The national Republican., 1869-01-08
THE CIVIL SERVICE.

The working machinery OF our Government
is attracting no little attention among Jour.
naIists and statesmen; the principal Incentive
81 'nc inquiry being dnuh iess, the inefficient
rNrcutiOn, or rather lf,uduIrut nOu.execution
oil the revenue lawa,
Until the necessities of the country caused
by the late rebellion, required heavy taxes 10
be levied, and numerous agencies iot i's oo''
lection, no serious complaint was hearu as 10
the ineompetency or dishonesty Of ofhcissi
but the mass Of the Government employees,
not having charge OF duties involving any
weighty responsibility, nor being In any way
entrusted with the nations treasure. escaped
any faulthnding Except that OF not belonging
to the right party from even the most invet.
crate eavilers at NAL.
Now, 1t is Questionable whether the "sys.
tenn" proposed by the civil service bill" will
correct he great evil OF dishonesty In officers,
for II seems to be aimed more at the clerical
force. and sub, ,>rdinates having purely minis
teri.l duties to Pc form, by subjectinE them to
what may be (trom .be experience we have
had in that directionla a mere farcical examina
tion; or II that examination should be entitled
TO more digniaed designation, II follows not
that the successful students of the "questi on
books" would be the most practical disposers
Of the public business. In q country In which
there is much general intelligence among all
classes-where the press, as we'll As the school
and college, has become an education-it will
seldom happen that those having oonhded 70
them the management Of the higher depart
ments Of the Government will have thrust
upon them by "members Of Congress" land this
seems now to be regarded as The objection OF
the present System, } men who are Incompetent
and IL so, the remedy of instant removal can
very readily be applied. There is, indeed, much
salvation in that power, though 1t might be
limited and regulated to prevent possible In
justice.
There Is something very repugnant to Re
publican to a System that ssvors OF estatlish-
ing an independent, sristocrstic governmental
machinery, one that places certain class In
position to be favored, when equally eompe-
tent, more faithful and deserving are to be
kept under the ban, TOR the rejection OF any
applicant for examination before "board"
can be pre-ordained by the mogu' who may
constitute it, and denied the inner circle OF
the new ring. The Offices belong 10 the people,
and the people, the laboring people, have An
equal right to be employed. ln every shire
town in our broad land persons are employed
to do clerical service In the public oticeS o
such locallues-aheriffs, recorders, auditors
clerks Of the cUurts, &c, and the persons elect
ed to I'LL these Offices select their subordinate
without having put upon them the implied
indignity subjecting the persons they selec
to an examination under some outside boar
of examiners. 1t has been found during th'
experience OF some eighty years that NJ
serious damage hss been done to the people
and that the nation has grown to be the grea
power hat 1t now is by taking their agent
from among the peoples taking them on trust
rs republican American citizens. II Is true
some have proved, always may or will prov
dishonest. But among these are oft tn
shrewdest, most accomplished, most likely Il
pass an exAmin alton.
It's suggestion worth noting by the repre-
sentatlyes Of The people, that want Of caps
city in the public service Is not the coil to b
rewinded, but that 1t is the pestilenee O
fraud and every form Of dishonesty that mus
be treated with caustic remedies.