Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 186?-1872, 1872-08-03
MR.. Grc.rcr,s Reply.



My DEAR SIR-Yours of the 26th
ult: only reached me three days ago
and respond as | may.
The problem of civil service reform
is rendered difficult by misalliancc
between the executive and the legisla-
tive branches of our Federal Govern
ment. Those members of Congress
who support the Administration ha-
bitually claim and are accorded a vir-
tual monopoly of the Federal offices
IN their respective States or districts,
debating appointments and removals
as their interest or caprice may sug-
gest; the President appoints at their
bidding; they legislate in subservi-
ency to his will, often in opposition to
their own convictions. Unless all his
tory is unmeaning this confession of
executive and legislative responsible
ties and functions could not fail to dis
temper and corrupt politics.
l hold that the eligibility of our
President to reelection is main
source of this corruption. A Presi-
dent should be above the hope of fu-
ture favor, the fear of alternating pow
crful, ambitious partisans. He should
dread nothing but the accusing voice
Of history and the memorable iudg.
ment of God he should fully realize
and never forget that Congress in its
own sphere is paramount and in nowise
amcnable to his supervision, and that
the hcartiest goodwill to his admins
tration is perfectly compatible with the
most pointed dissent from his inculca
ton on the very gravest questions in
finance or political economy. 1t is the
iirst step that costs. Let it be settled
thata President is not to be reelected
while in office, and civilservice reform
Ia no longer difficult. Hewill need no
organs, no subsidized defenders. He
will naturally select his chief counsel
lors from among the ablcst and wiscst
of his eminent fellow citizens, regard
less Of the shricks of locality, and the
suggestions of selfish policy. He will
have no interest to conciliate, no Chief
of powerful clan to attach to his per-
sonal fortunes. He will be impelled
to appoint, as none will deny that he
should appoint, men of ripe expert.
ence in business and eminent mercan.
tile capacity to collect, keep and dis.
burse the revenue instead of dexter.
GUS manipulators of primary meetings
and skilltul traffickers in delegates to
nominating conventions. He will thus
transform the civil service of the
country from party machine into a
business establishment. No longer an
asplrant to place, the President will
naturally aim to secure the approba-
ton Of the entire people, but ospeci-
ally of the eminently wise and good
As TO the machinery of boards Of ex.
amlners etc, whereby the details OF
civil service reform are to be matured
and perfected, | defer to the judgment
OF Congress unperyerted by the adul.
ferrous commerce in legislation and ap.
pointments which l have already ex.
posed and reprehended.
Up to this time our experience OF
the doings of boards in this direction
has not been encouraging, and this
am confident is not the fault Of the
gentlemen who have tried TO serve the
public as Commissioners. In 30 far as
they may have failed, the causes OF
their Ill success must be extrensic.--
Had they been accorded fairer field
am sure they would have wrought to
a better purpose. A thinker has OBJ.
served that the spirit in which We
work is the chief matter, and we can
never achieve civil reform until the in.
terests which demand it shall be more
potent in our public counscls than
those which resist even while seeming
to favor it. That this contamination
is not distant iervently trust. Mean
time thanking you for your earnest
and effective labors to this end,
| remain yours,
HORACE GREELEY.