New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1867-10-24
NETWORK DAILY TRIBUNE.

Office and less for the public interests anu n,' ~.
a., ,n 70 assert tho dignity Of his position
o.,ins. tho royal encroachunnts. For reariy t"e'e
voas C,e,rc III was nearyas much his own nfst MIN
isor a. Ioui, XIV was atter the deaIh Vi n"A"i' %
/ great WAS bis power that he was aoi' w 0"'iy ' VIZ
conflict for almost four years after was KNOW" " o'S
pnble man in the kingdom that 1t cond nave out ono
| ISSUE and when he had admitted " lib ''
| that success could not be expected
In Tho article on The UNITED States Naval observe
tow .erol singular facts are brought to Eight showing
the se,ds,ness and msrule OF the notorious
Maurr while at the head Of that establishment, ne was
by NO means fitted for the post He was eluahy 'eAs
in education and In entity OF character vi 'ne Pios
fetronooica, science he was almost completely lgno
rant He had no love Of scientific reseaich luz 'o ~
Of the increase OF knowledge and the discovery Vi ruin
In tbe use of his intellectual power he had no mSher
motive than that of seeing name IN the newspapers
and receiving the applause Of the nulttude Mhoh He
could gain no personal reuOwn Rom ASTRONOMY ITO a"
doned it. What the Observatory accomplished LOT sehoe
was due to two of his assistants Sears COOK walker inc
first pracual astronomer in the country and Professor
John Coffin With men, the superiority OF MS ASSIST
ants would have turned TO valuable account puI
Maury regarded then Simply nuisance to oe got ru
Of At present pretty good use made OF the means
at the disposal OF the Observatory. STILL 1t has net
attained the proS inence which belongs to natoIai
scientific institution. TO tire highest departments OF
| ri
nothing For tre most delicate determinations we ars
,ndohed almost entirely to Europeans. The difficulties
| I'm The way OF exaC; Observation are well stated.
! When the astronomer undertakes to measure these
minute angles (on wlch the great fabric of modern as
tronOmy dcycRds) be finds Nature warning against MN
with all he powers II The air above she never ceases
to mix currents of hit and cold air. and thus keeps the
telescope image OF every star in unceasDg agitation
Ike the image Of the in running stream. Expand
ing his Instrument by beat and contracting 1t by cold,
she disaralges les most debate adjustments, changes
its FORM twists to- supports and moves It's microscopes
She blows grain OF sand under his spriteTel, ana MS
observation is worthless. She viii not allow the
most solid foundation Of his instrument to rest immov
abp but, alternately causing I'll, ground beneath to
SWIRL With moisture and contract With drouth, Keeps IL
in continual disturbance And, not satisfied with eNter-
nal interference she enters his brain and nerves, and
VIII not allow his 10 give correct evidence with
the required nicely His personal defects must therefore
lie subject Of investigation IS well as the defects OF his
| instrument"
The Bank of England Restriction" furnishes an inter-
esng chapter in the history OF British finance. long
article devoted the late Arthur Hugh Cough Civ
ing in copous extract from his unpublished writings a
long poem which alone entities the author in the opinion
Of the reviewer TO "a chief place among the poets OF the
age" ain the six years that have passed since Mr..
Cougls death his memory has become constantly dearer
70 those Who loved him living and who knew not at first
the extt Of tkeir i'm losing him. the OF time
las not ly confirmed but increased their sense OF the
manneS simplicity and integrity Of his soul, has but
raised tler esteem for the qualities OF his intellect ana
Imagination and has afforded them the means of Iuster
estinah of life consistently directed 10 the highest
ends Meanwhile with the public at large bis fame as
poet MS been slowly but steadily growing
An atcle on the Civil Service Of the United States
presens many views OF signal Importance, and cannot
fail to receive the attention Of statesmen whom 1t
concerns According TO the writer the condition OF the
Civil lervce in this country is deplOrable For nearly
genenon preceding the abolition OF Slavery, the test OF
fines for public officers at home and abroad was sym
path With the Southern policy. "Tbe character OF the
Dstict OF Columbia exercised also an evil influence on
the character of the civil service Receiving It's tone
from the South society at Washington possessed no IN
tellCtual activity and afforded stimulus to exertion
1t held cut encouragement 10 cultivated MINDS, ana
its moral standard was as low its intellectual Only
themOst vigorous natures escaped from its 1aneu in1u-
enc The effect of such social atmospheric upon those
empioyed in public offices was deplorable; and although
some OF the characteristics Of the society have now
changed many of it's worst features remain unaltered
The very air Of New England and Eew-York and the
West big With tact rebukes against sugeshness but
there are no such admonlshing voices In Washington
law stessness pervades the aspect OF the thny
populated streets the Departments have become
-, res,,o..- dO'.'iolo' ."d IA "uct &"
make IN al least by the routine and force Of discipline
for what they lack in intellectual vitality 1t has become
necessary to establish semischoolhoEse sempeniien-
tary regulations relative 10 the discipline OF the various
offices Being made to feel that practically he is not
officer Of the nt but only clerk Of the chief Of
his OF the head Of his division or department.
the epl,s loses scfrespect and ambition and the more
readily IT, is not unfrequenGy the case tho person
who happens 10 he his official superior Is inferior 10 him
In culture and genemany Manners The writer forcbly
argues in favor Of Mr.. Jenckes's Civil Service Bill
tending that adoption by Congress would furnish
antidote mischiefs OF which he complains. "The
shocking anomaly which vests a formidable patron
age in the hands OF few secretaries aud few directors
Of custom-h houses would be forever destroyed There
functonares would have longer the power to appoint
or 90 remove their subordinate officers Stripped OF these
dangerous and improper prcrogayes they would be the
better able TO devote themselves exclusively TO their
official duties, without using them, at present,
cloak Interior personal party purposes FOR other
wise selfish and unpatriotic designs The subordinate
officers the other hand, would begin to breathe
freely from the they felt themselves responsible
TO the state, instead OF servant OF the state
Every officer would feel the Of this responsibility
II would increase his sefrespect, by penetrating him
with the conviction that be longer doomed to be
dependent upon the caprlces OF heads dressed IN to
brief authority but that, he performed Lis duties
! well, the state would recognize his services"
There are other valuable articles Our National
Schools Of Science" IndO European PhOlOgy" Prison
| Discipline" and The Winthrop Papers"