Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1876-06-14
The Cincinnati Convention.

der any circumstance BY the time this
reaches our readers the nomination will
have been made and the people will be at
liberty to ratify or rcpudiate it. Butwe are
confident that the nomination must be a
strong one must consult the more intelligent
and independent voters, in order to It's sue
cess. 1t win not be wise to despise that large
minority in the party who complain Of yield
ing their judgments to the clamors Of par
tsanship, and who want an honest civil SER
vice reform.
There will be a large class at Cincinnati
who are for the party first and last.
"The party is their political church in
which they were sprinkled or immersed,
and all its ideas and traditions are deeply
planted and rooted in their minds. To go
against the party" or to question its wis
DOM It's righteousness, It's eternal necessity,
would be equivalent to heresy. schism aud
rebellion. Without doubt there will be a
large share of these extreme partisans at
Cincinnati Then there will be a little army
Of politicians, who love and use the party"
as the wolf loves and uses the lamb. They
ring the changes on party ideas, and yociier-
ate its watchwords and clamor for its tradi-
tions, not because they care anything for it,
or believe in its platforms, or respect It's
creed, but because it is convenient instru-
ment by which to secure personal ambitions.
The politician is the end, and "the party
is the means. There will be a good many Of
this precious class at the convention. They
have been fixing matters at Washington,
and in the chief places Of political concourse,
for a year or two past. They have the con
scious right to determine the course Of
American politics and destiny To this end
they were born, and for this they live. "rhe
party" is the machine, and they are the en-
gineers aud fremen and conductors. They
run it in their own interests. Hence the
partisans who are deaf, dumb and blind
who have no will or intelligence Of their
own; who do as they are bid in order to save
their political church from being swampod
by competition or overthrow by violence,
are the obedient tools of the politicians.
And the partisans and the politicians make
up a fair share, If not majority, Of the
convention.
A third class, not so numerous as both of
the above classes, perhaps not so numerous
rs either, will also be there. IT is the clear
headed, independent class, who are dissat-
isfed with the drift Of things at the present
who want more honesty in public admins
tration, and who are determined 10 inau-
gurate and accomplish a reform of the civil
service. The civil service of this govern
ment has come to be the most corrupt and
rotten of any nation. The old watchw ord,
"To the victors belong the spoils," has come
to be the law of party and the rule of polit
ical administration. 1t has made office the
reward of partisanship, and the treasury the
prize Of politicians Under this principle
the civil service has come to be a system Of
spoils, policy of brigandage, a theater of
peculation, rapine and fraud. Money is con
stantly used both to retain and TO purchase
Office The leading politicians have become
the dispensers of public patronage. With a
new President there comes a cloud Of parti-
san retaners who are to be remunerated for
their services by their political chiefs
Every clerk, every inspector, every post
master--in fact, each one Of the great army
of officials, stands with his head under the
guillotine. Long, able, faithful service is no
protection and no security. The new chief
and his satellites have their henchnen to re-
ward and their enemies to punish. Itmakes
no difference whether the new President is
of the same party or not. The rival leaders
Of the party have no mercy for the re-
tainers OF their competitors. From the high
est diplomatist to the lowest tide-water a
change Of administration means danger.
The most conspicuous abilities are no title
TO a continuance in office. The most sig
nal fidelity furnishes no guarantee against
removal.
Because of this form of civil service the
highest ability has retired from the field of
political service. Men of capacity and trust
will not submit themselves 10 a service where
award with incompetence and dishonesty
The corps of public officials has been losing
in character and moral quality by reason of
this fatal principle Of our civil service. There
are, 1t is true, many honest and capable men
in government employ, but for the most part
the minor civil offices are bought by unscru-
pulous partisans whose only recommendation
is their partisanship, and the higher govern
ment offices are bought by ambitious delna-
gogues and audacious Adventures. The
scum Of the nation has risen to the top. The
departments of government and the halls of
Congress are filed with men who make a
trade OF power and barter official influ-
ence and personal honor for stocks, bonds
and cash.
This state OF things has come to be notice
able over the world. II causes patriotic men
to hang their heads when travelling abroad.
II makes honest and intelligent Americans
ashamed Of their government, And It has
come to be so bad, for it is confined to no
party in politics, that it is producing reac-
ton among the thoughtful electors of the
country. And this class of thoughtful, patri-
otto, sincere men will be largely represented
at Cincinnati. They are not much used to
practical politics. They may be outgeneral-
led and defeated in respect 10 the nomina-
ton. But their presence there will be health
full. If they should become positive factor
in the deliberation and result, it would be
happy omen for the country. For the re-
form of the civil service lies at the very bot
tom Of our national necessities,
Probably the nomination and election of
no man, however wise aud pure and capable.
can fully effect this reform. But it will be
long step toward it il man can be nom.
mated in its interest. We need a President
who shall not measure his duties by the dis
tribution of political gifts and offices We
need one whose foot will be firmly set against
the bestowment Of office as the reward of
political service who will attend to a higher
and grander work than the running of the
party machine; who will remove only the
unworthy officials and retain and promote
the worthy who will not inaugurate his
reign by setting up the guillotine in every