Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1864-05-12
A REFORM IN THE CIVIL SERVICE.

Our readers have learned from the report of the
Congressional proceedings that Mr.. SUMNER has
introduced in the Senate bill to increase the eff
cheney Of the civil service by the appointment Of
an examining board, before which all candidates
for civil appointments under the General Govern
ment must appear; this board Of examiners to
pass upon the competence Of those coming before
it and decide the rank in the service for which
their qualifications fit them and all appointments
made from those approved by the board to be dur
ing good behavior, with promotion in part by semi
ority, but also for merit in exceptional cases.
\ We need not inform our readers, who on pre-
vious occasions have been made aware of our opin-
ions on the subject, that the object of this bill
commands our entire approval, and we hope it may
equally receive the approval Of Congress Its pas
sage, more than any other single decision that
could be taken by Congress in the way of needed
reforms, would tend to correct abuses which
threaten our whole political system with wreck
and ruin. Under this head we cordially endorse
the views of that Intelligent Administration paper,
the New York Evening Post, when, in alluding to
the bill of the distinguished Senator from Massa-
chusetts, it says !:
This BILL if passed. would do away with what has be-
of the most serious in our political life the
spos system it has been appropriately called Con-
should as soon possible provide rules for
the reformation of this universal evil The patronage of
the President and his cabinet officers has increased IS
creasng, and ought to be diminished has become by
the extension OF the country the increase of population and
wealth. and especially through the circumstances of the
a ba natio ~
should chance to fall into the hands of unscrupuous and
wicked men, But besides this, il is manesy impossible
to carry on the immense business of the Government with
out extraordinary and runous loss and waste under the
old system of turning ol the occupants of civil Offices
every four years The Government thus virtually refuses
the Of trained men, familiar with the office routine
If desire public affairs to be administered honestly and
economically Congress must provide for the numerous
servants of the Government regular grades of promotion
retention of Office during good behavior, and, if possible
small retiring penson which be arranged in the shape
of an annuity and life insurance combined
" Unless this abuse is remedied we shall never have
pure capaby conducted public services and yet
the political corruption from which the country has already
suffered much will increase till it demoralzes the whole
people. This is no new thing; the danger the country
and institutions in from Office holders and those
who hunger for Office has been by all statesmen
So long ago during the Presidency of Mr. Jefferson he
caued to be issued the following paper which shows that
of the evils of the present day existed at that time
"CRcULARThe President of the United States has seen
with dssat faction officers of the General Government
whether the of the State Govern
Freedom of election being essential the mutual
Of the vitality cherished by most Of
constitutions 1t s deemed improper for officers depending
the fee exercise Of the elective right This instructed
therefore TO notify all officers within any department. hold
ing their appointments under the authority of the President
directly and TO desire them to notify all subordinate
them The right Of officer to give his eecions
qualified citizen not be restrained nor
given shall II have effect TO his prejudice but il
expected that he will not attempt influence the Of
Others take any part in the business of eleconserng
that being deemed inconsistent with the spirit the Consi
tuition and his duties to it."
"We find in the correspondence of the State Depart
letter from Mr. Bigelow, United States Consul at
Paris giving valuable account of the civil service in
France from which those who have the reformation of
own in charge can probably get some useful hints. Mr..
Bgeow up his report of the system in the following
words It's greatest merit consists 1st in the perpeuty
OF the tenure Of Office by virtue OF which the country pro-
fits by the accumulated kill and experience Of its servants
I'd, in its system Of promotion which the most
competent and faithful men for the higher and
sponsbe grades Of servce 3D. in this that it take. only
young into service and thus the State the
benefit OF their service during the best years their lives
and 4th in that it guarantees to them constantly mprov
ing livelihood, and in of accident provision for their
families upon terms which furnish the incumbent con-
sant nducement to do his duty faithfully and TO render
stingushed service when opportunity s afforded to
him. and in time that to the State very
advantageous rates. Mr. Bgelow Is OF opinion that
where IL there large an amount of revenue collected
with little fraud n France and 10 this he attributes
the system whose principal traits have been described
He says all the officers below the Minister of Finance
equivalent Secretary Of the Treasuryhave to be-
gin their Of service clerks in a bureau with
salary Of from hundred and sixty to three hundred dol
lars per according to the class they found fitted
for by The board OF examiners No political influence
favor, change in the government revolution even is
permitted TO interfere with this law Of promotion Even
tho revolution of Is48 notifications whatever
made in this rule, in the personnel Of the service.
"By faithful service and capacity the lowest clerk may
in time rise through every department to be Director
Geneal-neIt in authority to the Minister of Finance;
and Mr. Bgelow mentions the present Director General
M Barber case in point; he entered the lowest class
aud is at the age of sixty at the head having served
every subordinate grade according to the rules at least
one year Mr. Bgelow gives table of the salaries If
French civil officers which appear small beside those pad
for similar services in this country; but he remarks very
justly that reckoning the cost Of procuring tho commits
and the uncertainty Of retaining it, the United States
officer s not nearly well paid the French Could
there be more significant comment than this the
wsstefulness Of our system7"
IN UNION rs STRENGTH