Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1872-02-02
C0rYeSb0Ndlnce.
OUR vy.IsHI.vGTO.v LETTEH.
WAsHINGToN, Jan. q.


in the Senate and the House this allacy
has been exploded, and it is required once
more to refer to this subject in order TO
connect and complete the thread of argu-
ment which has been run through many
Of these letters.
That there are some evils connected with
this system in both elective and appointive
Offices is admitted. Unworthy and pretcn-
tious men often secure places and privil-
eyes on account of assumed political innu-
ence, while others who are really political
thinkers and writers, but more unassum-
ing, are renianded TO back seats. But in
official appointments, the remedy is now
with the heads Of the Departments, or 9TH
or appointing officers. To distinguish the
true from the false, the genuine from the
counterfeit, is precisely what they are paid
for. This is the essence of their duties,
and in proportion as they make proper Sc
lections is their official success secured
In case the President, Head of Depart
mcnt or other officer in whom the power of
nomination or appointment is vested, are
either unable or unwilling 10 discriminate
between these two classes of men, an ex-
animation by Board and a subsequent Sc
lection from the names submitted will on
~ aggravate the evil. 1t is much better
that the sole responsibility should be vest
ed in any one man, than that he be permit
ted To shield himself behind an irrosponsi-
BILE Board.
Allcvil officers from the President down
TO the messenger, are simply agents for
that impalpable but gigantic corporation
the United States. To induce these agents
TO perform their duties conscentiouslv
stimulus beyond the meagre salary is nee
essary.
Ii is Il solemn duty of which no voter can
rid himself without manifest danger to
State, to think upon political questions and
to give to the benefit of the State his coun-
sci and his vote. The men who would adj
minister an opiate to our political system,
and institute any system of civil service
that would induce our chief officers or the
people at large to grow Indifferent to polit-
ical questions, would build up precisely
that system of colossal fraud which ruled
in New York city for many years. There
it was fashionable for the kid gloved gen-
try and mushroom aristocracy to despisc
politics and politicians, and the result wa.
that the politicians not only despised them,
but plucked them to the last feather.
Our experience has been that the most
successful officers, like Chase, Fessenden
Boutwell,, Skinner, Delano and others, have
taken the greatest interest in politics, and
those like MCulloch, Pleasanton, J. ID.
Cox and others, who did not pretend to he
politicians, did not give satisfaction TO any
body, because clear comprehension of the
principles upon which the government is
conducted is essential to successful adj
mlnistration.
1t is dangerous to the very life of the Re
public to teach the people, either in or ont
Of office, to grow indifferent to political
questions.
THE EDUCATIONAL BUREAU.
The report Of General Eaton, the Com
missioner of Education, has Just been
printed. 1t is work of great value. not
only for the vast amount of accurate statis-
teal information it contains, but for its
many valuable suggestions for the i'm
provemcnt of our educational system. Tho
Commissioner is not only a perseverEg
thinker and worker in the educational
field, but he has sought TO obtain the sug-
gestions of the ablest educators, both al
home and abroad. One contribution upon
the progress of educational ideas in Ger
many, from the pen of Mr.. j. Fred Mev-
ers, who vi'ited that country as Immgra-
ton Commissioner for the United States,
is deserving of attention, because il con-
tains a summary of the latest phases of the
discussion of educational principles in the
country where public schools were first e,-
tablished.
MISCELLANEOUS.
$4,000 has been offered TO compromise a
case of alleged fraud on the Internal Revc-
nue. pending in the L. S. Circuit Court in
which certain revenue officers are imDli-
Gated, has on that account been refused.
The case is now on trial in Baltimore.
The vote yesterday on sumner, civil
rights amendment TO the amnesty bill.
shows that | have not failed to reflect the
Republican sentiment on this question.
The amendment was rejected by a vote of
yeas 4, nays IL. All the amendments were
successfully rejected, after which the am-
nesty bill was adopted-yeas 50, navs H.
So ends contest in which Mr.. Sumner
tried hard, but in vain, to compel Senators
to vote for his bill in order to secure am.
ncsty. The civil rights bill will now he
amended and no doubt pass in perfected
form.
Mr.. Trumbull is showing his hand again
by pressing before the Senate an amend
ment to the House apportionment bill, in
which his committee propose to drop -
republican members of Congress and to
lose - republican electoral votes at the
Presidential election. If Mr.. Trumbul
believes in the principles of the Republic
an party, and desires them to be practical
~ applied, it is difficult TO see why he Is
50 anxious to reduce its representation in
the House and Electoral college. Principles
are only practical when they are represent
ed by majority in our representative gov
eminent. Hence to secure this majority
beyond all peradventure should be the du-
ty of every consistent Republican.
The Indian appropriation bill was re-
ported to the House today. II appropriates
five millions of dollars.
Gen. Emory telegHphs from New Or
leans that all is quiet as usual there, and
that the Legislature is in session attending
to business. The alleged custom house
control of New Orleans has been over
thrown.
The national labor reform party couven-
ton meets February 2lst, at Columbia,
Ohio. G. NJ.
wRirrEN FOR Tar VERMONT PuGSIN.