The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1872-04-27

CIVIL SERVICE REFOEM.

CIVIL SERVICE REFOEM.
There was printed in the Ca
zette, Of Saturday, in our Wash
ington special dispatches, a report
Of an interview with the President
on the subject Of civil service re-
form, and in the regular report OF
the proceedings Of Congress was
printed synopsis Of the debate
in Congress on q civil service bill
embodying the views Of the Civil
Service Commission and indorced
by The President. These two
features are worthy of special no.
tice.
.he gentlemen who interviewed
the President were Messrs. PERRY
and GARFIELD ,of Ohio, mad in order
that the reliability of the report
Of that interview may not be
questioned, We will state that the
W rsion telegraphed to and printed
in the Gazette was written out and
furnished to our correspondent by
the Hon. A F Perry, of this city
who as stated above, visited the
President in company with the
Hon : A Garfield. for the express
purpose of ascertaining his views
It was the substance of this inter
view that Mr. Gar eld undertook
to state in the House, when he was
stopped on the objection Of Mr..
Butler fiom Mass. under the rules,
the Speaker deciding that the
views of the President, or even the
impression made upon the mind
of a member Of Congress by a
conversation with the President
could not be stated in debate, for
the purpose Of influencing legisla-
tion.
| It had been charged by Butler
that the advocates of civil service
reform were the friends Of the
Cincinnati convention, and con-
sequently the enemies of the Presi-
dent. The impression this made
upon the country is that tho Pres
ident, in appointing the Civil Ser
vice Commission, and in urging
upon Congress the passage of a
bill embodying the recommends
tions of the commissioners, was
insincere, and that there was 9
tacit understanding that while ht
would seem to favor reform, Con.
gress would defeat it. This is th'
ground taken by the organs OF th'
: new departure Republicans, ant
c the New York Tribune fiercel,
8 assails the President upon thi
: point, while it has not q word !.
t. cay against members Of Congress
= who ure determined to defeat tn
. measures recommended by to
!. President, there is need Of reforl
'e in the civil service. This isgen
. orally conceded. is demande
- by the people. Therefore it hs
l. been made hobby of by the ne
to departure Republicans Befol
60 the Cincinnati convention wa
- called however-bc!ore it was eve
hs thought of-Grant recommend
cy reform, and measures were iaaugul
~ =. ated to bring it about. Thes
;.- the President has steadily favor'
r. and still favors, and in his inte
TO- view with Messrs. Perry and ia
=, field he gave evidence that he u
il derstands the subject ithoroughl
ms that he sees clearly the abuses til
OF exis. and the cause, and that he
;. sincerely anxious to correct Il
md one and remove the other.
He this one he desires legislation b
'ne cause legislation is necessary, u
n, Congress refuses, and thereto
di. Mr.. Greeley starts up and cri
i'm Humbug hypocrscy bosh! {
OUT President does not mean refor
ex. he is playing game of stratee
sed that's all.
iup Now the average mind Of I
ing American people is fair, and I
I'm madness and reo<lessncss Of su
-. bitter opponents rs Mr. Greel
cry will not prevent the people frt
rs- demanding en- honest corl
'o'. toward the President, and Repu
';.h licane, at least, will see that he |
en- fair play.
y. The fact is, four f!t.is Of all
, to appointments to government ofli'
ing are virtually made by the memh
s1 Of Congress. The President
only nominally the appoint
who power. These Offices are cal
ed . patronage, and Senators a
and Representatives demand th
sa. share. Each Senator and e'
US Representative claims q cert
: by number of appointments, and