The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-11-18
The President and CivH-Servtce Re
forni-MOw the Cameron kNolitician t
were Snubbcd.

were snubbed.
The Washington National Repub'tcon
| commonly called the Presidents orgun)
gives the following account of tho interview
of the Pennsylvania politicians with Presi'
dent Grant In regard to the postmastership
| Of Philadelphia:
The delegation Of Phladcphlaus who
called on the President yesterday TO urge the
appointment of George Truman TO the posi-
| ton of postmaster of that city were General
| Cameron, Governor Hartranft, Mayor stoke
| lev, District Attorney w. b. Mann, sheriff
| Leeds, United States Marshal kerns, Hon.
Charles O'Neill, Colonel Hill, Colonei Nc
| Michael, Assistant Attorney General Charles
| Coils, General Bingham (the present post
MASTERY, besides several members elect OF the
PENNSYLVANIA Legislature. The delegation
was received by the President about il
O'Clock, and the members of It were intro.
duccu by Secretary Robson. On behalf Of
the delegation Mayor S;okeley said that they
had come In the interest of Mr.. Truman,
and that his appointment as the successor of
General Bingham would be eminently Sltisac-
tory to tho many friends Of the President IN
the city Of Brotherly Love 1t would not
be necessary to speak OF their candidates
fealty to the cause of the Republican party.
A great victory had been won in PenDSyl-
vanll BY the efforts OF the party, and he
hoped that tho organization so thoroughly
made would be continued.
TO this cnd he thought the appointment
of Alr. Truman would contribute largely.
Hc was aware that tho President had already
expressed 3 desire to apply the rules and
regulations of the ciYil-service commission
in all future appointments; but ho thought
that in this c.ise, aud inaSmuch rs Nh. Tru-
mans appointment would be Of SO much
advantage to the party III Philadelphia, the
civil-service rules and regulations should be
set aside. He did not think the Republican
party of Philadelphia had much faith in the
civll-service rules. They certainly did not
stop to think of them when they were roll
ing up large majorities for Grant and VIII
son.
In reply, the President said that 1t was his
| wish and desire to carry out ciyiservleo re-
form, and In this case he felt disposed to do
! 1t. lie had examined, and would again eX-
anime, the pa pers filed, and give them due
| consideration. If he should make the Gp-
pointment under the rules, Mr.. George w.
| Fairman, who was next in position to Gen
eral Bingham, would succeed him. If he
went outside Of the rules, Mr.. Truman would
be appointed. lie did not wish them to uD-
derstand that he was pledged to promote
| anybody, merely because in the line OF pro-
motion, but when there WINS deserving and
| well-indorsed servant in public life he should
| certainly promote him; but if not proper
person he would not adhere to the civil SER
vice rules.
This declaration completely demorulized
the Lesser weights, and they LETT the mansion
| disguised with civ!l-serrice reform.
| General Bingham and most Of the delega-
| ton left for home last evening. The dcci-
sion of the President gives the greatest sat
isfuctiOn TO the friends and advocates Of civil
service In this city, and it will not be long
before 1t will be further demonstrated III Il
successor to one Of tue most Important Offices
IN the country. -. ...... ....
The Republican says editorially, II not al
the Presidents instance certainly with hs
| full appreciation:
"The entire country will, we are certain
!. commend the action of President Grant yes
terday in refusing, Us he did, point blank te
set aside the Uivil-service rules merely TO up
point man to the postlDastership Of Phila
] delphia who wus acceptable to the manigib;
, politicians. The delegation was as lnauen
/, tial in political point of view as Philadcl
:, phia could send. Numbered the most activt
i politicians in the city, who have beer
earnest workers for the Republican
1 party, and who IN many ways contributed
I to roll up the late glorious majority whicl
Philadelphia gave to General Grant and TIL
Republican ticket. 1t was hard matter fo
= the President to refuse these sentlemena re
quest that, according to the old precedent!
and to every rule of party action in tue past
, was SO natural md 50 simple. We know
that they felt very indignant and aggrievet
at the announcement Of the Presidents dect
sion, but If they will stop 10 consider ths
whole case for moment they cannot, how
ever obtuse they may be, fail to see that they
committed gross breach Of official dscorum
and were guilty Of very great itnpsrti
hence. The civi!-serWce regulations and
. rules are tho law of the land, aud as such the
!, President has taken en- oath to support and
enforce them. No man and no set of men
had right to ask him to override them. We
are not discussing the question whether the
law is u good one or not. Enough that it Is
. the law. The President bus no discretion,
no option, but to enforce 1t. We know that
during the campaign the ciyil-service rules
have been sneered at and derided; TINT nc
party, even that which put ciyil-service re.
4 form forward at Cincinnati as the principal,
almostthe only, plank In its platform had any
real heart in It.; we know that u, great many
| politicians and great many newspaper edi'
4 tors and campaign speakers argued that they
i were only an election device to blind the
masses and win votes that they would be
i allowed to quietly lnpse Into oblivion as soon
4 as The ballots were counted. But these or.
cans and gsntis mea forget that two parties
were required to make that bargain, and