Page:Life of Henry Clay (Schurz; v. 1).djvu/379

Rh exercise of the elective franchise in the government of the United States. I understand that it is the system upon which the party in his own state, of which he is the reputed head, constantly acts. It is a detestable system, drawn from the worst periods of the Roman Republic; and if it were to be perpetuated, — if the offices, honors, and dignities of the people were to be put up to a scramble, and to be decided by the result of every presidential election, — our government and institutions would finally end in a despotism as inexorable as that at Constantinople.”

That Van Buren was a “spoils politician” is undoubtedly true. But that to him “the introduction of the odious system” in the general government was “principally to be ascribed,” is not correct. Jackson was already vigorously at work “rewarding his friends and punishing his enemies,” when, a few weeks after the beginning of the administration, Van Buren arrived at Washington. Jackson would doubtless have introduced the “spoils system,” with all its characteristic features, had Van Buren never been a member of his Cabinet. In the Senate, however, Van Buren's friends did not defend him on that ground. It was in reply to Clay's speech that Marcy, speaking for the politicians of New York, proclaimed that they saw “nothing wrong in the rule that to the victors belong the spoils of the enemy.”

The rejection of Van Buren's nomination was accomplished by the casting vote of the Vice-President, Calhoun, who thought that after such a de-