, 1873-04-07

s. MA. VUhIl6' hE3lGNAIluN.'.
Tho protenao Of reforming tho Civil Service
has boon abandoned altogether by tho Adrninis-
tration. Whilo tha has boon evident for Bono
timo to those who have observed tho nomina-
tions n,adc by Con. Grant, tho resignation OF
Mr. George William Curtis as member Of tho
Advisory Doard Of tho Civil Service must bring
It within tho comprehension Of tho most loyal
partisnns. Whom the first report Of Mr.. Curtis
resignation became public, it was announced
from Washington, In somi-of1icial fashion, tint
ho had resigned on account OF poor hoalth. The
explanation was Immediately pronounced false
by tho New York Euening Post, on tho authority
Of hIr. Curtis himsolf. and now comes tho toxt
Of tho letter Of resignation, which contains q
blunt statement Of tho roason nlr. Curtis has
withdrawn. Tho lottor is ~ follows:
West NEW Dn1auroN, N. T., March 49,
AlY DEAR S1rt I: Aa tho circumstances under which
sovcrRl important appointments haye been recently
nade to 1uo to alow abandonmont both Of tho
Bprit and tho letter Of tho Civil Service regulations
respectfully resign my position . member Of the
Advisory board Of tho Civil Service. In doing beg
to you Of my warest Wishes and Of the contin
anco Of my most earnest efforts for tho aucccas Of
your Administration. Very respectfully and truly
yours, dEonuE WILLIAM QuRr1s.
Hk E1celency tho President.
A1r. Curtis Inns resigned In Justice to lli1nsolf,
md, at tho samo time, in sheer despair. It was
his efforts more thnn those Of any othor indiyid-
ual which led to tho creation OF this Board,
and It was for tho purpose Of retaining him md
othors like him, who beloved in tho necessity
for reforming tho Civil Service within tho Ro-
publican party, TINT tho Philadelphia Convention
introduced resolution into its platform Which
committed tho purity and the preaont Administra-
tion to this reform. Tho Pledge Of tho party in
its convention, tho Pledge Of President Grant in
his various messages, the pledge Of tho Admin
istratiou press, and tho Pledge Of hlr. George
William Curtis and His fellow-membors OF the
Board, that tho Civil soryico should bo reformed
according to tho rulos that had boon
adopted, hayo all been diarogardod, and Mr
Curtis finds himself forced to retire with tho
mortifying confession that "both tho spirit and
tho letter Of tho Civil Service regulations have
boon abandonod." 1t is with dolef1l sort Of
lamont that he concludes Ills pointed epist1o to
the President with assurances Of "tho warmost
wishos' and tho continuance Of his "most cur
most efforts" for the succcBH Of tho AdminiHtra-
tion. 1t is perfectly evident TINT Mr.. Curtis
looks upon 1t as /. forlorn hope.
Con. Grants first appointments after tue
election indicated TINT ho intended to fulfill the
plodgo to reform the Civil se.yico, and to bo
governed by tile regulations TINT Ind boon laid
down and approved by him. Tho appointment
OF the Deputy-poBtmaater at Philadelphia in
accordance with tho. rule Of promotion,
and in spite Of tho efforts Of Senator
Cameron, Gov. Hartranft, and other Ponn-
sylyania politicians to secure tho place for
ono Of thor number, WIS regarded Us signal of
hope tint tho President had turned over q now
Loaf, and proposed to mako tho virtues of his
second Administration compensate for tho orrors
Of the first. This appointment was received
with expressions OF aatisfaption by tho indernnt1
Ont prose-, auu IL pu.l4leu uut as 1lt rebuko
to Cameron and Lis tribe, 1t was not long, how
ovor, before tho resignation Of postmascr Eant-
man, Of Chicago, offered another OCCASION for
tosting tho gouuinonoas Of President Grants
new policy. Tho Deputy at this point Wasknown
to be ono OF tic most eillciont mud capable
mon in the service. 1Io was entitled to
the place when Mr.. Eastman rosignod
by the Hamo rules that led to tho
promotion Of tho Philadelphia Deputy. Con.
Grant ollogo to ignore them In this case, md
made q political appointment, which has rosultcd
in tho dismissal of many of tho bent mon in tho
Ohlcago Post onlco, aud filling their placca with
politicians. Tho breach OF lnloa In tho caso Of
tho Chicago poHt-Onico lod to inquiries in re-
gard to tho observance Of tho rules at philatle!-
phla, and it was discovered that the Deputy
Postmaster thore was promoted simply
because ho was momber Of tho
"Qrant clique" Of Philadelphia, and 4
personal frlond OF tho President. It bo-
camo evident at this point that tho President
proposed to observe tho Civil Service rules
whore they suited Ills convenience, and ignore
thom whore they did not. Another e1oam of
hops waa offorod when the ordor WINS issuod that
stato aud municipal oftlcors could not hold Ted
eral Offices Mt tho sanao timo. But, ln its immo-
diato application to Louisiana, 1t waa found that
this order would require 10 many membera Of