Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1872-04-24
Civil Service Reform.
Mr.. WIZARDS BILL.


brought on by the following bill introduce
by Mr.. WILLARD in January last, and re
ported by him from the select committee OF
the reorganization Of the civil service
bill to preserve the independence Of tn,
several departments of the government.
Be II enacted BIZ the Senate and House o.
Rezyeseukaiiyes Of The United States Of Amer
ica IN Congress assembled That hereafter i
shall be unlawful for any MEMBER Of either
house Of Congress or delegate from a Terri
tory, verbally or in writing, directly or in
directly, or by any agent OF third person, T.
solicit or recommend, or advise the President
Of the United States, or any head of a De
partment or of any Bureau thereof, or any
official who has BY law power to nominate
or appoint to positions IN the civil service o.
the United States, to nominate or appoint
or to refuse to nominate or appoint, anv
person to, or to remove any person from Of
fee or employment in the civil service, ex-
cept as hereinafter provided.
SIC. 2. That whenever the President OF
the head of a Department shall, in writing
ask the opinion or advice Of a member OI
Congress or a delegate from Territory, re-
spectng any appointment or removal, such
member or delegate may, in writing only
give his advice or opinion respecting such
appointment OF removal. And such member
or delegate may also, without being request
ed so to do, give, In writing, to the President
or head of Department any information
which such member or delegate may have OF
the misconduct or uniaithtulness OF any per-
son in the civil service. Any such informa-
ton, advice, or opinion given to the Presi-
dent or head of a Department by any mem
Der or delegate shall be regarded as official,
and shall at all times be open to the nspec-
ton of members and delegates and c Jpies
thereof shall be transmitted TO either House
of Congress whenever called for by them for
information or publication. All appoint
ments and removals concerning which com
munications shall have been received By the
President or heads of Departments from
members or delegates shall be reported to
Congress at the session thereof next after
such appointment or removal shall have been
made. together with aIl correspondence with
or communications from members or dele
gates respecting the same.
SEC. 3. That any person who shall violate
any Of the provisions of this act shall b.
guilty Of a misdemeanor, and, on conviction
thereof, shall be fined not less than one hun
bred dollars, and not more than one thousand
dollars.
This bill was offered by Mr.. WILLARD af-
ter the message Of the President transmitting
to Congress the first report of Mr. Curtis
civil service commission, had been received
by the House, and was intended to aid the
President in enforcing the rules prepared by
that commission, by preventing members Of
Congress from interfering with the matter OF
appointments. We printed in the FREEMAN
some weeks since some remarks made by 5Ir
WILLARD in direct support of this measure !;
and IN this number of the FREEMAN viii be
found speech made by him, at considerable
length last Wednesday, on the general su beet
of reform in the civil service. The subject was
before the House during parts of three days
OF last week, and the bill was finally prac-
tically killed for the present session of Con
gress, by being recommitted to the commit
tee by vote of 81 to 20. The vote was in
no sense a party vote, Democrats and Re
publicans being found on both sides. Several
Democrats earnestly advocated the bill, and
others as earnestly opposed it. Many Re
pubIicans seemed distressed lest they were
likely to lose their share of the patronage
and other, inyeterate politicians, opposed
the bill because they believe a party cannot
keep up its organization without distribu-
sachusetts, Bingham of Ohio, and Sargent
of California, were the principal Republican
opponents of the measure; while Dawes and
HOar OF Massachusetts, Garfield and Shell
labarger and Perry of Ohio, Roberts of New
York, Finkelnburg Of Missouri, McCrary OIL
Iowa, and others favored it, although they
did not all have an opportunity of speaking
upon it.
During the debate Gen. Butler intimate,
that the President was not pressing reform
but was only allowing the civil service com
mission to make their reports and calling th,
attention of Congress to them; in otheI
words, that he was insincere in his profession
of desire for genuine reform of the civi
service
In reply to this Gen. Garfield proposed {,
state what the President had recently SAT-
on the subject, but he was prevented from
doing so By point of order made by Gen
Butler If he had been allowed to procee,
he would have said that Gen. Grant in Z
conversation only the evening before hat
made substantially this remark
:" If we can only succeed in diyorcing tn,
members OF Congress from the work of nom
nations to Office, except as their advice il
asked, it will give US better class of ap.
pOintments, it will be better for Congress
and much better for the executive
{" The rule of competitive examinations
may not work well IN reference to officers
appointed by the advice Of she Senate, but
will be practicable in regard to other ap-
pOintments. 1t ought not to be understood
that any man has perpetual right to an of
fee, even if he does his work well, but he
ought to hold il during the term for which
he was appointed, and not be turned out
because somebody wants his place
Every member of Congress ought to feel
hound to report misconduct of ofhcials''
Il will be seen by this that the President
is not only in favor of the general features
of civil service reform, but that be is IN
favor of the particular end sought bv Mr.
W1LLARD's bill.
The result of the vote in the House was
not unexpected indeed the vote in favor Of
the measure was larger than its friends real
ly anticipated But the people must press
these measures Of reform, or they never
will be accomplished. A party in power
surrenders patronage reluctantly, and can
only be induced to do it, by fear of defeat il
{ refuses.