Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1873-07-02
CganT;Sm.
IAtianria Monthly. R.dicul !

tAtlnlt!a hoalEly, Rsd!cHi.l
Civil service reform is merely q
piece of machinery for giving sober.
industrious, and thorough people the
power and influence of which they
have become, by force of tircums:au-
ces,. deprived. The essence of it is.
after all, not the adoptinn OF series
OF rules for the examination of car,ii-
dates for Treasury clcrkship, but Il
real devotion on The part of The
reforming power 10 those virtues We
ilavc named, q profound belief in he
necessity OF c!eva;ing the tone of the
Government 4; i'll short, a.little of that
sacred "paSsiun Of perfection" which
leads men in troubled times 10 sacri-
flee TO the general good their selfish
appctites and love of case. Without
this spirit. there can be 10 life ia the
rules. Gen. Grant, however, llus
never given the public any reason to
believe that he is possessed by this
spirit, willie lie has given a thousand
reasons for believing that lie is not.
Il is true that. if we 20 back to the
opening of his first administration,
we find him announcing his deter
minGlOn 10 turn the cold shoulder
10 the politicians, and make his ap-
poliitMents without regard to any
other claims than those of fitness.
We have no doubt he was sincere in
his professions, for he did nominate
Il Cabinet, selected with q view TO
what he considered fitness, and in do
ing SO declared war upon the politi-
claus, as lie had promised. But it
proved a blooGless cS.ntest. lie grew
very tired of it. lie was fona OF
popularity and ease. and in a few
months trace was declared. From
that tiric 10 this he has not troubled
himself about the matter. lie has
allowed "thc machine" to be worked
by the old crew for their own profit,
quite content himself if they will
work it without pestering him with
questions for which he has by nature
and education no disposition 10 deal.
Ii would not be diiiicult TO select
from tia principal acts of Gen.
Grants administration those III which
he himself took lively interest, for,
when he does take lively Interest IN
anything, he. is al:t 10 make his friends
and supporters, as well as his cne-
mics, understand the fact. lie did
take lively interest in the auncXa-
tIDH Oh iSai:lo tIpiniHSO. MS WtS
evident enough, both from his mes
Sagcs aud from the urgency with
which hc hall! publicly inpogtuned
membeis OF Congress. lie took a
warm Interest in the Indian peace
policy. He has showed persistent
determination to keep his brothcr-in-
law Casey in the Louisiana custom
house, and TO support his government
of Louisiana by force of arms il
necessary. lie las also wished, in an
evident butuninteiligent sort OF way.
TO reduce taxation, to pay off the ma
tionai debt and TO get the currency
into sound condition; we say unin.
tclligent, because he has never pre-
tended to haye any definite ideas OH
economical subjects, except some
antique exploded failacies Whicl, ean
hardly be supposed to furnish the
grounds for his practical %eromnlcn.
dations, SO long as we have the mucl
more plausible explanation that ht
has allowed his Secretary of .,,
Treasury to DRIFT him into polio.
of which he neither understands tho
virtues nor the defects.