Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1857-04-18
WASHINGTON NEWS AND GOSSIP.

INC part That England bore IN the Crimean war
cannot but have been struck by the conviction
which seemed to fasten itself upon that coun-
try, and which sought an universal expression
through its popular press, that for some reason
which it was the great problem of the hour to
solve, both the military administration and the
civil one, so far as the military one depended
upon it, had run down, and become utterly
powerless and inefficient; and hence the disas-
tiers which, for long time, and even up to the
taking of the Malakoff, attended the British
arms And Englishmen, with an almost per-
feet unanimity, came to the conclusion that the
simple and true source of the difficulty was the
want of "the right man in the right place" In
other words, that the immemorial system Of the
sale and purchase of commissions in the army,
and of life tenure in the civil service, had filled
the important posts in both with a set of incom-
petent or supersnnuated servants, whose inef-
fciency could only be exposed by such test as
the Crimean war brought upon the civil and
military administration.
1t was this very evil of life serrice in the
civil administration Of England, and its ten
dency to perpetuate the tenure of incompetent,
effete, faithleSs, dishonest, or disreputable
men in posts of responsibility and emolument,
which led the founders of our Government to
afhx term to all Offices of trust and consider
alton, so that at stated periods they should
be passed in review before the appointing pow
er. But in afixing a term, they never intended
to make that term the limit Of official service.
While they believed with England that even
the right man" required a certain length of
training to enable him properly to discharge
his duties, and that the object Of the Govern
ment in selecting him was not fully accom-
plished when he had completed his official edu-
cation, they improved upon the English system,
and impaired q life, vigor, and efficiency to our
civil service, so recently demonstrated to be
wanting in the other, by keeping itconstantly be-
fore the public servant, that at a short interval
the faithfulness with which he had discharged
his duties, and his competency, must be reviewed
and scrutinized by the tribunal upon which he
was dependent for 4 renewal of his term. There
can be no question that this periodical sctu
nOtriug process, and not mere brevity OF SER
vice, was the sole object of the authors Of the
term, in the place Of the life system of ap-
pointment; nor is there any less question that
the former is an improvement, and a great one
upon the latter. Indeed, to man who respects
himself, and who desires the respect and es-
| teen of others, and the continuance of a trust
| and confidence which gives him considerations
and of which he may be justly proud, what
stronger incentive to good conduct and faith
full discharge of his duties than the hope and
expectation that his efforts will be rewarded by
continuance Of service, or by his translation
to some more important sphere of public use
| fulness. And, on the other hand, what is better
| calculated to close the career Of public service
to the capable and biz minded, and to invite
to IL persons of lower grade of competency
and character, who with fixed and bounded
term, and without the hope and incentive Of
renewal, would be remiss in the performance
of their official duties, and thus insensbly, but
inevitably lower the dignity and lessen the eff
cheney of public employment
If anything beyond the mere reason and COM
mon sense of the thing were necessary to show
that the distinction We make between the Eng
lish life and our own term service, and the reason
for it are the true ones, and that the fact that
the preparation which a comparatively short
term Of public service has given to the "right
man Is not to be held as disqu0iifcafto
| for future usefulness in the same or some more
elevated and better compensated career, we
have but to point to the recent action of the
people themselves in elevating to the CHIEF
place In the nation the distinguished individual
who now dignifes and adorns it, Mr. Buchanan
has passed through a career of more than FORTY
years OF public service, xjsing slowly and sure.
| ly, upon the secure basis of intrinsic merit and
trained capacity, from a comparatively obscure
condition, through almost every graduation of
/ ohciai life, to. his present proud eminence.
Can 1t be said, with truth, that any one of the
! intermediate steps has not been an important
preparation for his present great mission?
Ii irwere necessary to defend Mr. Buchanan
from attacks such as have recently been made
upon him in this regard, and to show that the
great principle OF fitness and training which
lies at the very foundation of public as we'll as
private service, SO recently indicated in his
own person by the people themselves, who
alone have any interest in the matter. is fully
CON pretended and appreciated by him, it il
only necessary to turn for moment to his onu
action in the selection of his Cabinet. General
Cas- even exceeds his chief in the variety and
duration Of his public service, for it extends
over period OF fifty years Of almost ceasoIess
activity Messrs. Cobb, Toucey and Black.
after period of service of some fifteen yeors
each-the first two with General Cass) lastly in
Congress, and Mr.. Black as Judge, have not
been held by their chief to be disqualified for
further service by that fact; but, on his invita-.
ton, have just entered upon a renewed term of
| four six years, in more elevated position.
| with (what may perhaps be of no particular
consequence to them) compensation increased
from $4,000 to $4,000 per annum. Mes,rs
Floyd, Brown and Thompson-though not. like
the rest, in Office at the time of their selection
for the Cabinet-have each held various dis
tnguised State and National positions.
Had the rule which Mr.. Buchanan has been
unjustly charged with having adopted in rela-
ton to ofnciai tenure and ervice been applied
by the people to himself, he never could have
reached the Presidential chair. Had he, him