Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1872-07-25
Greeley ON civil Service Reform.

Greeley on Civil Service Reform.
ST. Louis, July %.
The following correspondence was
/ read by Senator SchurZ in his speech to-
night:
ST. Louis, Mo, June 2Gth, 1872.
DEAR SIR,-In your letter of accept
ance, you promise a thorough reform of
civil service in general terms. The ques-
ton how the problem of civil service
reform presents itselfto your mind is one
Of great interest, and l would suggest.
if it be consistent with your views Of
propriety, that you give such explana-
ton that will put your intentions ia this
respect in a clear light.
Yours truly,
c. SCHURz.
The following is Mr.. Greeley's reply:
NEW YORK, July 5th, 1872.
Ny DEAR SIR,-Yours of the 2Gth
ult., only reached me three days ago.
l respond as promptly as may The
problem of civil service reform is reD-
dered difficult by an alliance between
the executive and legislative branches
Of our federal government. Those
members of Congress, who favor the
administration, habitually claim and are
accorded a virtual monopoly Of the fed
eral offices in their respective States or
districts, debating appointments and re
mOvals, as interest or caprice may sug-
gest. The President appoints at their
bidding. They legislate in subseryience
to his viii and often in opposition to
their own convictions Unless all his
tory is unmeaning, this confusion Of
Executive and Legislative responsible
ties and functions could not fail to dis
temper and corrupt the body polite. /
hold the eligibility Of our President to
reelection. the main source Of this cor
ruption. \ President should be above
the hope of future favor, and the fear Of
alternating powerful and ambitious par
tizans He should be the official chief.
not of a party. but Of the Republic. He
should dread nothing but the accusing
voice Of history and the memorable
judgment of God. He should fully
realize and never forget that Congress,
in its own spheres, is paramount and in
no wise amenable to his supervision,
and that the heartiest good viii, to his
administration, is perfectly compatible
with the most pointed dissent from his
inculcations in finance or political econ
omy. 1t is the first step that costs.
Let it be settled that a President is not
to be reelected while in Office, and civil
service reform is no longer difficult.
He will need no organs or no subsidized
defenders. He viii naturally select his
chief councillors from among the ablest
aud wisest of his eminent fellow citi-
zens. regardless alike of the locality and
suggestions of a selfish policy. He
will have no interests 10 concil-
late, no chief of a powerful clan
to attach to his personal fortunes.
He will be impelled to appoint, as viii
none deny that he should appoint, men
of ripe experience in business. and Of
emincntly mercantile capacity to collect,
keep and disburse the revenue, instead
of dexterous manipulators Of primary
meetings and skillfuI trafTickers in del
egates 70 nominating conventions. He
will thus transform the civil service Of
the country from a party machine into
a business establishment, no longer az
aspirant 10 place, the President viii
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 boards Of
examiners. etc, whereby the details of
civil service reform are to be matured
and perfected, I defer TO the judgement
of a Congress, unperverted by the adul-
ferrous commerce in legislation and ap-
pointments. which I have already ex-
posed and rcprchended. Up 10 this
time. orr experience If 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 com
missioners. In so far as they may have
failed, the causes of their III success
must be extrinsic. Had they been &C.
corded fairer field. am sure that they
would have wrought to better pur-
pose. A thinker has observed that the
spirit in which we work is the chief mat
ter, and we can never achieve civil ser
vice reform until interests, which de-
rnard n shall he more notent in olr nnh
lie counsels. than those which resist.
even while seeming to favor it. That
this consummation is not distant ! fer
vently trust Meantime thanking you
for your earnest and effective labors TO
this end, remain yours,
HORACE GREELEY.