National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-05-04


vacancies On the Tape ocacsfu b asks thst bland
and benignant oficisl 90 we'll .verssd in-saytnG
"Nor In the most delightful manner. ~Ths'
Tape Onicef IN 90, says he. II think there's
going to be competition for . junior clsrkshipin
. few days. I'll let you know" Nsxt day comes
. letter to nominats young Mr.. jenkins, from
Grampound 20 compete for the once. There are
twenty other candidates.. Perhaps poor jenkins
doesn't get H. bat that ID not hin members FAULT;
he has done his best. -ss
Although all candidates for. the civil service
must pass an elimination In reading, writing and
arithmetic, 70 rests with the head OF cash depart
mont to say whether the exAminAtion shall be
competitive, and what further subjects than these
shall be required. Some heads Of departments.
mot believing In highly accomplished clerks; hsve
steadily declined TO raise the standard Of examl-
nation for their ofices. q,
The majority Of the clerks In the best class OF
Government ofaces are quiet, gentiemaniiks.
rather indolent men. who take life easily, grumbie
good deal ~ their eondition-which, for the
most part u that for which they are best
suited-danos 1t baiis and parties and live
in lodgings about St James until they are
thirty. when they usually marry, migrate TO less
fashionable quarters and sink almost entirely
out Of the me society Of their bachelor days; for
although the great Lady Rabadub Il very glad TO
soc young Mr.. Piantagenet Montressor, Of the
and 10 have him In readiness 70 call her carriage
and take her down to supper, she really cannot
keep up the acquaintance when he marriss and
goes to rear an impecunious brood In, poky
house In the depths Of Beigravia or the xilds Of
Tyburnia. -
The permanent under Secretaries, almost always
very able mon, are seldom bred In the OWL ser.
vice, but, like the late Mr.. Herman Merivsle, or
Mr.. r. q. W. Herbert, Of the Colonial Once, are
persons Of very superior, callbre, taken Into the
service ct mature period Of life for <heir special
qualifications.
The occupation which can best be carried on in
conjunction with cvi service app6intments is lite
rary work and many arc successful In this respect.
Sir Henry Tayier, author OF "Phiiip Van Arte-
velde," q o clerk in the Colonial Once; Sir
Arthur Helps q clerk Of the Privy Council, Mr..
Herman Meriyale was under secretary for India,
Mr.. Henry Reeve, editor OF the Edinburgh, 10
register OF the Privy Council, and to these may
be added Mr.. Tom Taylor, Mr.. Gates and Mr..
Anthony Trollope, who. now retired, were long in
public departments, and Q host Of lesser lights.
4 The great reason OF the English civil service
being, with ell its drudgery and small emolu-
ments ss highly valued Is It Is, lies in the GER
tainty 1t affords Of moderately comfortable pro-
vision for life. Except for the gravest misconduct,
no employee Is ever dismissed. The act Of 1858,
which created the Probate Court, whilst vesting
its patronage In the Judge, did not empower him
TO dismiss clerk without the sanction Of the
Lord Chancellor. For clerk In any department
to lose his appointment In consequence Of
change Of administration Is o thing absolutely
unknown. REGINALD WYNPoSp'