I say, "No." For what
the united will of the people would never resolve, regarding their
civil officers, cannot (constitutionally) be determined by the
sovereign regarding them. The people have to bear the cost incurred by
the appointment of an official, and undoubtedly it must be their
will that any one in office should be completely competent for its
duties. But such competency can only be acquired by a long preparation
and training, and this process would necessarily occupy the time
that would be required for acquiring the means of support by a
different occupation. Arbitrary and frequent changes would
therefore, as a rule, have the effect of filling offices with
functionaries who have not acquired the skill required for their
duties, and whose judgements had not attained maturity by practice.
All this is contrary to the purpose of the state. And besides it is
requisite in the interest of the people that it should be possible for
every individual to rise from a lower office to the higher offices, as
these latter would otherwise fall into incompetent hands, and that
competent officials generally should have some guarantee of
life-long provision.
Civil dignities include not only such as are connected with a public
office, but also those which make the possessors of them, without
any accompanying services to the state, members of a higher class or
rank.
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