The Press. — London, England, 1855-06-16 00:00:00

JUNE 16, 1855. the highest offices were shut out from them, the subordinate offices required no talent, and the official had no incentive to improve such talent as he had. He defended the report, drawn up by himself and Sir C. Trevelyan, from the objections that it was based on a crotchet of competition, and saying that a system of fixed tests would end by serving as an (muse for bad appointments. Nothing could be done till patronage was abolished, and promotion by merit substituted. He objected likewise to the ge wral scale of remuneration in the civil service to the w irking men as utterly inadequate, contending that ving the proper men their proper work, and paying t lem accordingly, would effect a great saving in the end. Lord L. GOWER, though a friend to Administrative Reform, would not support the motion, believing that there was great exaggeration in the evils com plained of. Mr. PEACOCK opposed the motion, believing what mischief existed was attributable to the Whigs. Mr. GLADSTONE, so far from being concerned at the state of the nation, thought that, under circum stances of great difficulty, they had fully maintained the honour of the country. The promoters of Ad ministrative Reform seemed to have for their object to throw all blame upon the aristocracy, against which he vehemently protested. He objected to vague accusations, and said that the house would not entertain motions without a definite object, which it was prepared to redeem. Referring to Mr. Layard's speech, he could not see how the house could institute the searching inquiry into our military administration which he seemed to demand, and passed a warm eulogium on Lord Hardinge, and instanced cases in which the Commander-in Chief had administered his patronage in a manner free from all party and family interests. It was likewise intended to throw open the artillery appointments to competitors— wh ch he approved in itself—and likewise as an ex periment to show how far we might go. Much had lently been done of late years in the reform of our o times, and the Government of Lord Aberdeen had limn prepared with a measure surrendering the extra patronage of the civil service in first appoint ments—a measure which would have been more e oily adopted by that aristocratic Cabinet, than by tle democratic House of Commons. He defended Vie order in council as—although imperfect—still good as far as it went, and preparing the way for farther improvements, and he trusted that under it we might relax the system of nomination. He a ;reed with Mr. Layard that civil appointments should be thrown entirely open. Promotion by merit was distrusted as a cloak for jobbing, and in consequence a low tone pervaded the public service. The great difficulty lay in introducing a different feeling with regard to that principle. The first step wag to introduce men by merit, to appoint the best men by the best examination, altering thereby the basis of the system, and preparing the way for a general rule of promotion by merit. He explained the circumstance of the superanuation tax, which had been adopted by the Government of Lord Grey instead of a reduction of salaries. He warned the house against passing from extremes of parsimony to that of ex t-avagance, and he believed that if the pay of the civil servants were properly adjusted it would be a nply sufficient. He did not believe that the system o° patronage added strength to any Government, and ipporting his belief by the weakness of all execu tive governments of late years. The system was one of unmixed evil, especially at the first appointment, where it was irresponsible ; to get rid of it would procure fewer and better servants, do much for public education, advance economy, and the public virtue of the country. Although he could not sup port the motion, he agreed in the spirit of what Mr. Layard ha I said on the diploma . ic and civil services, and wished him God speed in his attempts to reform t iem. Sir E. B. LYTTON said that converting the objec tions to our civil service into inflammatory declama tions was a grave misfortune. The outcry com m -need at the accession of the present Ministry, en c iuraged by the conduct of Lord John Russell with r .gard t the Duke of Newcastle, and was mainly due to the disappointment felt by the country in the conduct of Lord Palmerston, whose proceedings he arraigned as undecided, injudicious, and trifling. It was after that disappointment that the country de clared that it could not longer have confidence in Ministries, and take the question into its own hands. The Government then introduced a few stale reforms, leaving untouched the departments which had most broken down, and which utterly failed to satisfy any one. The feeling thus aroused was dan gerous to the fundamental principle of representa tive government, for what else was the cry against the influenc2 of party? The Whigs had, without doubt, since their accession to office, organised a colossal system of family patronage, and they were how, in the hour of trial, reaping the fruits of their system, and were responsible for having excited a danger which threatened the foundation of society, THE PRESS. Coming to Administrative Reform, he reviewed the various schemes proposed, observed that the objects were to obtain the widest range of candidates, and secure the greatest amount of talent, neither of which was secured by the order in council. He denounced dealing with the subject in a desultory way, leaving public servants doubtful of their pros pects, and urging that whatever reforms were adopted, they should be applied simultaneously to all the departments. It was, he urged, the duty of the Government to comedown with a comprehensive measure, sufficient to satisfy the people. He brought forward his amendment in order to free the question from dangerous adulterations and insinuations against the honour of the house, on which he passed a warm eulogium. He moved "the recommendation to her Majesty of a careful revision of our various official establishments, with a view to simplify and facilitate the transaction of public business, and, by instituting judicious tests of merit, as well as by removing obstructions to its fair promotion and legi timate rewards, to secure to the service of the State the largest available proportion of the energy and intelligence for which the people of this country are distinguished." Mr. LABOUCHERE explained the circumstances of the appointment of Mr. Fonblanque, which had been criticised in the debate. The CHANCELLOR Of the EXCHEQUER said that the motion was one of want of confidence in the Govern ment ; it was the second vote of the kind within a fortnight; and objected to such a course as destroy. ing the free action of the Executive. Referring to the question, he said that in all popular Govern ments appoitments must be made from party con siderations. The aristocratic element of our Go vernment was, at least, equally prevalent at the end of the last century as at present. Routine was necessary to the transaction of business. Objecting, therefore, to the terms of Mr. Layard's motion, he expressed his adhesion to the amendment of Sir BULWER LYTTON, and detected the movements of the Government in the direction of reform. _ _ Lord GODERICH moved the adjournment of the debate, which was carried by 240 to 29. The other orders of the day were then disposed of and the house adjourned. THE WAR. A despatch from Varna, dated Wednesday, June 13, says that the French troops have been recalled from Kertch, probably to assist in some great blow against Sebastopol. General Morris, after a cavalry reconnaissance of the Russian camp on the T Ilherna, estimates the force at from 80,000 to 100,000 men. In another reconnaissance, the general captured two pieces of cannon, besides a quantity of spirits, floor, and tobacco. It is [intended by Government to reinforce the reserve battalions at Malta, which consist of com panies belonging to regiments serving in the Crimea, as frequently as possible, from the depot companies at home. The commander at the seat of war will be thus enabled to augment his army in little better than a week, should occasion require, by communi cating by telegraph to the War Department, from whence an order will at once be forwarded by telegraph to Marseilles, and thence by steamer to Malta. A contract is about to be entered into for a large supply (50,000) of Minie and other rifles, it being intended to establish a depot store for small arms at Malta. _ _ _ Accounts from Constantinople, of the 4th, state that Abd-el-Kader was expected there. An Imperial menial manifesto, dated St. Peters burg, June 2, orders that., in case of the decease of the present Emperor, the Grand Duke Constantino shall be Regent during the minority of the Crown Prince. The Regency is to continue during the minority of the second son, should the eldest die. The Empress is to be guardian. ADMINISTRATIVE REFORM. THE Administrative Reformers mustered numerously in Drury-lane Theatre on Wednesday evening, the chiefs of the new association having convened a meeting for the special purpose of hearing speeches from Mr. Layard, Mr. Lindsey, and Mr. Tite. all three M.Ps. The proceedings, which were ordered to conclude at ten, commenced at seven o'clock, with an address from the chairman, Mr. Morley, who also read letters expressing sympathy with the movement from Sir W. Clay, Mr. Heywood, M.P., the Rev. S. G. Osborne, and Mr. Charles Dickens. Mr. LAYARD made the speech of the night, in which he indicated the course which he proposed to follow in Parliament, and touched upon the principal topics that would naturally constitute the leading features of his arguments in support of his motion in the House of Commons. Among other subjects Mr. Layard denounced the " peace party" as un-English •nd dangerous 1-` 571 He ridiculed the evidence before the Sebastopol com mittee, saying that nearly every, fault was attributed to the system or to poor Mr. Ward, who died many months ago. Referring to Miss Nightingale, he pointed out how every improvement of the administrative system had conic from private suggestions—while Cabinet Ministers were amus ing themselves in the country, deriving their information of the war entirely from the public papers. Lord Hard • inge took credit for introducing the Millie rifle, but every army in Europe adopted it before ours. Government kept back despatches at one time with the excuse of concealing the cypher; but when anything turned up in favour of the Goverment they sent it to the papers. Did not our late successes, he asked, afford an argument in favour of the society? After a long period of inactivity, a new and vigorous man was appointed to the command of the French army. t" Hear, hear," and cheers.) What fol lowed? His name was scarcely mentioned in the united camps than success followed. The fact of the right man having been appointed encouraged the troops, and success followed, and would follow if things • went on on the same principles. (Great cheering.) After claiming for the association a definite object, Mr. Layard referred to his own parliamentary campaign. He had made a first attack on the army—a kind of Balsklava charge—in which, though he had got a hard blow, he had yet done some mischief to the enemy. He did not think such an ebullition of temper should have been caused by his alight mistake. But his experience of the House of Commons had shown him that you may be guilty of as many wilful inaccuracies as you like with a party, but be ware how you make a mistake if you stand alone. If you did, up jumped a number of indignant colonels, who say that they are surprised at the impudence of any one who presumed to touch the army ; and the Earl of Derby, in this instance, forgetful of the youthful impetuosity which gained for him the name of the " Prince Rupert of Debate," did him (Mr. Layard; the honour to say that he had no connection with him. Then Sir John Pakington rose and delivered to him a long Quarter Sessions lecture Iln the impropriety of asserting that Sir James Graham had been guilty of saying what was not correct. ( Laughter and cheers.) And Lord Palmerston treated him with derision, and seemed inclined to trample him under foot. Mr. Layard then denounced " the purchase-system," and ridi culed the new reforms in the civil service, especially the consolidation of the Ordnance and War departments, and pointed to the appointment of Mr. Howell and Mr. Ramsay, as instances of political and family favoritism. He would advise the society to have inquiries made as to how the business in each office of the Government was carried on. Men were put into those offices merely on political grounds ; they were over-filled with inefficient men, and inquiries should be made whether the number of persons in the civil service could not be reduced, and the work at the same time be well and better done. He thought that the officials in the civil service were under-paid, and if proper reduction in their numbers were made , those who were retained would be better paid. 'The liberal party in this country had made a great mistake in pressing for re duction in salaries of public functionaries, for the result had been that it was not the large salaries of the greater offices which had been reduced, but those of the little offices, filled by hard-working men. (Hear, hear.) He would say put down everything in the shape of a sinecure, but it was an injustice and a cruelty not to pay well those who did the work. (Hear, hear.) There were 60,000 persons connected with the civil service in all its branches, all of whom were under political influence. He was told that, in the terms of his motion, he had made somewhat of a mistake, and that instead of saying that " the house viewed with deep concern the state of the nation," he ought to have said that " the nation viewed with deep con cern the state of the house." (Laughter and cheers.) Although such terms as had been suggested might have been rather out of order, and might have called down the Speaker's mace upon his head—(latightert—yet he thought they would beat have expressed the feeling of the country. (Cheers.) The people were beginning to have less faith in the House of Commons. They saw in it a mere struggle of parties. The association might have to go further than they anticipated. If they could obtain such reforms as were most needed, they would not go beyond; but he believed that the association was prepared to go—he, for one, certainly was—as far as might be ne cessary for the attainment of the object. (Cheers.) Let every large town in which a committee was organised call upon its representatives, in the words cf Lord Goderich, "not to darken the doors of Mr. Harm." ( Hear, hear.) The speaker attacked the Government for being mainly composed of lords and honourables, and went on to may that he did not mean to attack the aristocracy. He then blamed Lord Palmerston for " jesting," and c.mcluded by quoting from Shakapeare the well-known lines com mencing Who will go about to cozen fortune. Mr. LINDSAY and Mr. TITE afterwards spoke, and the meeting separated with an understanding that another gathering would he held on that day fortnight. Her Majesty gave the last drawing-room of the season on Thursday, at St. James's Palace. A second state concert is announced for Wednesday next, and a levee for the 27th inst. A Cabinet Council was held at the Foreign-office on Saturday last. The report that the Empress Eugenie was in an interesting condition is corroborated by the circum stance that a few days ago Dr. Locock was tele graphed for, and immediately proceeded tit- She French capital. King Leopold has received an autograph letter from the King of Portugal, announcing the intention of his Majesty to visit Brussels with the Duke of Oporto en leaving Paris.