The Portland daily press., 1867-02-04


encamped on the island, and will hold posses
sion until ordered to evacuate.
Reform of the Civil Service.
We mentioned day or two since the bill
to regulate the civil service of the United
States, reported to the House from the Com
mittee on Retrenchment, by Mr. Jenckes of
Rhode Island. The Globe has since come to
hand with MIR. Jenckess speech in explana-
ton of the bill, and we give the most impor-
tant portion OF his remarks below:
This bill provides for central board of ex-
am .ners, who may call to their assistance en-
inent civilians and officers IN all branches of
the service OF the Government in any part of
the country, for the purpose of hearing and
deciding upon the claims OF all applicants for
theri subordinate civil offices. Upon the re-
suits of their examinations certificates of fit
ness are to be given or refused.
The fact that such a system has worked
great success in other countries may not satis-
iy every one OF its practicability in this. In
Prussia it has been more effectual than the
needle-gun in perfecting, establishing, and en-
larging the nationality. In the minor States
OF Germany 1t has been of vital importance.
Such system has enabled the French nation
to carry on its Government, without great
shock to its credit, although the heads of it
have often been victims OF the guillotine and
the bayonet. In England the system, though
but partially adopted, has given new life to
the home service, and its full application to
the colonial service is the vital element in its
a ADMINISTRATION. 1t had been found necessary
for the proper government OF the vast coloni-
al possessions of Great Britain that its officers
should be selected out of the number of those
who stood the closest scrutiny as to their fit
ness. This requirement has not been consid-
cred as hardship, but the opportunity has
been accepted as favor by the aspirants for
the service. In the colonial department the
door is swung open to all. Power, favor, pat
rOnage, political influence are naught before
health, energy, and merit. The young men
OF every nation, caste, or color, under the pro
lection OF the Crown of Great Britain, have
the privilege of contending for admission to a
career OF certain independence and honorable
though limited rewards al
WHAT is practicable in and for Great Britain
and its vast colonial possessions is practicable
for the United States. II a central board of
examiners, sitting in London, can select a
class OF persons from which the offices i'm In
dia, Australia, New Zealand, and British North
America, as well as in the home service, can
be filed, not only without complaint on the
part OF the applicants, but with gratitude for
the privilege OF making application, then our
board of commissioners, with the assistance
provided for in this bill, can do the same thing
tor this country. In Great Britain ir IS
necessary that the applicants should go to
London; by the provision ofthis bill it is not
necessary that the applicants should all 90 to
Washington, or that. the commissioners should
eens1si board ss assnss 81 " Woaias oais Ssterm.ns ne
the minimum degree Of qualification for every
subordinate grade of the civil service. They
settle upon the questions to be asked of the
Candidate AMI the scrutiny to be made into
his character. II the place OF examination is
at washington they conduct the examinations
themselves. fiat New York OF any other place
conveniently accessible, they may all attend
or send one of their number to act with other
competent persons called specially to their as
sistance. In no part OF the country can
there be any deficiency in competent assis-
tants. Weli-educated officers Of the Army and
Navy, including surgeons, are stationed within
or adjacent to every State or Territory. In
every state are experienced educators who
would gladly perform the service OF examiners
from an honorable sense OF patriotic duty. In
most OF the States the members OF the boards
of education and school commi tees serve with
out compensation. Those OF us who have Sc
lected our nominees Tor the Military and Naval
Academies through competition have found
no difficulty in securing the willing service OF
competent examiners. 1856
Suppose the heads of Departments report
that they need hundred qualified persons to
ill vacancies in the cierkshlps at Was.-l ngton;
thereupon the central bOard give notice that
they win receive applications for such places
within given period from all parts or tie
country. In the mean time they Will deter
mine what questions shall be Iut to the ap-
plicants, and what inquiries shall be made as
70 their health, character, and anteeedents-
They will appoint places where the candi-
dates shall appear, and designate the persons
who are to conduct the examinations. The
result win at once be reported to the cenirai
board. There may be ten thousand appli-
cants for the vacant hundred places, and out OF
those ten Thousand the board may hnd that
two thousand are qualified for the appoint
ments. The leading hundred get the places,
and the people are sure of that number oI
good servants.
The unsuccessful nineteen hundred get GER
tificates OF their fitness Tor such places, and
may, under rules to be established by the
board, become entitled to appointments with
in limited time without further examina-
ton. Such Is their relation TO the Govern
ment; but to the world the certificate of fit
ness is a letter OF credit, worth more than the
diploma OF any commercial college, scientific
school, or even OF any university, as a recon-
mendati0n for employment, because it il the
evidence OF merit In contest tor prizes in
which the alumni of all such Institutions are
competitors. The civil service commission
will prove to be here what it has become else
where, the grand assay Office, where ali young
men desirous Of entering the public service
have their qualities tested; as mint, where
those vino show that they have the required
tineness OF metal receive the stamp which
will give them currency throughout the ma
ton. Such has been the result in Germany.
in France, and in England. Young men
strive to obtain the certificate OF the civil SER
vice commissioners, although 1t does not
bring them into office, because it is the best
evidence OF their qualifications for CONNER
cial or other business. -
Although not ten out of hundred who
pass the examination and scrutiny enter the
public service, yet the ninety find employment
perhaps more profitable elsewhere Tie fact
once established and promulgated that the
public service is a career that is open to all
who possess certain well-defined qualifica-
tioLs, and that all those who prove themselves
thus qualified can have either place in the
public service or certificate of fitness tor
such place, will raise the standard of excel.
lence in all the schools and colleges i'm, the
country. The certificate OF the commission
ers will have the same advantage over the di-
ploma OF college as the bin OF a national
bank has over that Of State institution; it
WIN have currency throughout the country by
virtue OF the national Endorsement. Educa-
ton IS thus stimulated and natIonalized; the
result will be felt in every family in the ma
ton, and the benefit viii inure to the whole
people ano not alone 10 the educated mdiv-
idual.
This measure proposes to extirpate, eradl.
| cate, or, in plaIn Saxon dig up, root out, auu
| throw aside any, every, and all kinds o. PaS
| rOnage' in Appointments to the puoilc ser
| vice. The word, The thing, the acl, na'e W
| place in a republic. In other countries anu
| in mast aces Government was the patrimony OF
nr,,,ces. The heritage OF kings; here and now
| Il is tbe inheritance OF the people. Unto ev.
| erv man who casts ballot In this country Is
remitted at every election day his portion OF
the sovereignty OF this great nation. The DO
iiticai career is open to all; the public service
should be career equally accessible. There
is no place for patronage in our system; it
is solecism in ITSELF practice it is great
public injury. at 'curseth' him that gives
and him that takes" The assumed right of
control by one class Of public servants over
another, on other than meritorious grounds,
ought not 10 be tolerated. The people do not
elect man President in order that he NAV
have the privilege, the patronage of quarter
ing all his relations and personal and political
friends upon the Treasury, but because they
believe that their Government will be best ad-
ministered by him. Inherent in the common
sense OF the people is the maxim concerning
government, That which is best administer
ed is BEST" and the people demand that in
their Government, which this is, all obstruc-
tions to the best administration shall be re-
moved. The best way of doing this has SEEM
| oil IN us tn he the securing of the servicos ~,