New-York tribune., 1877-03-10
CIVIL SERVICE REFORM.
LETTER FROM DR. PRENTISs.

| To the EdttOr Of The Trtbuns
| SIR: Our free institutions partake Of m.
weakness and evil tendencies that belong 20 human m
ture and. like all things temporal, exposed 70 ron
slant abuse and decay. This is plainly implied IN N.
manifold constitutions and legal checks and penaue.
which mark whole political sy stem No officer Of On.
GoyoSnment stands high that the law does not warn
him to take heed lest he fall Our Presidents member
OF Congress, and judges men of like passions with
rulers and legislators and judges IN monarchy or an
empire; and all other servants OF the State n .
old saying that the corruption Of the best Is tina
worst-coJTupto optmt pessima. No religious error 4,
terrible that which turns the Truth OF God into
lie and tie grace of God into leentousness No social
vice is so debasing that which poutes the mar
rage union; and the principle political evil,
are so yruent and degrading those which coms q,
the prostitution Of liberty. This is the lesson which bs
tory and philosophy teach with equal emphass Va
may boast loudly OF democratic freedom.
there is and only way Of preserving it unm
paired, viz by conforming in all things to the dlvno
laws OF social order and well being These laws arc as i'm
mtable that OF grayitaton there with them no TO-
spect of persons or of forms Of government and IL yo
lated they to say the least Of It, quite as sure 10
avenge themselves upon republican trans.ressors as
upon those of any other name. Civil freedom. then ike
individual freedom, be kept from abuse and decay
only by steadast obedience to the moral laws of the
world. But, Of course, the truely free nation "a
much easier and more natural will Ii find such obed
ence, just the wiser and better any f. so mneh
more likely will he he to his liberty Alright 10 A
people. to individual character Is OF unspeakabe
value protection against temptation wrong ten.
denotes. And f. in spite Of high character grave error
is committed we may fairly infer that the evil was r,
wrought by stealthy methods and unpcrceiyed
ORIGIN AND GROWTH OF ABUSES.
The point just made throws light ON the origin and
growth Of political abuses In states, remarks Burke,
there often obscure and almost latent ease
things which appear at first view OF little moment,
which very part Of their prosperity adversely
may essentially depend" Nowhere does human igno-
show itself more mpressiyey. In the best govern
mcnts it must needs be that oenses come; but nobody
fOretell exactly wheD how, by whom they will
Omniscence alone could provide for all the end
less contingencies and capnces OF sovereign power
whether welded by single or by many millions Of
o; thing however may feel absolutely suFe
wherever there is chance for an abuse ii will, in duo
time. maze it, appearance Democracy puts q
stop to the proper effects of human ignorance Oy and
sclfshness than to the changes of the the
tide. Constitutions and laws designed TO protect
society against these balcful influences; but in tie
nature OF the the object can be only mperfeety
secured For the of human Ignorance folly aad
selhshness Is always setting srOngyand in times OF
great public excitement and peril rushes medy ike
raging sea-agalnst the appointed barriers aud safe
guards OF social order. There has probably never been
movementeyen the most peaceful-in our history when
the fundamental law not or less violated beth
in the letter aud the spirit Even Holy Scripture, tho
great charter of religious faith and conduct but par
TALLY carried in practice il the best ordered Christian
community.
The genesis Of political abuses and corruption Is usually
this Some wrong principle inadvertently admitted
point of danger left uuguarded. in tho organic Law,
or eise vital mistake has been made in carrying Qua
or more OF IFS provisions, both tho original and the os-
laye having been perhaps the resut OF slight
casual majority. For o considerable period the EVIL
renains latent least attracts scarcely any notice;
but By and by it begins to take shape to show is real
character and to excite the alarm OF tOught citizens
Yet the law su5tans It it proves to be invaluable rs IN
instrument OF party discipline and advantage; ands
the alarm about Is decried laughed al 80 altogether
needless When ut last the eyes OF the community ae
fairly opened TO the mischief il is found to DC vast
political power. ntgenched in law and esablbhcd Gus
tom, supported by an army Of mereenares, and able to
bid defiance alike TO public opinion and the pubic
conscience.
PATROSAGE-ITS EXTENT AID POWER.
slavery and the slave power viii at occur as tAs
most impressive illustration IN our political annals.
Next and only next to slavery, % casc ia point IS
Executive patronage and upon that shall. chiefly dwell
In intrusting the power appointment the President
in conjunction with the Senate, the Convention OF l77
were evidently actuated by the spirit ci cousld9ras
and waichfl patriotism that governed all trir dcber
tions The possibility OF any very faant abuse oi 10
power seems hardly 10 have crossed their minds
And in defending this provision Of The Constitution, lie
Federas IS equally confident In respect to no subject
was the Judgment and foresight OF that great authority
more at fault This doubtless Owiae-in part, ~
leasto the circumstance that IN the opinion o lhe if
.aisl removal from Office also required the concurrent
action the Senate. 1.-THE consent oi that body Gays
Hamilton, No. IN would be necessary to dsp1ee % Seh
"a appoint change of the Chief Magistrate. therefore,
would not occasion so violent general revolution
,sissrs Government expected,
II he was the sole dispenser OF offices. Where mann
any station had given satisfactory evidence ot MS
fitness for II, a new President would be re-
strained from attempting change m favor ot person
more agreeable him, by the apprehension that the -
counensnce of the senate might Illustrate The ATTEMPT
and bring some decree OF dscrclit upon hms"t' Had
tht, construction prevailed the country would p.oa9p
have been spared large portion Of the eyi which have
re,ulted from Executive patronage. But unfortunately,
the arst Congress deeiledn the senate by The casting
vote OF the VccPrcsident-that the power oi removal
belonged exclusively to the President Tie msu"'"
WAS that IN extreme cases, suehe a., as the lsAhy"
aoondlng Of public officer the interests Of th Govern
ment IL absolutely necessary that the power
OF removal should DE exercised while the seraie Vas
no, in session. IL was conended that, "a ths ExecnNs
(and we must remember that Washington was t~h
Prosidentl would only use the power IN extfaotiihhy
exigencies, harm was likely to come oi u M
Madison who favored tine bill on the ground mehuoHsi,
did not hesitate 10 declare that. II President SHOWN
resort to the power except in extreme cases. and RON
me~c nersona motives he would deserve 10 b, ngoacneh
In other words he would by such action violate H'
solemn oath OF onlce.
The decision Of the Congress Of 1889 was almost etr
tanly wrong. Not a word u written IN the Con'u1uV"
about displacement from o.ico except IN ease OF Wv
peachuent Tie removing power Is either contained N
the appointing power IL s TO be- found IN tue cs"~
"Thc execatlyo power shall be vested In Presae' u
the United statcs.' But 10 derive Il from this m'
general statement description seems TO be eo''Hy
10 the spirit aud manner OF the whole instrument v.