The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-05-17
WHAT GENERAL GRANT THINKS OF HIS
OWN ADMINISTRATION.
E1.n,n the M y. Tinlea.

From the ~ Y. Times
"WAsHISGToN May ia gentleman whoa3pent
an evening recently with the President at his re
quest, says that he talked quite freely about public
afiairs and eyincod no little dspleasure at the man
ner In which he had been imposed upon by men
whom he had thought could be trusted, by whom he
was induced into making appointments many of
'"The remedy was i'm his own hands, however, and
he would not hesitate to use 1t to purify the service
OF incompetent or dishonest men. In the begin
ming OF his administration he had made the mistake
of promising, under strong political pressure, certain
offices, when it appeared afterward that the candi-
dates were totally unfit for the position they sought
''In future no one would know whether he to be
appointed until his commission was signed, unless it
was some person whomh ne personally knew twas
his duty to have one i'm office, even in a subor-
dnate capacity, who was not fully qualified to per-
form its duties in the best possible manner In order
to do this it would be necessary to remove, in many
cases. officers only recently appointed; but he would
not hesitate to end their official days, though in
doing so he probably would be severely censured by
many leading Republicans Whether his admnstra-
ton was successful would defend much upon
whether the revenue was properly G9nfSea ThGm m
felt assured would, II possible, be colected'-M Y.
Post.
We are glad to see that General Grant is
sensible of having made n mistake in promising
appointments ''under strong political pressure.
The hopes of the country were greatly raised by
his original declaration that political pressure"
would not be allowed to control his action in the
matter of appointments that faithful officers
who had performed their duty would not be dis
turbed especially if they were true Republicans
and that the President did not intend to allow
members of Congress or politicians to make his
appointments for him. Everybody knew that to
adhere to such q course of action as this would
require indomitable resolution and courage; but
| everybody knew also that it was only by such
| action that n beginning could be made towards
reforming the enormous abuses which afilict the
| country.
There is now general feeling throughout the
country that in some way or other the Presi-
| dent has been led to depart from his original
purpose, and that the early promise of his adj
ministration has not been fulfilling. 1t is very
clear that faithful and efficient service has been
| no guarantee for continuance in office. There
| has been general sweep of otlice-holders, high
| and low without much reference to merit but
apparently under the pressure for place, and for
| the sake of making room for others whose APP
| pointment demanded by politicians. And
| this process is still going on. Thre is no branch
| of the public service in which these changes
| have been more sweeping and indscrimnate
| than in the Revenue Department, and they can
not fail to have marked effect on that "collec-
| tion of the revenue" which the President Justly
regards as the test of his administration and the
/ only condition of its success.
| We hear of impending changes in this deIart
ment, in this vicinity, which are not called fol
by any public interest, and which can scarcely
| fail to operate injuriously, but which are de-
| manded by politicians. We trust the President
| will make stand somewhere in this matter,
| and not surrender entire control of the revenue
| service, so far appointments are concerned,
| to the influences which he now sees to have
been so injurious at the outset of his adminisra-
| ton.