The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1871-12-16

not now state as fully as | desire,
the nature Of the complaints by i'm
migrants of the treatment they re-
ceive, but will endeavor to do so
during the session of Congress, par
ticulars Of the subject should re-
ceive your attention.
CIVIL SERVICE REFORM.
It has been the aim of the admi-
nistration to enforce honesty and
efficiency in all public offices. Every
public servant who has violated the
trust placed in him has been pro-
ceeded against with all the rigor
of the law. If bad men have Sc
cured places it has been the fault
of the system established by the
custom of making appointments, or
the fault of those who recommend
for Government positions persons
not sufficiently we'll known per-
sonally, or who have letters endors-
ing the characters of office-seekers
without proper sense of the grave
responsibility which such a course
devolves upon them. A civil ser
vice reform, which can correct these
abuses, is much desired. In mer-
camille pursuits, the business man
who gives a letter of recommended
ton to a friend, to enable him to
obtain credit from a stranger, is re-
garded as morally responsible for
the integrity Of his friend and his
ability to meet his obligations. p A
reformative law which would ell
force this principle against all in
dorsers Of persons for public place,
would insure great caution in MAX
ing recommendations. A salutary
lesson has been taught the careless
and dishonest public servant in the
great number Of prosecutions and
convictions of the last two years.
1t is gratifying to notice the favo-
rable change which is taking place
throughout the country in bringing
to punishment those who have
proven recreant to the trusts con-
fded to them, and in elevating to
public office none but those who
possess the confidence of the honest
and the virtuols, who it will always
be found comprise the majority of
the community in which they live.
In my message to Congress one
year ago I urgently recommended
a reform in the civil service of the
country. In conformity with that
recommendation, Congress, in the
ninth section of an act making ap-
preparations for sundry civil expen-
ses of the Government and for other
purposes, approved March 3, 1871,
gave the necessary authority to the
Executive to inaugurate a civil ser
vice reform and placed upon him
the responsibility of doing so. I'm
der authority of said act I convened
a board of gentlemen eminently
qualified for the work to. devise
rules and regulations to effect the
needed reform. Their labors are
not yet completed, but it is belieyed
that they will succeed in devising a
plan which can be adopted, to the
great relief of the Executive, the
heads of departments and members
of Congress, and which will rebound
to the truejnterest of the public ser
vice. At all events, the experiment
shall have a fair trial.
CONCLUSION.
/ have thus hastily summed up
the operations of the Government
during the last year, and made such
suggestions as occur to me to be
proper for your consideration. l
submit them herewith in confidence
that your combined action will be
wise, statesmahlike, and in the
best interests of the whole
country. q. S. GRANT.
Executive Mansion, Dec. 41S71.