Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1871-07-26

In the last number OF lIarrcrs Wuhu
George William Curtis gives carefully
prepored statement Of the result of the do.
ines oc,bo recent Commission. appointed by the
President TO devise some method of reform
in the civil service of the United States -
Coming from him. the chairman OF the com.
mission. it Is Of course authentic. and al.
though not what the many friends Of reform
in this matter had borcd IL is undoubtedly
the best result to which. under the circum.
stances. the commission could baye arrived.
His exposition shows that De has thoroughly
studied the question. and the diTeultie. which
seem a, present TO environ any reform IN this
matter will we trust. be- dis.paicd.
Mr.. Curtis says that tho first duty of the
commission was 90 " ascertain. if possible.
the root Of the iueaieioucy which. II posi-.
bic. was to bcrcfomcl. Earnest and inecn.
ious discussions did not shake the general
agreement that political patronage wa. The
source Of the evil. After thorough debate
of several DAYS, the deliberations were drawn
to point by the presentation Of a rc.olu.
ton that .,almi..ion. to the civil service.
with certain exceptions 90 be subsequently,
considered. should bee determined by eompcti.
tive examinations open to an applicants who
should have satisfied certain preliminary ia.
quirie. in regard to age. health, character.
etc, but excluding political or religion. opin-
ms"
This is the gist Of the whole matter. aud
in this resolution is the remedy 10 the present
corruption and ineflicicncy Of our civil service
1t makes fitness, not personal or political
iavoristism the test, precisely the same as in
any other business or calling, and if any one
can point out to Us any reason why the bust.
ness Of the country, enormous as it is, and
affecting vitality every citizen, should be less
carefully looked after, or entrusted to less
skilful or less honest hands than one would be
willing to eutrust his own business, we should
like to know by what process Of reasoning this
conclusion is arrived at
This resolution called out a careful debate
from the commission all friends to a reform.
aud only anxious to get at the best way to effect
it. The resolution was viewed in all its differ.
ent aspects Its compatibility with our sys-
TEN of government and people, the objections,
which Mr.. Curtis AYERS were many and
curious to It's adoption and to its practical
operation. were all carefully weighed and
considered.
While the resolution was under discussion
and before a final vote was reached as to It's
expedienoy, the point was raised as to the
consiitutionality Of the proposition. The
precise point Of this objection cannot be better
given than in MIR. Curtis own words. Its
scope, he says was this, that Congres. is
authorized to vest the appointment of certain
inferior officers in the President alone in the .
courts Of law, or in the heads Of departments
and that it may undoubtedly regulate the ex-
ercise of that power But if Congress under
the guse of regulation, should create Board
wholly independent Of the appointing power,
whose duty 1t should be, in case of vacancy, /
to determine by competitive examination
the single person who should fill it, the ap-
pointing power vested in the heads Of depart
ments would not be regulated, but annulled,
and virtually given to a body unknown to
the Constitution OF course, if the appoint
ing power itself chose to hold a competitive
examination, or any other, there could be no
objection. Plainly this point, if valid, i'm
piled another-namey, whether if a regula-
ton, Independent of the appointing power,
could not consti,utionally provide for the
eligibility Of a single person only, it could
provide for that Of a class. Congress may
rightfuly require, for instance, that only
intelligent and competent men shall be ap.
pointed, but must it not leave the method
of determining who are intelligent and COM
petent to the appointing power 2'
This poipt was finally submitted TO the
] Attorney General. who. alter QnrptuI pNumluN.
ton, thought this objection a valid one. This
if true. changes the aspect of the whole cues.
ton. IT was clearly no part of the duty Of
the Commission 10 advise the adontion Of m,
unconstitutional provision NOR we presnmc
did thew care to make themselves ridicnlou.
BY so doing. They accordingly requested III,
President to obtain an official oninion from
the Attorney General, aud adjourned unit
October next.
This in brier constitutes all that has hoo,
effected by the Commission TINS far. nor 4,
e We 500 if this objection holds GOOD what issn
J is to be found out Of all our difficulties TIN
system of connective examinations is In
kernel of the whole matter. By this and h
G this only can the greatest efficiency be give,
|, IN this branch of the service now snfT. ring >
+ severely from incapacity and corruption |
r will Give our Senators and members of Con
e Oress liberty to attend to the legitimate dutie
! Of their office. and not ms now force them +,