New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-03-30

Something must be DONE it is clear, to save the
lives of our Presidents, and to keep the reigns Of
tie Vices from growing into chronic caamity.
Mr.. Buchanan has stood it pretty well, thanks =
strong constitution and the care he has always
taken of it. Nothing else could have saved him,
flying a. be did from the common nuisance Of the
National Hotel to the uncommon one of the Ma
tonal palace. The hot and eager breaths Of his
besieeing Office seekers, one would think, must
have made the latter abode as much stencil in his
nostrs as the former has BEEN by the concentrated
quibtessence of the common sewers of Washington.
We do not affirm that it was any part of the pre-
ordained purpose Of the camorous crowd to make
way for Mr. Breckenridge by the worrying to death
OF Mr. Buchapan-as poor General Harrison was
toImsnted into his grave by their predecessors
but they could hardly have taken better means to
their end il it had been. The passing away Of the
cloud of locusts Of this city-which has broken on
our beads in the blessings of Isaiah Ry nders and
Arson Herrick-may have relieved his most urgent
danger but swarms more are lowering around him,
wsrping on the wind from the uttermost corner. of
the land
Something must be done. But what We think
We discern pointing in the right direction, which
We hore will no: be neglected, though it is in En-.
gland that we zee it. The just complaints which
had been raised against the way in which places un.
der Government there were given away by mere
fsvortism, and against the perfection to which the
Circumlocuton Office had in consequence Of this
carried the art of not doing il, gave rise to plan
of opening all vacancies to public competition, the
candidates being required to submit to examina-
tion before Commissioners appointed for the pur
poe e. so as to test their fitness for the particular
place sought al also their general intelligence and
education. This system went into effect last ye.r,
OF the Commissioners have just made their second
Report About 1900 candidates actually submitted
themselves to this ordeal sad 587 obtained certif
Gates Of qualification. The reflections were little
more than thirtyfre per cent Of the whole number.
Of the ESQ that were rejected nearly one half 10
ctivsd their doom for bad spelling; 47 for arith-
D.tc; 2i3 for spelling and arithmetic. We think
this result proves the truth Ct theory Of ours,
that, whether or not reading and writing como by
Nature, as Dogberry says of them, spelling GER
tsiny Goes.
Now we conceive that the terror of such An
examination, if every applicant for Office should be
subjected to it, would very materially diminish the
numerical force of that noble army, while the
examination itself, if conducted with impartial
severity, would thin its ranks down to a very
manageable remainder. But we conceive that the
system should not be confined by any means to the
c.erlships and subordinate places under Govern
ment All candidates for Cabinet Offices should
Undergo strict scrutiny TO their fitness for the
post to which they aspire. Then We should not
have Secretaries of the Navy who had never seen
hip, and Secretaries Of the Treasury who could
scarcely pass muster for country school in simple
arithmetic. Such scheme would work terrible
revolution in al our diplomatic arrangements.
Conceive of the CONSERVATION of Mr. Mason, should
bis continuance in his comfortable quarters at Paris
be made TO depend on bis passing creditsble ex.
Summation in French grammar or Of Mr. Dodge,
were he required to write grammatical letter in
Engish-for We Will put Spanish entirely out of
he question-s the condition Of bis holding on 20
bis post st the Court of the yirtuous Isabella !,
Now il must be obvious 70 every intelligent mind
how much rule requiring every candidate for
foreign mission TO speak and write French and at
esss one other European language would narrow
tie nunerical competition for thcse pcsss. And
certainly nothing could be more entirely reasonable
tim sueh az arrangement.
The thee Rs" ,f Sir William CurHs-Read-
+e. Ritrg aia Riihmeiic-migas be all that is
s,p'd re Trees sry 20 teuaIi of possmxsfers tie