Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1872-12-21

!
ent with and Tepugnant to republican form
of government, the Fundamental principles OF
which place all the offices Of the Government
within the reach of all its citizens. Inc az
tempt to close the doors and avenues which
| lead 70 civil service appointments agains;
/ ninety nine ont of every hundred electors
will certainly and signally fail. 10 give the
! idea expression in another form, any attempt
TO create privileged class or TO build up an
office holding aristoeracy will prove discred-
itablv abortye During the first thirty or
forty years, after the inauguration of school
At West Point for the education of young
men who were to become the officers Of our
regular army, that institution excited strong
popular jealousy in and out of Congress. On
several occasions the House OF Representa-"
tives all but refused the annual West Point
appropriation. Indeed, but for the opportune
occurrence of the Mexican war, where the
value of military education was so triumph
antly indicated, the school in which Grant
and Sherman, Thomas, Sheridan, &C.. were
educated might have ceased to exist. But
what is indispensable to the army and navy
is quite unnecessary to the ''civil service of
the Government. The programme now at
tempted to be carried out is scarcely less ab-
surd than one which should render all cti-
zens ineligible for s'civil service" who had not
ing is better known than that a large per cent
age of the graduates of colleges is TO be found
among the drones and imbeciles of society.
No stronger illustration of the faulty Of the
''civi service reform is needed than the fact
that neither the late Dean Richmond nor
Commodore Vanderbilt could pass an examina-
ton for n subordinate office in the Custom
House.
If all the people have not the right TO CON-
pete for the konors and emoiuments Of office.
Republican institutions are sham and
fraud. The Senators and journals that have
howled longest and loudest in favor of "civil
service reform would be the last to adopt i.
if they had obtained power. Indeed no man,
when he comes practically to deal with the
question, can fail to discover the impossibility
OF adheripg to it. The great burden of the
cry against President Grant was that he had
filled the "civil service" with incompetent
and dishonest men. And yet the effect OF
now applying this ''civil service" doctrine
will be to keep all the unworthy incumbents
in Office for an inde2Aite period. 1t converts
the departments at Washington, the custom
houses and post offices in our large cities into
close corporations. When a vacancy occurs
in an important office the President, Instead
of being able to cast his eye over the Union
to find the most capable and deserving man,
many instances this would work well enough,
for it is not unfrequen.ly the case that sub
ordinate, by long experience and well tried
integrity, is entitled to promotion. have
often in such cases urged the appointment of
subordinates to fill vacancies occasioned by
the death or resignation of heads of depart
ments. prevailed upon President Lincoln,
through the late Secretary Seward, TO appoint
the late VIM. Il. TAYLOR Postmaster in this
city, on the grounds that he had served faith
fully and honestly as clerk and assistant for
twenty-five years, was capable, and although
not an active politician, had always voted the
wing and republican ticket. When the late
Preston King died urged the appointment
Of his deputy, Nr. Clnch, as Collector, be-
cause, having creditably discharged most of
the duties under half a dozen administrations,
knew that his appointment would be accept
able to our merchants. And for kindred
reasons, again. when Gen. Dix resigned the
Naval Office, | urged the appointment Of
his capable and meriiorions deputy, Mr..
Franklin. These, however, are exceptional
cases. As a rule, it cannot and will not work.
If the ''ciyil service" doctrine had prevailed
at the close Of the rebellion what would have
been the fate Of several thousand wounded
Union soldiers, who in reward fer their pat.
riotism and gallantry, are now usetuiiv en-
ployed in our custom houses and post offices:
President Grant was enabled to dispose sat,
isfactorny of the first "civil service" question
arising since his reelection, in obedience 10
the new policy and against the politicians,
merchants, bankers, &c., OF Philadelphia,
simply because the deputy whom he appointrd
postmaster, was gentleman OF acknow lodged
ability and integrity, whose personal claims
and fitness were generally recognized; but
he viii very sonn encounter obstacles that will
render obedience to the ''ciyil service" regu-
laton quite impossible. For example 1T is
gensrally understood that Secretary Fish will
retire from the State Department on the It'll
of March. If the President is to be bound by
''civil service reform" Secretary Fish's sue
cessor will be Mr.. Hunter, the very capable
and meritorious chief clerk Of the depart
ment, who has discharged these duties for
more than forty years. Nor does the rule
rest here; for President Grants successor,
in framing a Cabinet, will be limited in his
selection TO the subordinates in the different
departments OF the Federal Government. If
the ''ciyil service reform" should be estab-
lished as a result Of the Presidential election
of 1872, may we not fairly assume the Pro-
crustcan philosophy as the rule by which to
determine the qualifications for "civil service"
in 1876? And the sooner these facts are COM
pretended by Congress, by heads Of depart
mentS ana the IreSluent HlinSeii, the easier IL
will be to return TO a common sense view Of
their duties and responsibilities. 1t is the
habit and fashion of our time to deride the
doctrine Of rotation in Office, - and yet there
is no sounder principle applicable to the ques
ton. Why, If the fathers of our country and
the trainers Of its Constitution did not intend
to establish the principle of "rotation in
Office were the terms Of President and Vice
President fixed at four years, and that of
member of Congress at two years. But eve
ry rule has its limitations. Very competent
and faithful public officers should not be
lightly removed, while the terms of incompe-
tent and unworthy incumhents cannot be rem
dered too brief.
The rule laid down by Mr.. Jefferson regu-
lating 'civil service" appointments, was, af-
ter ALL the golden one. The question lie
asked was, sis he honest, capable and faith
ful to the constitutional Neither time nor
experience furnishes any better test than this
No system or policy which practically and ar
bitrarily excludes nine-tenths or four-ftths of
American electors from fair, open and equal
competition for the civil service of the gov
eminent can be put into practice. Nor if it
were possible to do so, would it work well.