New-York tribune., 1874-03-28

Service Ref?gm, but contrary to an express
understanding that the Senatorial question
should not be agitated till after the election
of the Legislature. The liveliness of Gov
ernment officer in a canvass i'll which the
fortunes of his political patron are at stake
bothers the honest advocates of Civil Service
Reform.
There are other puzzling features in the sit
uation. The success of the Administration
party means the reelection of Senator Buck
ingham. The position of that gentleman on
the subject of Civil Service Reform is illus
trated by the fact that in 1872 he was Chair
man of the Committee appointed to mvesti-
gate abuses in the New York Custom house.
and not only failed to discover anything wrong
in that institution, but in his report put III
gratuitOus defense of the system OF political
assessments, fppantly comparing it with
the plan of contributions by which the
Christian Church is sustained Moro sig
nifcant illustration Of his views on this
subject may be found in his action upon
the Simmons appointment. Mr.. Simmons
has political friends in Connecticut as well as
in Massachusetts, among whom are some OF
the special friends of Senator Buckingham.
Revenue, Chairman of the Republican State
Committee, and confidential friend of the Sen
atOr, is such friend of Mr.. Simmons that he
went to Washington and labored for his con-
frmation. That money was promised by the
Butler people for the Connecticut election is
suspected but not known. 1t is known, how
ever that Col Selden induced Senator Buck
ingham to withhold bis vote upon cOnfrma-
ton, though it was beyond dispute that the
sentiment of the whole party in the State WAS
profoundly hostile to SmmOns's appointment
and every other form of Butlerism.
The friends of Reform i'll Connecticut say
if Mr.. Buckingham had voted for Simmons
outright and defended his action on the ground
that he believed him an honest man and
faithful officer, 1t would have been manly and
square, and they would have respected him for
it, But they say he disclosed the quality of
his political character and the sincerity and
depth of his convictions when he simply did
not dare to vote for confirmation through fear
of public sentiment at home, but allowed Col.
Selden to trade off his silence for funds to be
used in the election. The Reformers find no
fault with Senator Buckingham except this, that
in time when the public service is hoDeycombed
with corruption and all sorts of breaches of
public trust and violations of law are de-
Tended by blatant partisanship; at time,
above all others, when Connecticut should be
represented in the Senate by man whose
honesty is positive and aggressive, who be-
leves in things and strikes out for them, who
is fearless and tireless. and has pluck, nerve,
brains, that at such time-he fails. His OPP
portunlties have gone by. bad lot of spec
ulating politicians have hid themselves under
his ample cloak, and he has never lifted
fold of it or said Shoe" to d mothers son of
them. Pomeroy, Harlan, Patterson, Carpenter
all of them-he has codded. A goodish
man-invertebrate.
Were he the only, or the most available
candidate, it would be different But there's
another factor IN the problem. Gen. Jos. Haw-
ley is Just the man which Buckingham is not,
and Butlerism is so strong in Connecticut to-
day that Gen. Hawley's friends do not dare
bring him forward for fear of defeating the
whole Administration ticket. In this state of
things, with the Buckingham dilution of But
lerism sure to control if the Administration
carries the State, what shall the friends of Re-
form dol