New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-04-25
OUR NATIONAL MYSTERY.


purpose which is sure to be sprung on us by
and-by will titllate the curiosity tantalHngly
until it is developed In one department OF
literature, at least, there is no success with
out coneealment What is a novel worth I'M
less its plot is skillfuly concealed" as the
critics sayi Dickens made one of his great
est successes by pretending to lot his mystery
accidentally appear, while the real secret OF
the story was artfully concealed until he was
ready to flash it on the reader from under the
simulated plot. What man Of mature years
does not remember the fearful joy which he
snatchcd from Mrs. Radcliffe's Mysteries Of
"Udolfo 2" Was any creeping horror equal to
that hair-lfting and spine-chlling stOry-dear
to the youth of thirty years ago" The
"Tbree Spaniards y Mystery all mystery.
We love 1t in literature and in life.
Is 1t wholly morbid curiosity which draws
together curious gazing crowd under the
windows of q house where strangely mys-
FERROUS murder has been cOmmittcdf 1t is
not altogether certain that the cOmmonest
incidents of every day life would be even
bearable if they did not leap on us out Of an
unfathOmable mystery of the unknown. Life
would be a burden if we knew just what
each day would bring forth. The unknown
is mysterious; and therefore it may be en-
dured if not desired. The famous humOrist
builded better than he knew Off we may be
allowed this somewhat worn fgure) when he
defended diet of dog. He claimed that the
canine banquet was only the commercial
sausage with the mystery removed. This was
touching the marrow of the whole subject.
The removal OF the mystery makes towards
of us all for this is crossing the line which
separates the fascination of doubt from tho
revolving brutality of fact. Man loves saul
sage; biz soul abhors all manner Of dog
meat. -N-.-.-t,-
Happy is the nation that hath its mystery
We have ours. 1t is the Civil Service. Now,
reformation of the Civil Service, good as it
may be. is purely a work of grace. 1t is not
of law. Neither the Constitution nor the Re-
vised Statutes compel any such act of regen-
GRAFTON. 1t is like the handfuls of coin which
medieval mobiles threw out among their fol-
lowers on grand heart-opening occasions. 1t
is largeSs. We, the people, take what we can
get of it, and are thankful. Like honest San
cbo, we do not look the gift-horse in the
mouth. or his own motion, our good Presi-
dent said, some time ago. "GO to, now; let
Gus reform the Civil Service Why he should
say so unless he really meant to do as much,
is great mystery. Elegant rules were accord
fngly prepared for the proposed reformation,
aud all went we'll The Philadelphia Conyen-
ton put Civil Service Reform into its plat
form z. in large letters. The party man
ayers %yere confident that the reform
was in excellent health and spirits.
Men whOtWere in Office were to stay there as
long as they were faithful, honest and capa-
He. When they resigned or died, which WA
to be only seldom, their places were TO be
filled by series of promotions arranged HE
"A flight of ascending steps. The only disbc-
levers were those who, like the statesman
from Essex Massachusetts,, held that Offices
were made for party rewards !; and those others
who gave the Administration no credit for
sincerity, To the lay mind it does seem that
the Civil Service Reform has fallen into small
pieces. II has, to quote poetic wrijer, melted
quite away, like struggling dream at break
of day. But it is insisted that Civit Service
is really and truly reformed. Here is. whole
Custom house turned inside out, i'll Baltimore,
without one word being said about tac prin
cipal lake ports or the reduction of vulgar
ffaetions yet it is solemnly ressserted
that the reform is moving on. United
States Marshal Sharpe IL made Surveyor Of the
Port of New York, and the expectant Deputy
Surveyors are nipped in the bud. Yet the
cause of Civil Service Reform prospers.. Mr..
Casey goes back to New-Orleans with Il new
feather in his cap and u four years extension
of his lease of the Custom-Eouse; and the
prospects of high moral tone being infused
into the Civil Service were never so r0seate.
Mr. Geo. VIM. Curtis, whose fine esthetic sense
of the eternal fitness of things was the hope
and stay of the promised reform, left the
Advisory Boar1; so did Mr.. Medill so did
everybody else. 1t was said that the President
aud these gentlemen could not agree as to how
far the reform should go. Then it was said
that they could agree; but the Presidentwanted
to use his reserved powers occasionally,
~ he did whsn he put U. S. Marshal Sharpe
ID the Surveyors Office and reappointed
Brether-in-law Casey and removed everybody
in the Baltimore Custom-house, to the great
grief of the heartiest advocate of Civil
Service Reform which Baltimore journalism
ever had.
These things puzzle us. Herein lies
great mystery. Now it is said that the
play is by no means played ont, and that the
President wants such modification of the
rules as will make promotions and appoint
ments possible only in the interest of the
Presidents party. So the Civil Service is not
TO DO reformed only the party is to be. 1t
needs it, Then it is said that two or three
eminent gentlemen are invited to take the
places made vacant in the Advisory Board by |
the departure of Mr.. Curtis and his associates |
But there is no satisfactory evidence that |
such appointments have been made. Mean |