The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1870-11-04
Clerks Secretary Cox's Opposition
st, lyse SysteIn

Clerks Secretary COx's Opposition
so Ihe System.
We have (Says the Baltimore !Sun) pub.
liShed the letter Of resignation sent to the
President by the late ex-Secrctarv of the
Interior, and the answer Of the President
accepting the same. In order that the cir-
cumStances which induced MIR. Cox to re.
sign his position may be fully understood,
We publish the subjoined communications
from him to various Republican committees
that undertook to make organized raids on
the employees Of the Interior Department.
The first IS to MIR. Clcndennine. chairman
OF the National Republican Committee.
dated Washington, ID. c., July %, 1870:
"ncar Sir,-In accordance with your re-
quest forward herewith roll of the otf-
GERS and employees of this Department. In
doing so | beg to repeat what [ said to
Yourself and Dir. Platt-yiz.. that in my
efforts to bring about m Improvement of
the civil service in the Department / hold
il to he absolutely essential that it should
hc understood by the clerks and employees
that they hold their places subject to re-
moyal for lack Of efficiency or integrity, and
hat no subscriptions to political funds or
show OF political zeal will secure their re-
tcntlon if capacity or industry he lacking.
Mr.. Ilatt assured me, and | understood
YOU 10 agree with him. that the list was
ONLY desired in order TO give your committee
the opportunity to invite such as felt entirely
free tn do so To contribute to support the
work Your committee is undertaking, and
not to impose any tax upon any one. Know
| inr aS | DO that many OF our clerks have all
| they can do 10 make bare existence out Of
their salaries. should be entirely unwill-
| ing to have the application put on any
other basis, even if did not think, as do.
| hat any compulsory assessments would be
Il political immortality, and productive Of
| infinitely more mischief than benefit.
We can do more real service to the
| Republican party by raising the standard
| of qualifications among civil employees and
putting each clerk upon his merit alone for
appointment or promotion. than by the en-
pcnditurc OF many times the amount Of
money they could possibly afford to con-
tribute. Very respectfully, your ohedient
servant, j. y. Cox, Secretary"
His next communication is directed to
| he chairman of the Ohio Republican COM
mil!ce, who applied to the Secretary for II
last of the clerks in his Department appoint
ed from the State Of Ohio. In the letter he
SarS:
"Aftcr careful consideration Of the mt
ter, with the strongest desire to second every
right movement in behalf of the Rcpubli-
can organization, in which we have so great
II common interest. | am constrained TO de-
cline complying with your request, because
| am convinced it would not be right to do
so. and therefore not for the advantage of
the Republican party, which can only exist
by continuing to hc the champion of the
right.
The considerations which lead me to this
conclusion may De summed up in two
namely First, that such assessments are
directly antagoni>tic 10 the civil service re-
form. which / believe to be so imperative Il
necessity that the hcpublcan party, As the
proper party OF true reform, cannot longer
dclty 10 make it Il part Of their platform !:
and second, because the specific assessment
Won now propose 20 make Oh behalf of the
state Central Committee is an innovation
in a bad direction.
GsH hr latter point permit me TO say that
after 4 somewhat careful examination OF
the subject. | caunot learn that anything
similar 10 an assessment for party purposes
upon the clerks and employees OF the De-
parrmcnt was ever made prior to the
administration of Mr.. Buchanan, and then
only by committee Of the clerks them
selves. waiting upon their fellows in per-
son and requesting SNbSeri pt!OnS for Il
presidential contest.
This wear, for the first time, the clerks
have received Il circular from the Congress
| siunal Committee fixing the amount eac1 Is
assessed Zone per cent. on their incomes),
and indicating the expectation of re-
sponse in an authoritative way. From two
or three of the States similar assessments
have been received. in one instance one
and half per cent, thus making an in-
come tax Of two and 4 half per cent, be-
i'm tlnSa n
10 their several States at their own
expense Tor the purpose OF voting. !
lave net heard Of district and county AS
scs.ments vet, but know Of no reason why
they should not follow il the others ure re-
co9niZed.
Ny own relations TO the subordnates Of
this Department are peculiar. | have been
endeavoring TO correct such OF the evils as
| could reach, and by a system Of competl-
tive examinations to test the capacity Of ap-
plcants for place or promotion. | have as
surcd them that lavors would end with
their going before the Boards of Examiners,
and from that time their own character and
efficiency would detcrlninute their cOntin-
uaucc in office or promotion. Under these
circumstances the circular of the Congress
sonal committee, levy ing one per cent. Of
their salaries, with an intimation as under
stood by those receiving the circular
Though | am informed the committee
diSclnim such a purpose) that failures
to pay would endangcr their places,
was the most dcmoralizing thing which
could have been thrown into the De-
Dartment The question was at once
raised whether my position had been sim
cerely taken; and Iwould not remain in
the Department day if my purpose could
be reasonably impugned. The gentlemen
Of the Departments have, as rule, borne
greater pecuniary burdens in proportion to
their salaries than other men are usually
willing TO do for party purposes, and now
would respond to the full extent OF their
ability to eNhortutions addressed simply to
their voluntary zeal: but the best officers
and the best Republicans arc those who are
most explicit in their opposition to the
whole system of levied assessments.
A. a mark of my own confidence in your
uurposeS, and sense OF the value o! your
work. l enclose check for fifty dollars as
nv personal contribution to your fund, and
should he most happy if my duties and my
strength would permit Inc to take my ac-
customed place in the canvass OF the State
this fall
Secretary CoN's letter to the Chairman or
the Pennsylvania Republican Commlttee,
declining 10 allow the clerks appointed
from thai State TO he called upon, Is similar
in tone to the two preceding ones, and de-
clares the belief that the attempts made 20
lew such assessments have hurt the party
more than the assessments, IL collected,
could help it.
SOMETHING New TO Us.-We clip the fol-
lowing from the Richmond DtSpdtch's list
Of horses on exhibition at the State Fair:
I , hr fhorIps