Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1871-12-27

to keep them in, as it would be for a party |
which was expecting to come into Office to
propose to be so selfdenyingly virtuous
and it is perhaps no more than fair to say |!
that Gen Grant, having had three years IN !
which to give his personal and political
friends places, and having used that time
with average industry at least in filling the
Offices throughout the country with histriends,
taking sides from time to time in many local
feuds in the Republican party, and putting
one set of Republicans out and another set
in for reasons quite other than those of 1T
ness orIquaIifications.- now be ready
to supTArt a reform which relieves him from
all Importantly 10 correct any injustice that
may heretofore have been done by such
action Of his Still it is better that we
should have the beginning Of the reform
now, even If it pcrpetuates injustice, than
that it should be postponed longer, and there
IT, perhaps, chance that it will be more
faithfully administered in high places from
the very fact that the ms will suffer less from
it than the outs; in other words, it is all the
easier for the President to give this reform
Z fair trial, as it is easier for the Re
publican party to do it,-from the fact that
his friends now are in possession of most Of
4 the Offices, AMI the reform is only for future
use
Let us not be misunderstood by these re
marks as undertaking the ultimate good that
I the country viii get from this reform proper
. " ard faithfully carEied out we only mean
to suggest that perhaps the very highest
praise should not necessarily be awarded to
the seICdenying virtue Of the president who
adopts it under such circumstances. But II
il easier under such circumstances u begin
the work and perhaps, were it not for thin
fortunate condition Of things we might not
have the reform at all and therefore it il
possible we ought to be thankful for the pre-
vious diligence IN the matter Of appoint
mouts which permits the powers that be t.
accept readily the work of the Commission
At any rate we are rejoiced that we have a
promise that after January lst we are to have
politics and tayoritism banished from tht
consideration If those who make appoint
mouts to the civil service, and that friendt
of Grant, friends Of sumner friends Q
Trumbull. friends IF Schurz, friends d
Conkling, friends of Republieanism an,
} friends Of Democracy, VIII thereafter hay,
7 an equal chance one with another for appoint
! meuts and promotions IN the civil service
: This is the proposed reform. Short Of thi
e it is nothing Not carried out in this -piri
1t is nothing
The most that remains for the people an,
the newspapers to do is to demand, and in
2 sist upon that demand, that the reform shaI
not be sham, mere party or personal plat
, form. bus that it shall be working princi-
pie. 1t il only at the persistent demand o
the people that we have got even the prom
ise Of reform it will be only by the utmost
vigilance and watchfuiness that we shall
= have anything but the brielcst spasm o
performance Of these promises. We do not
mean Jy this that Gen. Grant, il relieved o.
all importantly Of Office seekers, would no
BE glad to give the measure the fair trial hc
promises but we DO mean to express a deci-
dcd distrust OF the honest purpose Of mango
his most intimate and trusted advisers to al
low him to do SO. Party and personal pat
ronagc has been used through the president
name. if net by his knowledge and consent, tc
further the schemes and ambitions of various
men We have rs doubt efforts VIII lie mad,
20 - use it in the future and 1t remains foI
tho President now to put his foot a once mp
81 anv such use eff the appointing power any