Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1872-01-17
fBatnhman s. Journal.
WEDNESDAY. JANUARY IL, 1872.
Civil SrrNlce Reform.

but the intelligent and rejecting leaders Of
the people and the conservative aud thinking
men Of the country. The breaking up Of
the Ring in New York has set men to think
ing, and their thinking has amounted to some.
thing. The committee Of seventy, appointed
at public meeting Of the voters Of the city,
without distinction Of party, and composed
of men Of both parties, has succeeded in
cleasing that Augean stable pretty eiFectual-
ly And when the very Gibraltar Of poll
tica corruption has been stormed aud carried,
it gives ground to hope that the contest with
corruption elsewhere may be equally success.
fu.
1t is pretty clear that the men who control
public sentiment are beginning to be DESTROYS.
not so much to hold Office and reap It's cmol.
uments, as to see that it is held by those who
will be competent to ful6I its trusts and be
honest in their discharge The mar for Of
fee holding, a very iguoble one by the way,
does not now affect so many persons as does
the nober passion which leads the electors 20
desire that our officers shall be capable aud
honorable and pure. 1t was an old witlicism
of the tory Maya that it did not disIihe a
republic because the people elected their own
officers, but because they elected such rulers
and officers as they did. There is DISPOSE
ton gaining ground to take the sting out Of
that Jest, aud to exercise little more care
in the selection Of men who hold public posi-
tons Of honor or profit The true glory Of
republican institutions is not that the people
elect their own rulers, but that they elect
wise, decent and honest officials, and hold
them to their trusts.
There is no special reason why politics
should corrupt a man, aud yet they generally
do. When men are appointed to Offices for
partisan services, aud hold them for short
and uncertain term, the tendency is to make
the most out Of their places. If Offices were
held during good behaviour, men would feel
the responsibility of their trusts If they are
held subject to political changes aud caprices,
subject to party fidelity, the incumbents will
be above the average humanity if they do
not make them subordinate to personal euds
To take the appointments to office therefore
out Of the hands of politicians and partisans,
and to make them the reward, not Of party
service, but Of personal fitness and merit, will
strike the deadliest possible blow at political
corruption. 1t will give Congress and the
high office holders of government time to at
tend to their legitimate business, and remove
a thousand temptations to dishonesty from
the path of civil officers.
The recent Developments in the New York
Custom House are a fresh argument for the
reform Of the entire civil service Of the coun-
try, and it is quite clear from the results OF
the Investigations going on, that the proposed
presidential reform does not 60 far enough,
The civil service system needs thorough and
complete revision and rectifcation. ltshould
be made impossible for any officers of the
government to accumulate legally immense
fortunes by means of its methods Of doing
business. The way the government does its
revenue business offers the largest premiums
to dishonesty and rascality,
1t seems that one Leet, a former member
Of Grants staff, aud CLERK In the War de-
partment, was recommended by the President
TO the consideration Of Mr. Grinnell, collector
Of the port of New York Leet modest
informed the collector that he wished to have
the general order business given to him. This
business throws into the hands Of the owner.
Of private warehouses all foreign goods landed
before the owners can get government permits
the bonded warehouses OF course, the own.
ers of these houses charge such storage rents
as they please and with the help Of the Gus
toms officers they may secure an immense
profit This business was given to Leet. II,
farmed it out to another party, retaining alsc
an interest in the profits Leet remained al
Washington drawing pay as Government
clerk besides The profits Of the bushes,
were very large and of course were the mere
emoluments of political iavoritism. The
were levied from the unfortunate owners o
foreign goods, who were not quick enough t.
rescue them from this extra care and extrava
CANT charge. Such thing as that should b'
made impossible. A government has no bust
ness to play the sharper on its citizens, an,
mulct its merchants and importers in heav.
sums for the benefit of political fayortes o
active partisans. 1t is an outrage on tn
people, and barefaced cheatery of those whom
it is bound to protect. 1t is a shepherd shear
ing his sheep and giving the fleece to til
wolves. The civil service needs little re
forming 10 ais respect. OF course We do no
charge, or believe, that this was done wit
the knowledge of President Grant but
should be made impossible for such things t
happen.
1t appears also that assessments for poll
teal purposes are not unusual, lhe1nves'
cation shows that the hat was passed roun
in tho New York Custom House on event q
an election in Connecticut and of one in Ne'
Hampshire. 1t is fragrant wrong that dc
serves unmeasured apprehension, that the poe
clerks Of revenue office Of the United State
should be assessed to aid the citizens Of an
State in the Union to decide whom they wi
have for Governor, or whom they will sen
to Congress. 1t is damnabe disgrace to
republic that its representative goyernmer
should aid in debauehing the political yirtu
: of its electors If the civil service of tn
country is prostituted to the end Of securin
mercenary elections, if it is subordnated
, the exigcncies of party conflicts, it is tin
, that it was reyolutionized as well as reform
ed. A few more developments of this sol
g will materially assist in carrying the mos