The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-02-12
evening State Sal1rnaL
CIVIL SERVICE REFORM.

The Washington Chronicle contains a
very able review of the civil service report,
and conclusively shows the dangerous and
impracticable nature of its provisions. The
communication is from the pen of Mr.. Geo.
G. Gorham, and we regret our lack of
space to print it entire. We quote some
of the main points of the letter:
"The question to be discussed is whether
no-partyism is to become the policy of our
party; whether Republicans are hereafter
to ignore differences of political opinion,
and declare their opponents to be as worthy
of the public confidence as the members Of
their own organization. The article in
question contains challenge to those who
oppose this policy, and invites them to
discussion of what the platform to be
framed at Philadelphia, in June next, shall
contain on the subject. 1t may or may not
have been written by Mr.. Curtis, the
editor-in-chief. Let not the sacred imper-
sonalty of an editor be disturbed. No one
doubts, however, that the civil service re-
port eminated from that gentleman's pen,
and that document plainly foreshadows an
endeavor by the no-party faction to en-
force its views at the National Republican
Convention. Whether its adherents will
consent to be soiled by personal contact
with convention of politicians /; whether
they really propose to rum candidates for
delegates thereto whether, if defeated at
the primaries and State conventions they
are to operate from the lobbies of the con-
vention, or through orders from few
avowed independent newspapers, can at
present be matters of conjecture only.
"THEY PROPOSE TO DIsBAND THE
REPUBLICAN, PARTY ON THE EVE OF A
PRESIDENTIAL. ELECTION What other
effect could follow a declaration by the
party itself, in convention assembled, that
Republicans shall not (all else being equaD
be preferred over Democrats for office?
If this is to be our battle-cry, how are we
consistently to urge upon the people the
Democrat to the Presidency?
''But let not the great body of the party
be made to believe that these men have the
Presidents sympathy in their indifference
as between the victors and the vanquished.
Such belief would be disastrous to the
Republican cause. The earnest masses Of
the party could not be rallied to a no-party
candidate. The people vote at the polls for
the express purpose of defeating their op-
ponents. They mean by their votes to put
the offices in the country into the hands of
the majority-or of the vctor,' as Mr..
Curtis designates it. This is their great
prerogative, and they will exercise it so
long as the Republic endures. They may
not, in Mr.. Curtis estimation, be fit for
the exercise of such power, but it is theirs.
A member of Congress who could be
shown to have recommended for offices of
any consequence members of the opposite
political party could not be returned from
any district in the United States. Let us
not subject our candidate for the Presden-
cy to the peril of being placed before the
people as no-party candidate. The peo.
pie are partisan. The farmer warmly dis
putes with his neighbor of opposing poll
tics who was born next door to him, and
will go miles to offset his vote,' although
their children may have intermarried. The
small vote always cast for independent tick
cts in tho cities, when party tickets are
nominated, shows that merchants, profess
sional men, mechanics, and laborers are
nearly all enrolled as party men. The par
tisans of measures and of men comprise
the great body Of the voters. The philoso-
piers are few in numbers. They may
make up the deficiency in wisdom, but not
for voting purposes. Most voters believe
that opinions have much to do with the
question of who they shall vote for. They
want the government in all its details ad-
ministeIed by those of their political faith.
They vote, hoping to prevail. They would
as soon think Of voting for half of each
of the two electoral tickets as to vote
to have President give the same chance
to those against as to those belonging to his
party. These are vulgar facts, no doubt,
Mr.. Curtis, but they are to be considered,
for the reason that they are facts.'