The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1872-08-20
CARL SCRURz.
New YORK. July ;. 1877:


ult, only reached me three days ago, /
respond as promptly as l may. The
problem of Civil Service Reform is rem
dered difficult by mesalliance between
the executive anG the legislative bran
ches of our federal government. Those
members of Congress who favor the
administration, habtually claim and are
accorded virtual monopoly of federal
offices in their respective States or dis
tricts, debating appointments and remo-
yals, as interest Oh caprice may suggest.
The President appoints at their bidding.
They legislate in subserviency to his
will often in opposition to their own
convictions. Unless all history is un-
meaning, the confusion of executive
and legislative responsibilities and func,
tions could not fail to distemper and
corrupt the body polite I hold that
the eligibility Of our Presidents to re-
election is the main source of this cor.
ruption. A President should be above
the hope of future favor and the fear
Of alternating the power Of ambitions
partisans. He should be the official
Chief not of 4 party, but Of the Repub,
lie. He should dread nothing but the
accusing voice Of history and the mex
orable judgment of God. He should
fully realize and never forget that Con,
gress, in its own sphere, is paramount
and nowise amenable to his supervis
ion; that the heartiest good will to his
administration is perfectly compatible
with the most pointed dissent from his
inculcations on the very gravest ques-
tons in finance of political economy
1t is the first step that costs. Let it he
settled that President is not to be re-
elected, while in office, and Civil Service
Reform is no longer difficult He will
need no organs, no subsidized defend
ants. He will naturally select his chief
counsellofs from among the ablest and
wisest of his eminent fellow citizens,
regardless alike of the "shriek, locality"
and the suggestions of selfish policy
He will have no interest to conciliate,
no chief of powerful clan to attach to
his personal fortune. He will be impell-
ed to appoint, as none will deny that he
should appoint men of ripe experience
in business and eminent mercantile Ca
pacity to collect, keep and disburse the
revenue, instead of dexterous manipu-
lators Of primary meeting and skillful
traffikers in delegates to nomination
conventions. He will thus transform
the Civil Service of the country from a
party machine into business establish.
ment, No longer an as2irant for place.
the President will naturally aim to merit
and secure the appreciation of the entire
people, but especially of the eminently
wise and good.
AS to the machinery of the Boards of
Examiners, whereby the details of Civil
Service Reform are to be matured and
perfected, | defer to the judgment OF
Congress, untrammeled by the adulter-
GUS commerce in legislation and ap,
pointment, which l have already expo
sed and reprehended. Up to this time
our experience of the doings Of boards
in this direction has not been encoura.
ging, and this am confident is not the
fault,of the gentlemen who have tried
to serve the public for Commissioners
In so far as they may have failed, the
causes of their i'll success must be ex,
trinsic. Had they been accorded a fair.
er field, | am sure they would have
wrought to better purpose, A thinlke,
has observed that the spirit in which we
work is the chief matter, and we can
never achieve Civil Service Reform un-
til the interests which demand it shall
be more potent in our public councils
than those which resist, even while
seeming to favor it. That this consum.
nation is not distant l ferven:ly trust
Meantime thanking you for your earnest
and effective labors to this end, l re.
main, yours, HORACE GREELEY.