The New York herald., 1871-12-23
WASHINGTON.
What the Politicians Think Of
Civil Service Reform.
secret Of the Arkansas Ku
kllx Inquiry.
RESIGNATION of Solicitor Gen.
eral BristoW.
CONGRESS- GONE FOR THE Holidays.
WASHINGTON. Dec. %, 1871.
Cabinet Meeting.

WASHINGTON Dec. q, 1871.
Cabinet Meeting.
The Cabinet met At noon. All the members were
.-esent excepting the Secretary OF the Navy, who
homo.
eessser> Wilson, SumneY and PoRseroy On
tho Cavi. service Reform-Tbe Commitfee
an House k4oesditures 10 Work Dsrins she
Recess-Ap Advisory Board be- Created.
The poiiticans are generally severe in their crtI-
ems OF tne report OF the Civil Service Commission
Rs ,bject Is a leading topic Of conversation among
part sSnen, al well as In the several depart
ala not iihpose President has evidently made few
n IeessnS S.as them by his presentation OF the
form. Leading pubic men express more diverse
views Henry wilson. for instance. says tnat there
can be doubt OF strong public feeling In favor
OF the Withdrawal OF the pubic patronage
from political influences. The President win,
IN his Judgment become more popular
by HIS advocacy OF The reform In iis
practical Workings however, he does not believe u
viii be 80 successful. The senator beneves that IN
Two years time there will be as considerable
elsmor for change as now exists The Senator does
not believe that corruption or maadminisiratl0n s
common In our service, though he thinks that the
super.senstiveness or the public Is healthy Sign.
For he expresses himself gratlGed at 'nc action
Of the President, and does not believe that he could
have safely wisely taken any o,her In the
present stale Of public opinion. Mr.. Wilson
thinkB thar II Is more than doubtful
whether the competitive examination plan
win give the best men for the civil service. There
arc men in the departments and IN the several
branches OF the service outside who are almost IN
valuable In their speciaties, yet who might readily
be Outstripped al any competitive examination by
stripiing fresh from college. Unless the examina-
nons for promotions are In the confined 10 the
business details OF the ONCE, the work performed
and the manner Ql uansactIng ii, there VIII always
be grave injustice Gone.
Senator Sumner repeats in prlvats what be eaiq
y open Senate yesterday, thai ne Vas gfati6ed az
tbe Presentation OF the subject made by the Execu.
pye. but he urges that the organization OF such q
system as that proposed y but another prqQf Of the
necessy OF limiting the Presidential tenure to one
serm. IN common with other senators who are
snswn TO be opposed to the President be thinks the
PeeetEily Of .as ..a.s limitation is MsdS shi further
manifest by the presep,atlQn q such projects as
she proposed postal telegraph The power o7 the
onlce WA pc altogether too vast for the saTeB OF
thd f6rtblie Il its incumbent may be allowed 70
Use the machinery for re.elecLons-
senator Pcmeroy, on the other hand, opposes IN
toto the proposed plan for the civil service He de-
caTee II viii result chieny in the organization OF
bureaucracy, the great body Of whose members
VIII be practically unremovable. He says they VIII
foIm closer corporation tnan the old army and
ssvy dih, whose cfflceS are the only class set
apart and MADE sristocra,s by law. In his judy
Nent the departmental force viii become iossihzed
ard insoleDt. Ihe Senator pretty fairly expresses
tbe general objections or The average republican
politicians, VINO satisfied with things they are
snd Win Their own control over them. General
Farnswcrih, who is regarded as more than iDde-
pendent, saws. on the other hand, that anything is
better than the present muddle. For one, he be-
nevee that though the plan presented W the Curtis
Usnmisslon may have 10 be greatly molined alter
Haa, sN 1t strikes at the central evll, that OF
lhss she meddlesome business viii be taken
from hands OF congressman ana
other politicians. Governor Blair, OF
Michigan, represents still another class-the Old
Guard republicans who accept out are not ardent
supporters OF the administration. He ID grati1ed
~ the report, and tninKs 1t decided step In the
,igns direction The majority Of congressman are
sos " ali saus6cd. Tney dare not oppose, and
have not disinterestedness enough 10 sustain.
Representative keiley's select committee win
meet during the recess AMI hope 10 prove their
faith BY their work. In the way OF reaIranging and
cutting Down the clerical and ab0rtng force Of the
House. Two bills have been referred to this com
mttee, besides the Message itself. one OF them
proposes to make 1t . msdemeanor for Congress-
men, or any one else, TO knowingly recommend
N unnt person for puolic once, or 10
40 10 simply for political reasons. The
ogence II TO 10 punishable with 6De or ,mprason-
lDent, or both.
NJ Willard, Of Vermont proposes to base ap-
p0intments wholly on the results OF comp ettive
examinations. lie provides for the appolnlme OF
three CND Service Commissioners, who are 10 pro.
vide rules prescribing qualifications and examina-
uons times and places thereof, the govern men,
They may require q fee for the examination and
granting Of cerGcaes may CAL TO their assis tance
sucA persons may quali6ed or necessary
and they may be obliged on requirement oi any de
parsmeDt mead, 10 examine officers now serving as
10 their qualification, &c. The committee will re-
port In favor OF appropriating sunicIent money 10
enable the President TO organize an Advisory
Board ~ an early day.
The Arkansas ku kinx Inquiry and the
Senatorial Rivalry Thcren.s~r.
The Ku klux investigating Committee. at Their
las, session. Closed The investigation begun On
ATkansas sGairs, dismissed ne witnesses apd
ordered the Chairman 10 report the testimony
already taken 10 the Senate. This .onrse vas
deIued necessary because, IN effect the matter on
which al investigation was urged Is before the
Judiciary Committee OF The Senate being involved
In The question OF reporting on some Legal appoint
nenis made IN thai State. The desire for an inyes-
ucSuon grows out OF the contest between senators
Clayton snd Rice Tor the control or the State ma.
tbinoy and federal patronage, anu seems likely 10
result lD seDdiR ihe latter over 90 the
Ucaiciirsnt ranks AZ the President seems 70
support the Clayton slide. The Tepou OF the Ku
hlu, Committee VIII hardly be ready for Congress
ie'ore tie middle OF January. senator Scott ana
Mnrssenta'lve Stevenson are busily engaged on
me GRAN oi Tie majority report while me minority
me conmi'iee have enirustsd taas ou,y 10 senator
rayh5o aad Represeniatiy6 Beck. Jne accom-
psnyins testimony VIII make aDous. four thousand
pages W6he he report the State Hnances win
eiher papeTr WIN be nearly voipminolA IL ,s rro
bable that lbe committee Will also reporra reso,ut,ou
asking that he report OF the Caron,k An Hlux
His's ~ haelgh ana Columbia, prepared, forshe
csbA"msh' OF insuce, be printed, wiD srv testis
mcDy ibey have 'skcn.
Hs Csulan's Be A,tsvnsy Gene RssIs..-