, 1872-12-22

TIE CHICAGO POST OFFICE.
The Postmaster Of Chicago resigned hia Office
ms day last veek. and certified that the Assist
II. Postmaster, Mr. squires, was an honest and
faithful officer, thoroughly competent; q man
Of greet experience, having discharged the active
duties Of the place for eight yeara and more !;
that the Office, in the extent of its business VAS
largest experience and greatest fitness. These
eacts were personally brought to the knowledge
Ind attention of the President.
Just ore month previously, the Postmaster at
Philadelphia resigned, and he in Like manner
recommended his Assistant, Mr.. Fairman, as q
competent and trustworthy officer, who had had
:lree or four years experience, ndsuggestedt that
sch experience was an Important consideration
Governor Hartraaft, and two hundred Of the
.e-3iag Republican politicians Of Pennsylvania,
scconpanied by Senator Cameron and several
members OF Congress, visited the President in a
oody, and formally asked the appointment Of
one Al1. Trueman, Republican, OF ofPhi1adelphia.
Tie appointment was asked in the na7le Of the
whole Republican party Of Pennsylvania, which
had just giTen the President 1877, 900 majority.
They urged every party consideration in favor OF
having LII. Trueman appointed. After hearing
The delegation, the President made his reply, in
tie following terms:
GENTLEMEN: do rot well SEQ how it would be
proper for to set aside the rules and regulations Of
The Civil Service. some time ago determined to
force them every proper OCCASION think this to
be suitable Two candidates for this Office pre-
seuted, both Republicans; one Of them, Mr. Frnan,
has been employed By the Office for time, and
fully satisfied that hs IS competent to discharge
he duties Of Postmaster. would like to grant your
request, but consciendously get these rules
aside.
Slenced completely by the Presidents decls-
ration, that 1T would not be proper" for him
to set aside the rules and regulations OF the
Civil Service, now having the authority Of Law;
and thst he had "detern1ined to enforce them
On every proper OCCASION" tie Committee with
crew, not venturing q remonstrance when the
President announced, IT CANNOT coSsCES-
r1cCs1Y SET THESE RULES ASIDE" It Will be
seen that in that case both Fair1nan and True
we're Republicans but Fairman had been
employed as Assistant Postmaster for consid-
=rable time, and, under the Civil Service rules,
Ess entitled to promotion.
The coincidence in the case of TIE Chicago
Pest Office with that ct the Philadelphia one is
remarkable. In each case the Postmaster has
resigned. In each case the Assistant Post
master was man every way qualified, by long
experience and BY unquestionab1e capacity and
integrity. In each case the Post Office Depart
nent could certify to the fidelity OF the Assist
ant, who generally is, in such cases, the Post
master in all matters Of detail In each case
he Assistant ves Republican. In each case
the opposing applicant was q Republican, and
o1e without any knowledge or experience in
postal business. Tie rules sad regulations OF
the Civil Service we're as much the lav in Chi
eago as in Philadelphia. The President'a
determination to enforce those rules extended
equally to "eTery proper occasion"
He told the Pen1sy1Tanians that, however
much he would 1iEe to grant their request, he
could not !" conscientiously set these rules
aside" Bat, in the case Of the Chicago Post
Office, he has put the rules aside; he has eban-
6oaed his determination to enforce them, by ep-
pointing Afr. John Macarthur Postmaster.
Il caust, ct course, remain mystery why the
President, in these two exactly similar cases,
Las adopted the most contrary policy. How
could the President refuse to the 1871 GOO ma
:o.:ty of Pennsylvania, surposing them to be
correctly represented by Eartranft d Co., the
appointment Of Trueman, when the only objec-
tion WAS that, by the rules of the Civil Service,
Eai1r1an was to be promoted, and at the demand
Of perhaps less than half dozen men in Chi
caso could appoint Macarthur, thereby setting
aside the rules which, he told Ear
hactt, he had determined to enforce upon every
proper occasion? Why Was it that tho Presi-
dent could net s' 'conscicntiously" appoint True
ran, and yet, under precisely similar circura
stances, could appoint ncAithur? Trueman
7yas Republican, and was Macarthur my more
fireman was competent, and with fair per-
soael record; Macarthur had no more to commend
hin. Fsirran and Cquires had the same recon-
n1endstions, squircs being probably the strong
est Both were equally protected by the rules
which the President declared he could not con-
scientiously set aside. Why, therefore, VAS the
action in the two cases so different?
The conclusion o. the whole matter is, that if
he President chooses to 80 back upon his OWL
ord, il the facs Of the whole people, there isno
aelp for it. He was under no obi cation in law
TO adopt the Civil Service rules prescribed by the
Curtis Commission. Having adopted them, and !
having twice declared his purpose to enforce |
them. he Is still under no obligation in 1aw to !
teep Lis promise. But he is under moral obi
zatsoa, the consequences Of which he cannot
eyade. foz he will forfeit tho respect Of all those
zyho believe that q promise once made should bo
either fulfilled, OF that satisfactory reason
fhou1d be given for its nonfuldlment. Tho de-
,,..rds Of 9 few politicians will not be accepted
IS satisfactory 1casons. Their opposition #ns
;-no7n. and taken into the account before the
nro1aise Tas made.