New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1871-12-21


The following is Represented to be the Ian
which the great carpet-bag Senator from Mis-
souri, hasadopted for reforming and purifying
the civil service of the country:
81 Examinations into the antecedents of
candidates aud applicants should be instituted
by law, to be conducted by competent com
mission, which will exclude from appoint ment
all persons not tit In every respect for pubic
trust aud responsibility. 3 Appointments OH
q mere recommendation of a Congressman
must be made impossible. 3. The terms of
office must be fixed by law to extend beyond
the duration of the Presidents term of office
one, two, or three years, and during that time
they must be removed only for NAL asance or
some dereliction of good faith
Upon Mr.. Seizures absurd idea that a law
should be passed prohibiting the President
from appointing any candidate to Office who
has been recommended by member of Con-
gress, We have no words to waste, nor upon
his tenure of Office scheme. But his PROPOSE
ton that the " antscedents" of candidates must
be the first subject Of inquiry, imposes such
duties and responsibilities upon the appointing
power as to entitle it to few words Of con-
ment. That branch of this proposition which
requires that "dpplicdnts should be instituted
by competent commissioners which will ex-
elude." 10. to be little foggy. At
any rate, ve cant understand how applicants
are to be instituted by law. nor how they are
"to be conducted by a commission" Even if it
be the laW which the distinguished carpet.
Dagger means shall be Conducted" and not
the instituted applicant" the matter isn't
made much clearer.
But let that pass for what it is worth The
duty which he imposes on the appointing
power to make examinations into the ante
cedents of candidates." is the requirement
upon which we intended briefly to comment. 1t
is known to our readers that very large num-
Der OF clerks and others in official position are,
like Mr.. SEIZURE, of foreign birth. From one
third to one-fourth of the officers under the
Government are probably foreigners. As large
q proportion of applicants or candidates for
ofi1oe are also foreigners. Many Of them, too,
like him, came here after they had arrived at
manhoOd-some to better their condition. and
some because it was not exactly safe to remain
in their own country.
The enactment of "civil service" law
which requires an examination into the ante
sedents OF candidates" could only be complied
with, in letter or spirit, by sending rowing
commission to the native land to investigate
the private character and habits from his
youth up. of every applicant for Office This
is no exaggeration. 1t is the..plain purport Of
the proposition. In no other way could his
"antesedents" be ascertained We venture
the assertion that as great man as Mr.. SEIZURE
Is, there are not three men in the United States
who know anything personally of his private life
until he left his native land for ours. The first
thing the President, or the CIVIL Service Com.
mission would be compelled to do when
candidate of foreign birth applied for an Office.
must be to send a committee to hi. native place
to ascertain whether it would be safe 10 de-.
post portion of the power of our Government
in his hand. But that Congress intends 20
iopt this suggestion. to appoint committee
to examine into the private inner life of every
candidate for Office, from his childhood up.
either foreign or native, We have some doubts.
But we shall see what we shall see