Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1872-07-27
CORRESPONDENCE.


ST.. LOUIS, July 22,.--Tho follow.
ing correspondence was read by
Carl Schurz in his speech tonight /:
ST. LOUIS, June &c, 1872.
DEAR SIR In your letter of nc.
coptance you promise thorough re-
form Of civil service in general
terms. The question, how the prob
lem Of civil service reform presents
itsclfto your mind is one of great
interest, and | would suggest, fit
be consistent with your views of
propriety, that you give mo such
explanation as will put your inten-
lions'in this respect in clear
light
Yours truly,
CARL ScHuRz.
The following is Mr.. Grceley's
reply:
New YORK, July 5, 1872.
My DEAR SIR Yours of the
26th ult., only reached me three
days ago.
respond as promptly as 1 may,
that the problem Of civil service
reform is rendered difficult by an
alliance between the Executive and
Legislative branches of our FEEDER
al Government. There are men,
bers of Congress who favor the ad-
ministrution, and habitually claim
and are accorded virtual monop.
oily Of Federal officers in their re-
spective States or districts dictat-
ing appointments and removals as
interest or caprice may suggest
The President appoints at their
bidding; they legisate in subscr-
vience to his will, often in opposi-
ton to their own convictions. Un-
less all history is unmeaning, this
confusion of executive and legisla-
tive responsibilities and functions
could not fail to distemper and cor.
rupt the body polite. l hold the
eligibility Of our President to re-
election to be the main sources of
this corruption. A President should
be above hope of future favor or
the fear of alternating powerful and
ambitious partisans; he should BIO
the official chief, not of q party, but
of the Republic. He should dread
nothing but the accusing voice Of
history, and the memorable judg.
ment of God he should fully real
izc and never forget that Congress.
in its own sphere, is paramount
and in nowise amenable to his SUI
pervlsion; and that the heartiest
good will to his administration is
perfectly compatible with the most
pointed dissent from his inculca.
tions in he very gravest questions
in finance or political economy, it
is tho frat step that costs lot it be
settled that q 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 defenders he will ma
turally select his chief counsellors
from among tho best and wisest of
his eminent follow citizens, regard
less alike of the shreks of locality,
and the suggestion of selfish policy.
He will have no interest to consoIi-
date no chief of a powerful claim
to attach to his personal fortune.
He will be impolled to appoint, as
none will deny, that he should APP
point mon Of oxperiencein business
and eminent mercantile capacity
to collect, keep and disburse the
revenues, instead of taxation
manipulations of primary meetings
and trafickers in delegates to the
nominating conventions. He will
thus transform tho civil service re-
form of the country, from a party
machine into a business establish
ment. No longer an aspirant to
the place, the president will natur-
ally aim to merit and secure the
appreciation of the entire people,
but especially Of the eminently
wise and good.
As to the machinery Of boards of
examiners, etc., whereby the de-
tails of civil service reform are to
be matured and perfected, in defer
ence to the judgment of a Congress
unperverted by the adulterous com
merce in legislation and appoint.
ments which | havo already ex-
posed and reprehended up to this
time our experience of The being
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
so far as they may have failed, the
causes of their ill.success must be
intrinsic. Had they been accorded
a fair field, l am sure they would
have wrought to better purpose.
A thinker has observed that the
spirit in which we work is the chief
matter, and we can never achieve
civil ser ,ice reform until the inter-
ests which demand it shall be more
potent in our public counsols than
those which resist even while SEEM
ing to favor it. That this consum-
nation is not distant, fervently
trust.
Meantime, thanking you for yonr
earnest and effective labors 10 this
end; l remain
Yours, etc..
HORACE GREELEY.