New-York tribune., 1869-01-18
LILLE CLTLL SERTLCE.

tration one of the humorous journals # New
York published what it called an account OF
"a Cabinet meeting "Thcrc has been a great
"discussion in the Cabinet it said, upon the
Question of the nomination of Postmaster
"for frontier town of Maine. There are two
claimants, Smith and Jones' Smith demands
"the Office because he furnished lanterns for
"the 'Wide-Awakes during the canvass. Jones
"brings testimony TO show that lac contributed
"the oil for the lanterns. The delicate qucs-
"tion involved has gwen President Lincoln
"much anxiety, and, after several stormy meet
"ings Of the Cabinet. he is still unable To de-
"cde whether the Office should be given to the
proprietor of the lanterns OF the contributor
"Of the oil.' This satire gives an idea OF
the troubles that surrounded Mr.. Lincoln when
he came into office. He never WAS free from
them. indeed. Much Of the care, and oppression,
and weariness that came over him were caused
by his yielding TO the clamorous entrcates of
Office besgars who filed his parlors, and crowded
his lobbies. and obtained an easy surrender Of
his precious time.
Mr. Jenckcs, in his speech at the University
building on Saturday evening, printed else
where, cited another illustration. After sketch
ing the character of the civil service under the
early Presidents Of the United States he dwelt
upon the change made by President Jackson,
and quoted from one of the Generals bio
gaphers these sentences: "SOmc Of the conse-
"qucnccs Of this change are the following:
"Formelly the Government was served by the
"cHte of the country. 1t is now served to Il
considerable extent by its refuse. How has this
reversal taken place in the system! Because
"mcn OF intelligence, virtue, and ability desire
"to establish their business on basis of per-
"mancncy. The fact that man holds Office
this was in 1S39-"undcr the Government,
"implcs that lac is one of three characters,
"namely: an adventurcr, an incompetent person,
cor scoundTcln We hesitate 10 apply a
criticism so sweeping TO the men now in pub
lie service but one fact is evident: The
Government of the United States is served
by lower class of men than those em-
ploycd in any other country, Or in any
branch Of private business. In nearly all
the departments there are young men from
college, or from good home influences, who
have character and industry But they soon
fly from Office They find little nducement to
remain They can only hold their positions 10y
negccting their business and giving time to
politics. They see promotion awarded to noisy,
eager, incompetent men, who have no merit
but partisan devotion to this Senator or that
Representative No future remains but TO rust
away and be forgotten in an obscure bureau,
with small salary, and children coming to
them, and the responsibilities OF life crowdng
upon their shoulders, without any correspond
ing advancement. If there were any system by
which these young men could be kept
in the public service and gradually
promoted if they could feel that their
labors would be rewarded by the Govern
ment as the labors of their fellows are rewarded
by private employers then good men would
be induced to remain in the national employ
ment, and feeling of esprit de corps would
surround its departments, which is now limited to
the army and the navy. In the army the young
lieutenant or even the worthy soldier feels that
no unsurmountable obstacle to his advance
ment exists, provided he is worthy Of advance
ment. Time and service will probably bring
to him honors as great as those which rest
upon the brows of his commanding officers.
The consequence is that as o class the officers
of the army and the navy are superior; while, on
the other hand, the men who fill our civil SER
vice are in many cases adventurers, frequently
OF doubtful character, and in limited instances
worthy and competent RI I.. D.
we Fad hoped that the Civil Tenure -of-Of-
flee bill would have been so amended as to
save the principle which gives public employ
ment to those who are worthy. The repeal of
the bill by the House we regret. We pay no
attention TO the speculations of journals like
The Herald and The Times, that its repeal was a
triumph of Conservatism" over Radicalism,"
and that it was demanded by Gen. Grant We
believe the House to be governed by higher
considerations, and we should lose much Of our
confidence in Gen. Grant If VIC believed that
he would expect any Congress to hastily charge
woll-cOnsidored policy Those wto advise