Wilmington journal., 1876-08-11

The public mind will no longer ac-
cept shams. It has suffered enough
from illusions. An lnsincere policy
Increases distrusS. An unstable policy
increases uncertainty. The people need
to know that the government is NOV
ingain the direction of ultimate safety
and prosperity, and that it is doing so
IL rough prudent. ssfe and conserVa-
tive methods, which will Le sure to
ipflict 40 new sacrifice on the busiuess
OF the country. Then the inspiration
of new hope and we'll founded conf
dence will b. stem the restor ng pro-
cesseB of nature, and prosperity VII
begin to return.
The st. Louis Convention concludes
it's expression in regard TO the cnr-
rency by declaration of it's convic-
tions as to the prac.icai results of tt
system of preparations 1t demands. 1t
SAYS: "We believe snch n system. we'll
devised, and, above all, intrnsttsd TO
competent hands for execution, Greats
ing at no time an artificial scarcity OF
currency, and ut no tIm' alarming the
public mind into. n withdrawal OF that
vnsti-r machinery of credit BS which
ninety five per cent. of nll business
tran-actions are performcI-a system
open, public, and inspiring general
confidence would, from he day of its
adoption, bring Heating on its wings
to all our harassed Industries, set IN
motion the wheels Of commerce, manu-
factnr 8 aud the mechanic arts, restO} g
employment to labor, and renew in all
its natural sources the prosperity of
the people"
The government of the United
States, in my opinion, can advance to
resumption of specie payments on its
legal tender notes by gradual and safe
processes tending to relieve the pres
ent business distress. If charged by
the people with the administration of
the executive office, l should deem it
n duty SO to exercise the powers with
which it has been or may be invested
by Congress as best ANA f.oonest to
conduct the country to that beneficent
result.
CIVIL SERVICE REFORM.
The convention Justly at1irms that
Reform is necessary in the civil ser
vice, necessary to its publication,
necessary to its economy and it's effici-
ency, necessary in order that the ord:-
nary employment of the public busi-
ness may not be 'sa prize fought for at
the ballot box, brief reward of party
zeal instead of posts of honor assigned
for proved competency, and held for
fidelity in the public employ" The
convention wisely added that "keform
is necessary even more in the higher
grades of the public service. Presi-
dent, Vice-President, Judges, Sena-
tors, Representatives, Cabinet Officers,
these and all others in authority are
the peoples servants. Their offices
are not private perquisite; they are
public trust"
Two evils infest the official service
of the Federal government.
One lis the prevalent and demoraliZ
ing notion that the public service ex
lists not for the business and benefit of
the whole people, but for the interest
of the office-holders, who are in truth
but the servants of the people Under
the influence of this pernicious error
public employments have been multi"
piled; the numbers of those gathered
into the ranks of the office-k oldars
have been steadily increased beyond
any possible requirement of the public
business, W hile inefficiency, pecuiation,
fraud, and malversation of the public
funds, from the highest places of pow
er to the lowest. have overspread the
whole service like a lepiosy.
The other evil is the organization of
the official class into body of political
mercenaries, governing the cancuses
and debating the nominations of their
own party, and attempting to carry
the elections of the people by undue
influence, and by immense corruption
funds systematically collected from
the salaries or fees of office
holders. The official class in
other countries, sometimes by its own
weight and sometimes in alliance with
the army. has been able to rule the un-
organized masses even under universal
suffrage. Here it has already grown
into a gigantic power capable of
sitting the inspirations of a sound pub
lie opinion, and of resisting an easy
change of administration, until mis-.
government becomes intolerable, and
public spirit has been stung to the
pitch of a civic revolution.
The first step in reform is the eleva-
ton of tho standard oy which the APP
pointing power selects agents to exc
cute official trusts. Next in imports
ance is a conscientious fidelity in the
exercise of the untrustworthy or inca
terest in an honest, skiIlful perfor>
nance of official trust must not be
sacrificed to the usufruct of the in
cumbents.
After these immediate steps, which
will ensure the exhibition of better
examples, we may wisely go on to tho
abolition of unnecessary offices, and,
fiually, to the patient, careful organi-
zation of better civil service system,
under the tests, wherever practicable,
of proved competency and fidelity.
While much may be accomplished
by these methods, it might encourage
dellIsive expectations if [ withheld
here the expression of my conviction
that no reform Of the civil service in
this country will be complete and per
manent until its chief magistrate is
constitutionally disqualified for re-
election; experience having repeatedly
exposed the futility of seif-imposed
restrictions by candidates or incum-
hents. Through this solemnity only
can be effectually delivered from his
greatest temptation to misuse the
power and patronage with which the
Executive is necessarily charged.
CONCLUSION.
Educated in the belief that it is the
first duty of citizen of the republic
to take his fair allotment of care and
trouble in public affairs, I have, for
forty years, as private citizen, full
filed that duty. Though occupied in
an unusual degree during all that pc
riod with the concerns of governm ent.
I have never acquired the habit of
official life. When, a year and half
ago, L entered upon my present trust,
it was in order to consummate reforms
to which I had already devoted several
of the best years of my life. knowing
as 1 do, therefore, from fresh expe-
rience, how great the difference is be-
tween gliding through an official
routine and working out reform of
syst ems and policies. it is imposaihle