, 1876-06-19

party, Will such mon rs lAFE4 anu WHEELER
to lead II. .-
HOPE FOR clv1l-sERv1CE REFORM.
There is ono pink In thc Cincinnati plat
form to which wo have not yot had occasion
To draw particular attention, but which Ia ono
Of tho most Important, practical, md hopeful
utternnces Of tho Nationnl Republican Con-
yenton. We refer to the following:
6. Under the Constitution, the President and
heads Of departments to make nominations for
Office, the Senate IL 10 advse and to consent to Rp.
pointments, ami the uonsn OF Representatives is to
aecusc md prosecute fatthicss officers. The best
interests Of thu public service denland that those
distinctions be respected; thAt senators md lsep-
rcscntatlvcs. who may bo Judges and accusorp,
ehonld not dtctato appointments to ofllcc. Tho ILL.,
variable rule for appointments should have refer.
cncc TO tho honesty, fidelity, anil capacity Of The
appointcc, giving to tho party In power those paccs
wlcro harmony AMI viEor Of administration re-
9ui1cs tA policy to DO represented, but permitting
all others to bu ed by persons selected with sole
reference to tho efficiency Of tho public scrvcc.
anu the right Of all citizens to share in the honor Of
rendering faithful scrylcc to their country.
This is 10 empty pro Jo,7qa enuncintion Of
tho general principles Of Ciyil-servico Re.
form. 1t iB positive and practical nban-
donlnent Of tho spoils system. 1t opposed
somo Of tho most active machine mon of the
Congressional circos who were in the Con-
yention, aud it might hnye proved meaning
less had thcy bcou succcssMl in forcing their
candidate upon tho Convention Az it is, its
direct and practical declaration for REFORM
ing the public service by discountenancing
and discontinsling the rcrricious prnctice Of
favoritis1n and personal tlevotcoisu as a rulo
for appointments promises real reform,
An instance, strongly in point, which
illustrates just whit tho above resolution
pledges the Republican party to avoid in the
future, occurred not long ailce in the case
of ono of tho Federal of1lcea in Chicago
vacated by death. Tho gentleman whom the
President appointed, at tho inBtance Of tic
head Of tho department, WINS sonoof the leading
citizens Of Chicago, man Of unimpeachablo
integrity, OF strong character, asad peculiarly
we'll suited for tho position md duties; to
which be had. been Unsigned by the proper
appointing power. But here Congressional
Interference WIZ asserted. 4 senntor Of tho
United States, without being nble to urge
tho smallest objection to tho gontlemnn
whom, the President had selected, took tho
ground that tho appointment should not bo
confirmed because le {tho 4enator) lind MI
ether candidate OH whom hu desired to be-
stow tho place. Whom there WIS protest
ngairst this Senator's assumption Of tho np-
pointing power ho declared TINT 1t WAS sim.
ply d question whethor ho had any elisposi-
ton Of tho patronage Of Illinois, and TINT he
would stand or fall by it, It became evident
that the Senate would refuse to confirm, be-
canso other Senators lid not know how soon
they might want to WELD n similar influence,
and 10 the nomination was withdrawn. This
Senatorial aictation was MI outrage, md it
| ,saa weakness in tho President to yield to
it. It was IN undisguisea invasion Of tho
constitutional rights Of the President, which,
though frequently put in practice, has been
rarely asserted 10 tatly md sustained so
boldly.
Tho resolution wo havo quoted could not
cover the caso more completely If it had
been written for that purpose. It defines
clearly md iuteilgontly tho proper eliBtri-
button OF tho Governmental functions in
regard to tho civil sorvieo among the Exeo,,-
tive and tho two branches OF Congress, and
| it declares pointedly and empl,atically tint
| this division must be recognized aud mai,s-
taincd. 1t goes oven further thnn this.
While it properly holds that, where tho
Gutiea aro intimately connected with tho
policy Of tile party, mon should be chosen
who aro loyal to ita principles, it advises
thnt in all other cases, tho selection be
mt,tlo "with sole reference to the efficiency
Of tho public service, md tho right Of all
citizens to shAre in tho honor Of rendering
faithful service to their country" Those
citizens who laya interested themselves il,
tho CAUSE OF Civil.Scrvjce llcform could
scarcely NIX n moro intelligent aud unequivo.
cal enunciation Of their principles, aud the
nomination Of man like HAYES gives the
declaration the forco Of gonuinouess mud
earnestnosa.