-26

really was elected. But, alas! the old
torment will not let him go. The men
with claims who have not been provided
for are still dogging his heels or merci-
lessly pelting him with letters, and
like an errand boy they keep him run
ming from department to department.
New complications arise. One OF the
office. holders appointed upon his re-
commendation 80 grossly misconducts
himself as to make his removal impera-
tive. There is no doubt as to the facts.
But the delinquent public servant calls
upon his Congressional patron for pro-
lection. Has he not right to do soP
Has he not been appointed simply by
way of reward for services rendered TO
the member of Congress Has he ever
been expected by his patron to earn his
salary by downright hard work for tho
public? Was he not rather to have "a
good time'' while in office, and to mako
out of it what he could? And now be-
cause he did so he is to lose the reward
he had earned, and to be disgraced by
removal to boot. Will the Congressional
patron leave his friend In the lurchp
Our friend is little puzzled at first
In spite of the many rebuffs it has
suffered the old conscience speaks once
more Does his sense of duty permit
him to endeavor to keep in Office, TO
the evident detriment of the service
and of the public interest, a man be
knows to have proved himself un
worthy But there is also another
voice speaking TO him. Has not this
unworthy public servant friends or
relatives who exercise influence in his
district? True. he ought never to
have recommended this man for Office,
but can he now afford to make enemies
of him and his clan? Well, he seeks
to have the removal recalled. He does
not find willing ear. He begs, he
protests, he busters, he threatens, he
entreats, be implores tho administration
to do thing which he knows it can
not do without being false to its public
duty.
But still other complications come to
plague him. Tho administration fol-
lows some policy which he feels himself
in conscience bound to oppose; or
vicious practices are discovered in some
government department which his sense
OF duty commands him to denounce.
His first impulse is TO obey that com
mand. But-ha he not appeared be-
fore the President and before the de-
partment chiefs as a petitioner for
favors in the shape of offices for his
friends? Will he not have TO solicit
similar favors again. and if he criticise5
and opposes the administration, will it
not have the power not only to refuse
further favors needed by him, but even
TO remove the persons appointed upon
his recommendations? Nay, may not
those very persons, his political re-
tainers, the members of mis- home
machine, il he opposes the administra-
tion, turn against him and denounce
him as mugwump and renegade, for
| the purpose OF winning the favor of the
| administration and OF thus saving their
own necks? He keenly feels that here
his moral independence as legislator
is at stake-that moral independence
| which, if he is to do his duty to his
country, can never be surrendered.
But can he afford to maintain it at
the risk of loosing all the dearly bought
results of the management of the pa
tronage in his district and even OF
turning his own handiwork against
himselfY No-unless there be in him
some of the stuff of which martyrs are
made, the moral independence of the
| legislator will die as a sacrifice at the
shrine of that patronage. And to mauy
| legislators making that sacrifice, ii
will hardly occur that it bears all the
features of the bargain essentially Cor
rupt.
Here l will stop, although the cata-
logue of perplexities, embarrassments,
reductions, debasements and abandon
ments of their true duty which the
spoils system imposes upon members
/ of Congress is by no means exhausted.
But it is enough, have known Sena-
tors and members of the House OF
Representatives who with good con-
science and just pride could affirm that
they never made a direct or indirect
| promise of Office to bring about their
nomination or election; that they never
recommended any person for appoint
ment whom they did not honestly be-
icve well qualified for the place to be
| filed. and that they never depended
upon the manipulation Of the patronage
to advance their political fortunes.
Neither do ignore the fact that there
are members of Congress who, moved
by the impulse of gratitude or by
generous sympathy, take hearty plea
| sure in doing good turn to a friend,
or in trying to aid a struggling ambi-
tion. by securing to them comfortable
living or an opportunity to rise, and
who to this end submit to work and
trouble without selfish motive.
But, on the whole. the effect of the
patronage system is certainly such as
have described it, In number of in
stances by no means small the picture
have drawn is true in every touch,
and in many more it is true in very
great part. speak of this with assur.
ance, for | know it from my own per.
sonal experience.
Henry Macfarland.