New-York tribune., 1877-08-04
CIVIL SERVICE REFORM.

XVI.
LETTER IRON GAIL HAMILTON.

pronounced step towards the enforcement oi Whal
he regards as reform in the Civil Service. lie ior-
bids any officer of the Federal Government taking
part in the management OF political organizations
caucuses, conventions or election campaigns lie
forbds any assessment 10 be made Tor poiilleai
purposes on Federal oiice-holders. The penalty Tor
cxerting any political influence is perempory dis
missal from Office.
This is nol the first time that Of this sort
have been attempted bat ] believe their success Is
vet in the future. 1t is significant OF the slight
hold il has taken upon the American mnd that this
order is to-day considered as novel, and ~ much an
innovation if il had not been made nearly forty
years ago by Daniel Webster when he was Secretary
OF State under President Harrison; order which he
enforced himself ten years later, when holding the
same position under President Fillmore by visiting
with his severest displeasure all Wings who refused
10 subscribe TO The compromise measures OF looo
That is, Mr. Webster aimed 10 secure the complete
independence of the oice-nOlders by making tnen
support policy against which their conscience pro
tested and their manhood rebelled Shall history
again repeat itaelf7 l cannot that the accept
ance and adoption of this principle would be cred-
table to the character profitable to tie interests
of the American people
Ii wonld be an undonbed and unmitigatcd evil
and scandal that every man appointed to Federal
Office should feel himself obliged 10 wear the iivery
and do the political drudcery OF the Administration
appointing him. No position can be more humiliat-
ing than this unless it be the attitude OF absolute
inacton and neutrality which this order PiescrlbeS
Tor the ofice-holder Why is il not just as offensive,
degrading and hunatng to tell man he holds
office on condition that be abstain from politics, as
that he holds il on condition that be take active
and noisy part III poitic,l Large business firms are
sometimes accused of attempting to influence the
Il of hair
heard such attempts pointed out for cmula,icn;
il is always for Il shame The Democratic head Of
manufactoIy who should undertake 20 tell his men
what meetings they should or should not attend ont
Of business hours would he held up to Republican
eXecration. do not see why the President has any
thing more to DO with the manner III which Office
holders spend their time outside of business hours
than the head Of any other business irm. II Is true
that be- like the dryeoods merchant OF the ordinary
housekecper engages the whole time OF his servants;
and in an emergency, like them, he commands their
whole time. But Is also true that nature requires
aud custom prescrbes only certain routine Of duty
within a limited and set time and outside Of that
the man belongs to himself alone. The President.
like any other master, has the legal power 10 dis
miss a man for any cause whatever; but has he the
moral right 10 dismiss him for anything but neglect
of his official dutyl especially for doing what every
American citizen has been taught TO consider one Of
his rst patriotic dudcs? If politics are to be di-
vorced from the Civil Service what has the President
to do with mans political work, provided he does
thoroughly the Civil Service hc was hired TO do?
For years it has been duned into ears thai ey-
cry good citizen should attend primaries and see 10
il that only good men put in nomination. Does
the officc-hoider cease to be citizen! Has he 10
duties 10 perform in the way Of selecting good men
and rejecting bad mcni Has ne no interest il the
integrity aud ability Of any office but hls own
Indeed. ihe case is far stronger than have put IT,
The President unlike the head OF business firm, is
With every other olice-holler down 10 the foot OF
the ladder, himself servant. 4 man who absa-
mtely owns factory has the right 10 prescribe
TIE terms which men may work in il; bat the
President has 10 such right with officers Of the Fed
cral Government. who are but his fcllcw-servants.
The law which is above President and Department
Clerks alike-the law whcl is the voice Of the pco-
pie in organic concrete orn is alone able to DO this.
utterly deny thai the President has any night to
prescribe or prohibit. outside the requirements OF
the law. lie is TO execute not 90 make the law
One of the grandest and best Of the old Revolution
ary declarations in New England was that the Colo
nists made their resistance to the end that may
have Government of laws and not a
Government Of men" | maintain that the
order Of President Hayes is directly in
J the teeth Of the letter. and still more of
the spirit Of that declaration. The President is i'll
deed clothed by the Constitution with the power Of
appointment and iufeTcntiaiiy, with the power Of
removal but this great power is TO be exercised with
discretion a, well a. with conscientious fidelity; and
here. in this very power, lies tho beginning, If not
the ending of Civil Service Reform. Give good
appontments for all offices, and Civil Service Reform
is IN q fair way 10 become accomplished fact.
But if this great power of removal is to hang any
al VIII Is n he hell
the heads of oice-holdcrs with the threat from the
White House that it shall fall any who exer-
cises right and performs duty common to all
American citizens II seems TO me abuse which
puts the President into the position of an absolute
monarch and clothes him with the power Of laying
upon persons holding office conditions not required
by law. IN conflict with their rights citizens, de-
ro.alory to their independence rs men.
When man enters office, he takes a certain pre-
scrlbed oath as 10 his loyalty, his obedience to the
Constitution and laws OF the Cuited States. his
solemn promise 10 perform his duties well nd faith
fullv auG if the office involves of public money
and otler property bond is also given addition
al security 20 the Government, II tho man be
faithful in any one OF these respects it is She solemn
duty of the President, charged he is With the
ecution Of the laws to remove him. But ! say again,
and apparently il cannot he said too often that the
President has 40 more right than Mr. Hayes Of Ohio
10 add condition not required 10y law; 10 more
right than he has 10 abrogate that is required
hy law. II he believes that additional require
ments should be made, or additional prOhibi-
tions laid upon oiiicc-hOlders, IL Is bis duty to
recommend a law to tiiat effect when he cOmuUni-
cafes with Congress. If Congress be antagoui-tic
or apathctic the only thing that remains is 10 labor
with The people till they elect Congress that Is
D. .f.,t Il. l.r, Z Z,