The New York herald., 1869-01-17
LECTURES LAST NIGHT.
IHr cIYIl yfHVlcE sILL.
Leisure BY Congressman Jonckes, Of Rhede
Island.


veruty building at the request OF the Social scienc
Asyociation, in explanation OF his billO
Henry Willard the secretary Of the association
raIlc0 tine meeting to order and nominated Professo
DWIGHT to the chair who, after few remarks on tn
pertinency OF the object Of Mr.. Jenckes' bill to th
objects OF the association, introduced him to tn
'audience
Mr. yeackes commenced BY saying that the Civi
Service bill wHs not measure Of temporary char
acter urged with any reference to partisan poll
tics. Its wants were behind politics and it shoul,
be made aiportion Of the governmental framework
or else rejected entirely. The civil service Illus
trated the growth OF the country. In 1902 tn,
whole list OF persons employed by the govern
ment filed about ITO pages. At that time in the
customs service there but us persons some s0(
less' than now employed In New York alone. Other
departments had grown In proportion. There was
Mt JefIersons election great excitement from the
supposition that he would make sweeping changes
among the oficeholders His power then extended
In the customs to but 713 persons. His power
In all to less than 1000 He expressly disclaimed all
intention for mere political considerations
from ONCE and announced for himself what was
substantially the rule for thirty years that to ocers
the only rule should be- Is he hOnestf is he capable
Is he faithful to the constitutions In the whole of
hts administration he removed but thirty mine per-
bous, duu tucsc uo ucCidIeu WcIc uOt ItIuOtcu luz
political opposition. For thirty years there was no
departure from these principles. Jeers0ns success
sors made even fewer removals than he. Mr.. Madi-
son removed but i've, Mr.. Monroe but nine and
John Quincy Adams but two, and these reno
walls were for the most part those high po-
litical ofncers whose appointment must re
administrative officers, the class this bill was In
tended to reach, It was diflcut to lind single re-
held their oices practically during good behavior
In forming the constitution our forefathers had
necessarily looked 70 English models ana 80 making
the innovation that in some cases the consent OF the
Senate must be obtained they directed appointments
to be made by the President, the heads of depart
eliminated % tied T from nth the present consideration. The
President appointed but few directly. He had
to find how far the Of the
The Post ONCE Department alone appointed
27,0oO; the Treasury over 5000. In ali there
an aggregate OF salaries Of over $50, ,ooo. 900.
This growth was but consequence OF the growth
Of the republic and could not go back. The system
Of careful selection continued down to 1929. The
change from that time he would not characterize In
his own words, but In the words OF the historian Of
What was this practice-not principle-of rota-
ton IN offices II was giving the parties holding
sible out Of the once in the shortest time. The
effect was to give the ofces to men without educa-
uon or illness, to make as much from 1t as they
unf1t crowd OF successors.
The reform which was proposed was entirely radi-
udl IA Ouc ucsL scubt Ol WOrus IL was lQteQueQ
70 root out all appointments for political or personal
grounds or for patrOnageand to make the test of ap
Roihfment simply efficiency for the public service
II the people resolved 1t they would have It, To them
he appealed. II they did not win it he must fail.
the people should obtain the best service for the
money they paid. The payments OF this service
were not niggardy. 1t was larger than that paid
France, IN Germany or except In the higher oslces
than IN England. In Jenersop's time It was not
4icult for the President to ascertain the fitness OF
such personal supervision By the President or by the
heads Of the departments Now necessarily reliance
must ne placed ey the apponters on some one as to
posed In this bill ID to procure reliable Information or
the character Of these subordnates-a commission
determine rst what are the necessary qualifications
1or each once, and then determine whether the ap-
absn for tns ciy ano seTe mex % anG es
lest 70 make recommendations from time to time
g Congress Of proper modt1cations. Could we get
improve the present system 1t made little difference
70 the service which party was in power. Both have
rsasons Could the system be improved He an.
sUered yes II was easy to ascertain the duties and
xae quallncatons proper for each once. The law
with the fact this measure had 70 do. There
were many men VINO could not only
sss en Ss rsssuea: a'r sna
secretarles had other and more important
these U the ms
the sscrstary Of ihe treasury would have enough 70
Of the country but he would be hunted down and
lis time consumed in this question OF appointment
them for their projection. The time OF ihe repre-.
sentstives Of the people was consumed, ana they
President ana cSieisp q departments. p Il was moi no
their place TO make appointments and expose them
70 grave suspicion OF undue influence. IL was q
fAthers.
Opponents in default OF reasons can names.
They called this monarchical. Even II this had
arisen in monarchies were We to use none Of the i'm
provemenis Y government because they had first
;. sssS them, But in isct snousS Colbert had par
strain Of Prussias hight for me- TO practically intro
tion rst promulgated the principle, and IL had beer
forced on England against the opposition OF the ars
sccratic % element the adoption q the principle was
Soo%ea rom Engsna sSers was ns no mors Srs
asc Of Kind o s~
against the liberal leaders OF England, that they
sh Mas a Ensana nseasd Al Gnn
Al improyemenis made there This measure was
adaptation Of the principle they have used 70 ouI
own needs. In all those countries the once wai
directly from the throne. II there was anything an
tagonistic TO this system 10 was the proposed
ascsss S Il he STsp proper ssea
In the civii service man may at any day and no
tice assigning no reason that his services are M
longer required. Under this system good men ar,
with difficulty obtained or retained. From the re
port OF the Special Commissioner OF Internal Reve
nue. made last year II appeared that each change o
collector for political reasons was loss to tn,
country Of 100000. The proposed commission wa
not 70 have itself the power OF appointment, bu
merely 10 certify that persons are qualified II WA
said that this would be class legislation. Wen, !
was class legislation for the competent and worthy
and against the unworthy ldissolute and ncompe
tent Such class Legislation he was not oppose<
70. The people had q right 10 the best service ant
not the worst IL was said II would leat
70 the formation OF special schools. Such school,
had the support Of Lord Bacon's name. Perhaps tn,
most amusing objection was that II established M
sristocscy. This aristocracy would be OF person.
employed at from $500 TO 81 800 per annum and
compelled 10 labor from nine to late In the day: al
srstocracy OF labor, perhaps. But such classes ha,
always been favored by wise statesmen Men draw
from such class would be great gain to the egis
lative department OF government: lt Was said tha
four mer could not be found In washington
who WOu'd be superior to corruption