The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-11-02
LECTURES LAST RIGHT.
Qua CIVIL SERVICE.

Heavy Onslaught Upol the Systc.n Of PeIitI.
cai OCl:e-LcfaiLE c. Lecture by GGOrgc Will
Ham Curtis. !.
4 lecture was delivered last evening in the han OF
the Yoaag MEMS Christian Association, corner Of
Fourth avenue AMI Twenty-thlId street, by Mr.
George w. Curtis, on "Our National Folly--the Civil
Service. After few Introductory remarks the leo.
turer said that present ofces given away at tht
solicitation OF Senator'S and ,atlves, whose
dirty Work had oeen Gone by the candidates whom
they thus benefited. The knowledge and fitness
OF officers Tor their offices were wholly disregaried.
All that was looked for was fierce and unquestion.
able plrtiean Zeal. He did not wish 10 exaggerata
the danger OF this TO The State; but the sprngmg OF
tue Leak WIS the beginning or the end OF the ship.
We now Violate tho first principles Of
administrative economy. Not only were
States defended by arms and money
national honesty was the greatest resource OF q
people Ia time OF peril. II IL true that undci
free institutions the dominant party must always
find places FOR It's reiailers then 1t certain res
publican institutions were doomed, because they
were wasteful and oppressive than any Others.
This theory Of political oiiicc-hodlng was not be.
Be,ed In ~ the men who framed our politi.
Cal system. sir. curtis tnon quoted several
passages from tho letters and speeches OF
George Washington upon this subject, in which
he advised that offices should be given only to gen
tenen who were capaDie and honest, and that
these sAoull lod tieir places during good behav-
ion. President Jac.s0n was the urst TO remove
onlce-loders OtHt Of their political opinions,
During The lrst 5orty years OF our Independence
there were Only seyenty.llree removals Of pubic
sands OF oiice-hodcis had been removed. Under our
system OF the pois being grasped By the victor, tho
county was always the victiD President Grant a.
year ago had declared that he would not remove.
officers for wholly political reasons, but had sinco
found 1t impossible TO brave the hostility Of this sya-
TEN. Ihi5 system pushed the best out OF Olce
and honor and ability with them; and unless IL wcrS
changed we should ultimately come to tho
present state Of the French peope--a state
OF moral ds.nsegration. Every four years tho
country presented the most revolving spectacle.
ONCE brokers' the country seehed with corruption
aud every nan dld ni3 best to make hay while tina
sun sl.one. Economy, honor honesty were once Of
some Importance IN ms country, bat now politics
s'i ' s s'' ued s Sssa wss pu no%
wretcheay performed, and at higher rate
than the service or aay private eorporatlJG
Or mercantile house III the country. Thera we're M
doubt men OF TIE highest character in the civil SER
vice, but they were EXCEPTIONS HOW could q mo-
dest, faithful man be attracted by competition Of
impudence not OF integrity or capaDilty9 the
army and navy II would become national glory,
not "a national shame. Only last year 1t had been
various oices THIS was revival OF the practice OF
political parties ia the last and worst days OF ancient
Rome When Rome was rotten then 1t was that her
posts OF honor and proht were put up 10 TIC highese
bidder The evil OF The policy OF removal from oillco
for political did not stop with the govern
Dent The same principle had been carried into
other corporaiionsthat IL to say, the principle Of
employing men for other reasons than coinlotency
and honesty. II there were any paa In tina
railway interest OF the country who broughl
disgrace upon The American name, the governments
Itself had been mis- teacher. Mr.. Curtis closed bJ
replying to the principal objections against r6@
form The present system, such rs that no standard
OF measuring could be established; that the new
4 favored aud arstocratic class, and further thai
1t was DorroWe1 from Earop5.