Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1872-05-02
SPEECH
Hon. Jasper Packard,
DELL V REID
In the House of Reprcsentatives,
April &. 1874.
Hon.

April u, 1874.
The house having met for debate as in Committee
of the Whole on the state of the Union
MIR. PACKARD said:
Mr.. SPEAKER: So much has been said OF the
"corrupuons' OF the civil service, many ground
less charges have been made, the people OF the
country have been so persistenty asked to believe
that civil service is the in the world, and
that there is little but fostering corruption" to be
found in every department OF the Government, that
there Is danger of arriving at the conclusion that he
who advocates a change IN the manner of making
appointments TO office assents TO all these PERM
clouS calumnies. / do not assent to these charges
know that for the most part they are utterly
/ groundless. 10 be in favor OF a reformation, or
rather a change in the manner of making appoint
ments, does not imply that we lay hands now
on civil service system that is wholly bad, and by
such manipulation as we can give it render it who'll
ly good. We do not find it in the state, and we
shall not leave ii in the other. But there
evils connected with it now and it is possible that
wnen some OF the changes suggested by the civil
service commission and in the different bills be-
fore the house have been made, that there will
still be some evils connected with il; but hope
/ they will be fewer than now.
1he optimlst may look for perfection, but viii
scarcely attain 1t unless he employs saints his in
strIments- relying on men and women he viii
tan, Tor there is very apt to be something OF evil III
the Dest men. The pesSlInist may beeVe
we have shoreless sea of corruption;
| but he is mistaken, for there is some
! thing OF good IN the worst In appoint
ments TO onice the good and the bad Will be inter
i mingled, matter what the machinery you en-
plOy 10 separate the tareS rom the WDeat Inc
two elements will be found in the same admnistra-
tion, in the department, in the same bureau,
and in the same individual. Ihey are not SUBJECT
10 chemical tests, and by other could we hope to
eliminate the bad and leave only the good. We
must take mankind as we find them, and do the
best we eau with the material we must necessarily
employ.
Now, do not believe that all the bad among men
have found their way into official station in the
rlOus departments OF the Government. lake any
department you choose, take the whole civil SER
ter whose compensation Is s., ,200 per annum, ana
the good largely prcdOmInaIGS over the bad here
IS more honesty than dishonesty, more efficiency
than capacity, more integrity than the want OF II.
lhe civil service ot the country has oeen undergo
ing reform ever since II came under the supervls-
ion OF the present Administration. Corruption has
been sought Ior, exposed, and punished with an
unSparlng hand. Dishonesty mas been thrust out
and honesty installed IN its place; incticiency has
been mace to " ak the planE, TO make room Tor
industry and capacity
Only i few DAYS ago we had valuable testimony
given on this floor TO the efficiency OF one OF the
departments. And l take this occasion TO say
tnat was much gFatitied al the candor OF the dis
unsmshed gentleman IRON Maryland VINO had
charge ot the cons sular AMI diplomatic apprOpra-
ton bill dis duties IN connection with tnat bill
brought hin closely N contact with the business
and operations oil the State Department. his testi
mony is most valuable, coming trom 50 disrln-
guisled, able, ana honorable tember OF the Dem
OCratic party; and / take especial pleasure Ia
TIcnlng my speech Win these Woras u lis:
at Is more than proper that should bear my
vgilauce lie actiyiy ana the oqs ness fact OF the
distinguished seer tsry at the head ol the Depart
ntnt.
and Ne aided, speaking Of The clerks in the
.'rhey have discharged their duties honestly and
taithIuliy."
And ! venture to SAY tuat as much might be
sad Tor each one o. the secretaries ana their
several d -paftments. L I might be allowed to
make a siIggeatsoD- to ny sTisud tron OHIO, the
LGtiralln JI tue Comm tt-e on Appropriations. |
tllFu it.
hlt nds have charge o. the appropriation bills herr
lt-r SO that they may o. oro1gnt INTO Close con-
ta' Win tne business AM operations OF the sever
a. Departn-ents. when the power oI ruth viii con-
srail them 10 bear testimony TO tde efficiency and
purity witA wn'ch eacn one ol Jnem Is administer
et cf, the clVh service VIII bear examination,
and wherever tie Prsiuent or hls Secretaries come
oGfeGty ID contact with 1t, the more II l. examined
tae hlgher esuInale We sltall Iorm OF IT, and the
more tloIougAy snail We oe convinced tfat lndIs-
cillhuute chaI9es OF corruption are o0t gtoundess
cAGmules ars.ng from o.Iclal hopes oyerthrown
ana transformed INTO rampant malice, or from the
presumed necessities OF political ana party success.
l n otlSr Gay, wien the 0li Tor tle designation
o. me clerks 10 Inc committees OF the House WAS
oeihg considered, tAe gentleman from New y ork
our, /" uoDJ Ihade d statement "hch quote from
tiie N'iVoS. 1 utAS tde quotation HoAi mis- speech
necaas II = a cQnoehsaton OF me eharges tial are
AAilS Aofoau ui4 0y tHe Opposition press ana cp-
poslt-on sl'c'htfs. II L tie aIlnent with waleh
,!e PSup'e 44e souelit 70 oe Leu II - tie Sahu po-
II'0ai uSt SioVu wiz WHICH II is hOped tne people
IhSy De ohAGed-
tNto' a. AH4i"N7'
40 nor oelleNe maj the people OF ials country
VII pe si sleu anu conlehted tAat the Congress o
il@ nea states saall tnus trlle with SO grave and
important question as i now agllatlng the publc
Hhu- ucl4eNe lldV tie puolIc atLcnlOnlS Is Nlrect-
et throughout tle length ana bredth OF this iand 10
uiis great question OF oIHclaI corruption. 40 not
neieVe tIlal WAeh our Wnoie executive department,
tle HIioie range Oh tie puohc service, 50 teens win
corruption WIN pfOngaey, waste, ana extravaganza,
Whlcn mas attracted the public attention, and Is
agfatlng the public mimi all over the land the peo
PIE OF the country VIII be content with simply hav
Ing US ie5ls4ate upon subject so trIning and OF
such comparatively small importance as that in
vowed III the OIL under consideration.
. oL, why Is tlls! why Is IL that the mind OF the
american people is To-day centered upon one great
queslioh! II Il because, throughout ali our pubic
I naliona otate, ana municipal, there
- s scieLal sUIte O aeln9falzauon; that judging
tus Oi-ou lot WHAT Is sdld OF our puOAc
oAlCldsl We ha Z SUNK low indeed
Le[e Is neral cnafge OF corrupuon through
oUt uie ~ hole range OIL the pubic service" !"
Ihese cnal lbes lnaennlte ana unsupported as they
a[e' now I0iIh tne entlre potcal STOCK IN trade OF
Lne Opposlton 10 tne hepuOAcan party. few
Gays ago heard distinguished and eloquent gen.
ueihah, not member OF TINS house, say with an
eIneslhess Wnlcn ln0lcated MS DelleI that there
was much force in the remark, that ignoring
charges does not remove them.p The remark is
tlue' out NOT very Iorcioe out II is Doth trae ana
~ W say INA. aAins cnaIges goss nos prove
s.t :; go S -. 80 Inns m !, Ploi1ease!;
ri % ] u .. ~ anasanve WIN WHICH tne "lole !
Wber if pm ~ ~ - O".i les SO us eHe Jus
80. 60 ;t 1t ~, ~ t ue ~ eilo ottlo DeP.it
Weind nd @ ~ ~ WI Will s.e gettsnan llol
Sn 49, - ~ = anu -iit ltoU q u lilo9. III. =
aocb |,na nf a. n,,o. 'iiG r, - @ ~. 20 ~ ~
thre. Deroocrats ~ feaoh oe - - S a. ~ ~ u
they were ordered nv this t4onse in tha 6rs+ '7raa