Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1866-12-21
Appointments and Removals.


Appointments and Removals.
The hill reported from the Retrenchmeut
Committee by Senator Edmunds, on the sub
iect of presidential appointments AMI re
moysls, II one Of great importance. It takes
away wholly the power Of summary removal
of civil officers, from the President, giving
him instead only the power Of suspeadIns
from Office till the meeting Of the Senate,
whose Concurrence II made necessary to the
permanent removal Of any officer, or TermE-
nent appointment OF his successor. 1t
specially excerpts from It's operation the heads
of the executive departments, bat with this
single exception ii embraces the entire mass
Of civil oficcIs. whose tenure Of Office has
hitherto been the absolute will OF the Prcsi-
dent. The President has the power under
the bill. to I'll all vacancies. occurring by
death, resignation or expiration of term Of
Office but If the Senate docs not confirm
such appointments at its next meeting, thcy
are to he considered vacant The 4th sec
ton reads a. follows:
''Ssc : find be Il further enacted, That
nothing in tins act contained shall he construed
10 extend the term Of any Office, the duration Cf
which is limited by law
1t viii be seen that the operation Of this
bill, if it becom,s a law, viii strip the Pres
idcn, Of the vast patronage now welded by
him. 1t Is a change of the unvarying rule Of
the government for seventy-six years, during
which the power Of the President has, by
legislative construction and general consent,
been practically unlimited over all the Offices
in the gift OF the government. The evils
arising from this tremendous patronage and
from the way it has been used for the cor
rupton Of parties and of individuals, have
been often noted, but no Congress has had
the courage to attempt correction Of them.
Ii was explained by Mr.. EdRunds, on INTRO
ducing the bill that 1t was not specially
simed at Mr. johnson but that the change
proposed by it was deemed one Of general
value, and advisable as a permanent rule fer
all times to come. 1t seems TO US tina. the
Committee are right as lar as they 20.
DOUBTLESS there Is some force in the argu-
ment that the patronage is needful in order
to secure the necessary respect for the Head
of the Nation but the evils following It,
far outbalance the advantages.
There are worse evils, however, than any
connected with the concentration of patron
age IN the hands of tie President, which
the Committee have left untouched. They
arise from our American system of rotation
in Office. Of sweeping changes upon every
change of Administration, and appointments
based solely on rarity service. There is
nothing like this in any other country, and
no where else would it be tolerated. The
public service obviously requires that the
public servants, the postmasters and revenue
officers, &c, should be selected in the fret
instance for their integrity and fitness for
the duties, and then that experience gained
in the Office and demonstrated ability in the
discharge of the duties. should secure their
retention in the Offices. Now, the Offices are
distributed chiefly as rewards for political
party services, and at the end OF four years.
all from Premier down to the lowest tide
waiter must step out, to give place to a new
set, with everything to learn at the expense
of the public treasury and the public conve-
nience, and eager only to make all
they can during their brief term, and to get
along as easily as possible with the duties.
Under this system, our Presidential elections
are but contests for public plumber, and each
presidential change is followed BY hungry
scramble ioI Office. disgraceful and democrat
izing almost beyond conception.
The whole thing is wrong, and We are
sorry that the Committee having gone 50 far
did not 90 farther and strike at the root Of
the whole evil by providing for a repeal of
tie system of stated terms of Office Per
haps the Country is not ye, ready for it, but
thoroag; reform Of cur whole civil system
must come sooner or later. under which
there shall be some established rule of quali-
fcations for Office, some inducements for
Office holders to labor faithfully for the pub
lie good, sC me permanence for capable and
experienced officials, some remedy for the
corruption which if it goes on increasing
will in time make it Impossible for an hon
OrAble man to hold government Office.