Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1869-02-16
The Civil Service Bill.

Hon. G. W. Woodward admirable speech
agans, the civil service bill is complete de-
moIition of that measure. Itssupposed merit,
competitive examination of applicants" is
shown to be no remedy at all for the evils of
our day. The topics incidental to the subject
were treated in very eloquent way by 'ir.
Woodward. A few extracts may give some
idea of his speech
But the honorable gentleman from Rhode
Island, shocked by the unparalleled corruption
that has crept into civil service III the
last eight Years, exciaius, "M nat is tu ne
done p Like an homes man aud true pa
triot he looks at tlIG SlHs' y condition ut pnblc
affairs, and ct!cs "ht III ".Uuy VI soul, IVY no
shAii deliver Us 'r:..m a.Ie ,!"dy OF thus death
lie la, odd Us .n JnIs EuJr what lie said III
his New York lecture, that one hundred !uii-
lions of the peop: rcI suues arc annually
diverted into the p"ckc.s i ilauLu.t iii
GERS and their CUniGuerateS Think of il,
one hundred millions a year If this were
collected it would pay the national debt within
the time in whlcn it is payable. Aud the
rcnpLc who thus r"tibed pay thirty mil
lions Il year to support thirty thousand Office
holders, among whom The robbers are to be
lUuked Tor. What proportion of the thirty
1t to honest auu talttui officers | have no
means of Determining and the honorable gen
tieman has not found out. But the case is
bad enough as presented As the gentleman
has said, the payments to the civil service are
not uicgarci,y. They are larger than those
..ad in France or Germany, or, except in the
hi. her Offices, in England. *
Observe, the gentleman from Rhode Island
cannot complain OF a want of skill in these
officials but only of lack OF honesty
While there are many conscientious aHong
theu, there are dexterous G"gues, GENERALLY
excessively loyal, VINO could pass any coDpe
tiuye examination you vail be likely to insti>
tute, but who are destitute OF that couItr"n
honesty which it is no credit t" r'>Sess bur Il
great disgrace to lack. Will Your compel
live examination keep such fellows out "t the
civil service Will your board descend INTO
the hearts of the competitors and so try the
r.ins of men as to decide whr can aud who
cauuui resist tue t,rII4tiCas - ihG W Hi>GeY
ring! :. hat tae .su.lenl7O IgUm Rhode
TSinu. Is .fter i an honest man.
Sir if / believed that the gentleman bill
womb take OUT al the civil service the joseph
Surfaces. ,hr sleek hyIocri,es whose muu' 's
are ever full of glowing speeches aud moral
sentiments and fruthy professions of loyalty,
and in their stead would Introduce men of the
hardy, homely honesty Of ;he "lden time.
would support it with all my might Aye L
would 90 with him who would Z" TO the iurth-
est to effect such reform. For. .quesiionless,
the great want of our time is honest men,
Merchants and bankers. manufacturers. and
corporations can find plenty of competent
clerks without an expensive board OF exam'-
ners. So can the government. But honest
men, men who are in secret recesses OF the
official closet just what they appear IN public;
men who uucons ciously e2alt their manhood
| by cultivariug reverence and humility VINO
habitually render unto Caesar the things that
are Caesars, aud unto God the things that are
Gods, men who would feel a stain more keenly
than wound, men Of this stamp and type