Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1872-01-31
eaAN1.s ApMINIsrRArIos TRIUMPHANT.

We present in another column an array
of facts concerning the state of our civil
service, TO which we invite the careful at
tention of every honest reader. The state
ments there made, fully sustain the opin-
ion we have repeatedly advanced, that
there has been steady aud gratifying inn
provement in the efficiency and Integrity
of our civil service so that now 1t COM
pares fayorably with that of any of the
leading nations of Europe. The exhibit
made of the percentage of losses in the
Treasurer's Office is without parallel we
believe. In eleven years the loss in hand
ling Wty-fre thousand millions of dollars
was less than one dollar IN O. million. The
record of the Postofiice Department is
likewise encouraging aud unsurpassed. In
three years that branch of the Govern
ment through its thirty thousand officers
has handled over tiOo hundred and thirty
millions of dollars with the loss of one
ninth of one ocy cent on the dollar. We
do not think that with all the diligence.
and zeal that self-interest provokes,
there is anything in the record of
private business any greater fidelity, to
trusts imposed. This is the official record
of an Administration assailed, by foes
without and professed friends within, with
violence and malice unknown in the
heat of former political controversy. 1t
stands, however, unchallenged and I'M
challengeable, as a complete vindication of
the President and full reply to his as
sailants.
There are .ffty-three thousand civil Off
ciers holding position under the present
Administration. The monies they handle
and the trusts imposed are measured by
thousands of millions of dollars. They
are scattered over territory of three mill
lions of square miles. 1t is utterly impos-
sible to supervise closely or continually
their transactions, They are appointed,
as long custom has ordained, in such a
manner that neither the President nor his
heads of departments can personally
know of their qualifications. Under
! these circumstances every intelligent
reader can see that with every possible
precaution, some abuses and delinquencies
must inivitably exist. That strict integ-
rity and great zeal have reducedthese de-
falcations to an exceedingly small sum the
semi-oflicial figures under consideration
| prove.
Compare this record with that of the
party that assails this Administration and
| how striking the contrast. While Presi-
! dent Grant with his fifty-three thousand
| officers stretching from the Atlantic to
| the Pacifi C has collected and disburscd the
| immense revenues of the country, with
| the loss of trifing per cent; while he has
| ferreted out frauds and reglarly punish
| ed the offenders the Democracy in the
control of the mighty commercial empo-
rum of the continent, with a few thou.
sand sub-ordlnates within easy reach, by
deliberate and multiplied efforts running
| through several years, has robbed it OF
| hundreds of millions of dollars; debauch-
ed its temple of justice by batering out
| to its F'isks, Goulds and highest bidders the
DEGREES and flats of its judges mortgage6
to a corrupt eclesiasticism the schools O
the young and fixed upon our free inslitu
lions a stain that dozen honest admins
trations at Washington will hardly efface
| Vet this is the party that presumes to sit il
judgement as to honesty and capacity il
the administration of public affairs.
We present honest minds the exhibit tn,
present administration makes of it.
official record, and if they can not fully
appreciate its merits, let them contrast i
with the record of the rival party thai
asks for public confidence and support