, 1872-12-19

,. TRIBUNE: THURSDAY,
is honest, is competent, and attends to his
business faithfully, he shall not be removed, is
to create an aristocracy, is one Of those absurd
ities into which Mr. Weed would be very likely
to fall. Mr. Dean Richmond would not have
tolerated in his private service, nor in
the service Of any corporation of which he vas
member, any person who was either inoompe-
tent, dishonest, negligent, or unfaithful nor
would he have permitted any man to be dia-
charged who vas honest, competent, and faith
full, because Of his personal opinions upon mat
ters not connected with hiB immediate business.
Was Alr. Richmond thereby establishing an aris-
tocracy? Or was he doing any more than every
other business man in the United States always
does, exercising prudent precaution Of making
merit, and ftness and honesty honorable, and
their possession the sole test OF business conf
dence?
One year ago, Commission, consisting Of
three able and experienced officers Of the Gov
ernment, and three eminent citizens, to whom
the President had committed this subject for
examination, made report, in which they pre-
scented to the country q graphic description Of
the Civil Service as it is. They did not write
as partisans; they had no political or personal
ends to aubserve; they were ali political friends
Of the President, and all agreed politically with
the majority in both Houses OF Congress, and
with the party which had been in power during
the eleven preceding years. These gentlemen
described the system as WHOLE pointing out
it's more glaring and notorious features. They
called attention to the fact that in the begin
ming OF the Government all appointments were
made from considerations Of character and it,
mesa, and all removals we're based upon the
came considerations. Mr. Jefferson resisted the
!" torrent " Of applications for Office, and there
WAS not single removal OF q subordinate from
Office, except for cause, from the days Of Wash
ington to the close of the Administration Of John
Quincy Adams.
In 1882, the new policy was begun, and it has
been followed by every Administration since.
What tho result has been is stated by these
gentlemen. They say:
In obedience to this system the whole machinery Of
the Government Is pulled to pieces every four years
Political caucuses, primary meetings. and conventions
are controlled by the promise and expectation Of
patronage. Political candidates for the lowest or
highest positions directly indirectly pledged.
The pledge s the price Of the nomination, aud when
the election tB determined pledges must be redeemed
The business Of the Nation the legislation of Congress-
the duties Of the departments, all subordnated to
the distribution Of what ia called the "spoils." No
one escapes. President, Secretaries Senator's Rep
resentatyes pertinacious1y dogged and besought
the hand to appoint the other to RETAIN sub
ordinates. The great officers OF the Government
constrained to become mere ofice-brokers. Menu
time they have their hopes, ambitions and designs.
They may strive to make their patronage secure their
private aims. The spectacle il as familiar aa it IL
painful and humiRting. We ACCUSE individual.
We appeal only to universal aud dep1ornble experience
The influence Of this system upon those who held
office may be Inferred Officers appointed chiefly
reward for personal and party service and not upon
proof of fitness, who know that thereis certain pro-
motion for merit and that they hold their places only
until others with more influential friends thrust
them out have neither pride hope In the full
hlrnent Of their duties. Taught by the system
to regard the Office pr1ze, and warned by the sae
system that their tenure ia neither character t-
lucy A4aAo AA1o " ~
in the shortest te both to repay the trouble and
peose OF procuring It, aud to provide against early
removal Meanwhile, part Of the yast scheme Of
patronage officer who ia appointed solely in daf-
to political pressure is Judged not by the
ner in which he does his duty, but by the zeal with
which he se1ves the influence that secured his place.
When public Offices regarded only as rewards for
political SERVICE they will be constantly multiplied to
supply more places. There will be tncessant tempo
rary employments, they called aud consequent
deficiency bills, and supplementary appropriation bills.
Meanwhile the influence which has obtained the Office,
not for the public SERVICE but private reward will
be eow to tne3ciency actual dishonesty In the
conduct Of the incumbent.
But when the application ia urged upon the Execu-
tive Department by member Of the Legislative branch
Of the Government the mischief becomes iutolerabe
It Is often By the power OF patronage that Repre-
sentative s chiefly known to what called the active
politicians among his constituents. He is held to be
their agent and broker Of Offices. They hare done
his work and he must do theirs, and his
position often depends upon his fulHluent
Of pledges. When, therefore, he applies to the ap-
pointing power, there Ia Kind Of urgency which 1t Ia
hard to resist It Is not favor only that he aakst s
the means Of fulfilling bargaIn. The place ia
demanded in the Of the party. Yet, granting
the favor not necessarily benefit to the party; it L.
often profit to one man only and his followers.
The Commissioners refer to cases where an
application is thus made to head OF Depart
ment who has some measure before Congress,
and for which he must secure votes, and the
temptation is to give the place and secure the
vote. "Thus the evil system increases official
temptation aud makes honesty difdcnlt."
They insist that the evil theory Of the Civil
Service tends to make the President and secre-
taries merely the appointment clerks Of Con-
gress, and they state as fact:
Thus it is not denied that the chief National appoint
nents the several States really made not By
the President and the sona but Mt the pleasure Of the
Senators from the State in which the Office Is to be
filled. The President may have personal knowledge OF
the untness Of certain persons Whoso appointment is
sought but ii Senators from the State in favor Of
those persona the President must yield his knowledge
to their pleasure the Offices must remain unified
It ia impossible that the Legislature should
absorb the Executive function Of appointment and
main pure One Of the wisest Of American political
writers remarked before the Constitution adopted,