have
reached the height of his power, if not of his fame. His opponents
were under his feet. Greeley was dead, Fenton's long and successful
career had closed in the gloom of defeat and the permanent eclipse of
his influence in public affairs, and others were weakened if not
destroyed by their party desertion. Moreover, the re-election of a
President whom he had supported and defended with an opulent
vocabulary that made his studied addresses models of speech, continued
his political control. About half a dozen able lieutenants, holding
fat offices in the great patronage centres, revolved with the fidelity
of planets, while in every custom-house and federal office in the
State trained politicians performed the function of satellites. To
harness the party more securely hundreds of young men, selected from
the various counties because of their partisan zeal, filled the great
departments at Washington. "In obedience to this system," said George
William Curtis, "the whole machinery of the government is pulled to
pieces every four years. Political caucuses, primary meetings, and
conventions are controlled by the promise and expectation of
patronage. Political candidates for the lowest or highest positions
are directly or indirectly pledged. The pledge is the price of the
nomination, and when the election is determined, the pledges must be
redeemed. The business of the nation, the legislation of Congress, the
duties of the departments, are all subordinated to the distribution of
what is well called spoils."[1424]

[Footnote 1424: Report of Civil Service Commission, 1871, p. 18.]

President Grant is quoted as declaring that the Senator never sought
an appointment from him.[1425] This statement is probably true, but not
on the theory of the Latin maxim, _Qui facit per alium, facit per
se_.[1426] No occasion existed for him to make requests since his
agents, well known to the President, cabinet, and collectors, could
obtain the necessary appointments without the Senator's participation
or even knowledge. Nevertheless, he relied upon public patronage as an
instrument of party and factional success, and uniformly employed it
throughout his career. The principal objection of the independent
press to his appointment as chief justice implied his devotion to
practical politics and an absence of the quality of true
statesmanship.[1427] Indeed, in spite of his transcendent gifts, his
hold upon party and people was never stronger than t