New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-12-08
CJvfE RIGHTS AND CIVIL OFFICES.

CTVfL RIGHTS AND CIVIL OFFiCES
Some of our colored fellow citizens seem to
have fallen into little confusion OF mind with
respect TO their rights and privileges under
the new social conditions OF the country. a
meeting was held some weeks ago at Frank
fort. Kv to choose delegates to the National
Convention of Colored Men, which is to
meet in Washington tomorrow. The meet
ine passed a resolution to the effect that
the colored citizens of the State demand of
the Republican party a reasonable portion
" of Offices" rs a reward for their " suhseryi-
"encer TO the Administration. They threat
cned also to rebel if they were not better
taken care of, and they urged upon Congress
Civil Rights bill something like the measure
advocated with so much zeal and ability by
Senator Sumner Some of the demands Of this
meeting were undoubtedly fair. ColOred men
are entitled to much better treatment and
more equal consideration than is now shown
them. They have right to places in the
jury box. from which in some parts OF the
country they are practically excluded. They
have right TO the same advantages
of education which the common schools
give to white people. They are entitled to all
the rights of citizenship and to full political
equality, and to many other things which they
generally do not get and are not likely to get
until they manifest little more political in
dependence But no citizen, white or colOred,
has right" to demand office. Public en-
ployment ought to be allotted only to those
who are best fitted to perform it, 1t is
serious trust. to be held not for the personal
emolument of the official, but tor the service
of the community. When any class or faction
demands proportion OF the Offices as IT'S
nroper "share.n AS the reward to which it
is entitled for accepting platform or sustain
inc "A candidate, it reduces the business OF
government to Il mere distribution of plumber.
This il the system of spells which has done
more to corrupt our politics and debase our
politicians than any other agency; and we
never shall have complete reform in public
affairs until we learn to look upon 1t as dis
graceful to clamor for Office III payment for
party fidelity, and to bargain for patronage in
exchange for votes.
Ii is not only in Kentucky that the coored
men have been led into false position. In
Louisiana strong faction of the colorcd Re-
publicans has quarreled with Gov. Kellogg
over the distribution of Offices, and i'll many
other places there are loud complaints that the
claims of the emancpated race have been
ignored. We do not reprOach the colored
voters with their mistake, and we are GER
tainly not surprised at it. We have set them
the mischievous example. We have taught
them to regard politics az a matter OF bargain
and sale, and the civil service as III organiza-
ton for the payment of partisan obligations
A year and o half ago the President promised
in "a proclamation that the spells system should
be abolished and that for the future honesty
and efficiency, not political activity should
"dcteTmine the tenure OF office y but Is soon
as the next electoral campaign opened these
promises were blown to the winds. The
claims of active politicians 10 place and
patronage were invariably recognized by the
Administration. and with occasional faint
efforts to return to purer rule of conduct,
the same plan of distribution has been pur
sued ever since. LIN the nominating conven-
tons we have set our colored brother a similar
example; and only few weeks ago we were
RECALLED with the spectacle Of the regular Ad-
ministration caucus in this city wransling
over the "claims" of disrepuiablc Demo
cratic faction to judgeships of the Supreme
Court, and other important offices, as the price
of its adhesion to the Custom-housc party in
the November election.
If the Convention at Washington tomorrow
should make any such demand as the Frank
fort meeting tries to put into its mouth. it
will commit a great mistake. The people will
not sympathizc with claims which SAVIOR more
or less of political dickering and indicate a
clear want of public principle. Ii there is no
greater difference between the Republican and
the Democratic party than that one has Offices
to give and the other has not, the wisest course
for the cOlored men is to disavOw all connection,
as a body, with either of them, and vote in
all cases according to their individual cOnvic-
tons of duty. Until they divide their suf-
frages between the rival factions they can ex-
pect no special consideration from either.
When it is understood that they have ceased to
follow blindly every adventurer who calls him
self Republican, when they give a little more
serious thought to the general interests of the
communities of which they form a part, poll
ticians will be prompt enough to earn their
favor by something better than fine speeches
and promises. II the cOlored men had shown
keener comprehension of their own interests,
and little independence under the party
lash, the Administration majority in Congress
would not have ventured to throw out Mr..
Summers Civil Rights bill.