The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1872-01-23
Mioolrburp 4egister.
TUESDAY. JANUARY %, 1872.
Civil Service Reform.

March 4th 1871, the President has in.
auguratcd system Of civil service reform
taking effect from the LIST day of January
1872, from which much good is hoped
for, and certainly some improvement up.
on the old system may confidently bo ex.
pectcd The provisions of the section Of
the law referred to are that the President
of the United States be, and he is here.
by, authorized to prescribe such rules
and regulations for the admission Of per.
sons into the civil service Of the United
States as will best promote the efficiency
thereof, and ascertain the fitness OF each
candidate in respect to age, health, char
acter, knowledge, and ability for thu
branch of ser vice into which he seeks tC
enter and for this purpose the President
is authorized to employ suitable persons
to conduct said inquiries, to prescribe
their duties, and to establish regulation
for the conduct Of persons who may re
ceivc appointments in the civil service"
Under this authorization tho Prcslden
appointed Mcssrs. George w. Curtis, A
G. Cattell, Joseph Medill, d. y. Walker
Il. d. Elliott, J. IL. Blackion and DaviC
c. Cox commission to devise rules ant
regulations for the purpose Of reforming
the civil service. This commission sub
mitted their report to the President OIL
the 18th day Of December 1871. 1t il
an able documeDt-and contains valuable
suggestions. Tho Commission was no
authorized to rcorganizc offices, Or recon
mend rules for the reorganization o
offices, but only to inquire what rule
and regulations for admission to service
which the President could enforce undcl
existing laws, would best promote its Of
fciency. During the early administra
tions of the government appointment
were made from considerations of char
acter and fitness and removals were made
for cause. In 1882 Senator Marcy made
use of this famous motto in reference tt
appointments ITO the victor belong thu
spoils of the enemy" Since then it ha
been the policy Of the administration o
every party. The evils of this system
have become apparent to all, and thu
measures taken for reform by tho execu
tive, under the section Of the act abov'
referred to arc source Of encouragement
to all who desire an honest administra
ton of affairs. 1t can hardly be expect
cd to work with entire satisfaction, bu
we may reasonably expect great improve
ment. The regulations are as follows
lst. No person shall be admitted to any posi-
ton in the civil service within the appointment
Of tho President or the heads of Departments
who is not citizen of the United States; VIII
shall not have furnished satisfactory evidence i
regard TO character, health, and age; and VIII
shall not have passed satisfactory examinatio
in speaking, reading and writing the hnslis
language.
be employed by the President under the 9th sec
ton of the act of March 3, 1871, entitled "a
act making appropriations for sundry civil ex
penses Of the Government for the fiscal year end
ing June thirty, eighteen hundred and seventy
two, and for other purposes shall, so far a
practicable group the positions in each branch o
the civil service according to the character of tn
duties to be performed and shall grade eac
group from lowest to highest for the purpose o
promotion within the group, Admission to tn
civil service shall always be to the lowest grad
of any group; and to such positions rs cannot b
grouped or graded admission shall be determine
ms provided for the lowest grade.
Sd. vacancy occurring in the lowest grad
Of any group Of officers shall be filled after du
public notice, from all applicants who shall pro
sent themselves, AMI who shall have furnished tn
evidence and satisfied the preliminary examina
ton already mentioned, and who shall have pass
ed public competitive examination otest knowl
eige ability, and special qualifications for tn
performance OF tho duties VftLo onree Tho boar
conducting such competitive examination shal
prepare, under the supervision of the advisor.
board, a list Of the names Of the applicants il
the order Of their excellence az proved by sucl
examination, beginning with the highest; an
shall then certify to the nominating or appointing
power, as the case may be, tho names standing n
the head Of such list, not exceeding three; an
from the names thu. certified tho appointment
shall be made
4th. A vacancy occurring IN any grade Of
group Of Offices above tho lowest, shall be hlot
by u competitive examination Of applicants from
the other grades Of that group, and the list o
names from which tho appointmon, is to be mad
ehall DO prepared and certified as provided in Tn
preceding rule; bat if no such applicants ar
found competent, the appointment shall bo mad
upon an examination Of all applicants conducted
in accordance with tho provsions fo7 admission t.
the lowest grade
9Th. Applicants certified as otherwise quail
fed for appointment Us cashiers Of collectors 0
customs, cashiers ofsEsistant troasurers cashier
Of postmastcrs, tupcrntendents Of money-orde
divisions in post-oihccs and such other custodian
Of large sums Of money as may hereafter be desig
mated by the advisory board, and for whose pc
suniary fidelity another officer is responsible, shall
nevertheless, not be appointed, except with tn
approval OF such other officer.
9th. postmastcrs whose annual salary is les
than two hundred dollars may 10 appointed upoI
the written request Of applicants, with such eyi
dence OF character and fitness as shall be satisac
tory to the head Of the Department.
uf "a tprinf
the civil service in accordance with these regula
tions, excepting persons appointed by the Prosi
dent. by and with the advice and consent Of th'
Senate, postmasters, aud persons appointed to any
position in n foreign country, shall be made for
probationary term Of six months during which
the conduct and capacity Of such persons shall b.
tested; and if, at the end Of said probationary
term satisfactory proofs of their fitness shall have
been furnished by the board Of examiners to thu
head Of the Department in which they shall hav'
been employed during said term they shall b.
reappointed.
Sth, The President will designate three per
sons in each Department of the public service L
serve as n board Of examiners, which, under thu
supervision Of the advisory board, and under reg
ulatons to be prescribed by it, and at such time
and places as it may determine, shall conduct per
sonally, or by persons approved by the advisory
board, all Investigations and examinations 70
admission into said Departments. for promo
ton therein.
9th. ANY person who, after long and faithful
service in n Department., shall be incapacitateC
by mental or bodily infrmity for the efficient dis
charge of tho duties Of his position, may be ap
pointed by the head Of the Department, at his his
erection, to position Of less responsibility in tn
same Department
10th Nothing in these rules shall prevent tn,
appointment Of aliens TO positions in the consular
service, which, by reason Of small compensation
or Of other sufficient cause, are, in the judgement
OF the appointing power necessarily filled
nor the appointment Of such persons within thu
United States indispensable to a propc
discharge of tho duties Of certain positions, bu
who may not be familiar with the English Ian
guage or legally capable Of naturalization.
18th. No head of Department, nor any sub
ordinate officer of the Government, shall as sucl
officer authorize, or permit assist in levying
any assessment Of money, for political purposes
under the form Of voluntary contributions or 9th
orwise, upon any person employed under his con
troll, nor shall any such person pay any money 5,
assessed.