Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1877-10-30
The Civil Serv ce Order.

Attorney General Devens explains in
letter to Boston friend that the civil
service order of the President does not re-
auire government officials to refrain from
taking an active part in politics after the
nominations are made. This is very well
as far as it goes. but there are thousands
of government officials who are quietly
thinking that Mr.. Devens ought to have
gone farther and explained that the gov
eminent has no power or authority to con
troll the political action of its officials
either after or before the conventions and
caucuses of the party to which they be-
long have been held. The government
has no more right to control or attempt to
control the political action of its officials
than TO control the political action of any
other individuals who are legal voters and
entitled to take part in elections. There
is nothing in the constitution or laws OF
the country which requires the civil service
officials of the government in accepting
Office to part with any OF the political
rights which belonged to them As private
citizens. When the government requires
this IL exacis that which it has no right to
require. Its only power to enforce such
an order is the implied threat of dismissal
If the order is not compiled with, power
without warrant In law and as arrogant
and tyrannical as the order of corpora
ton manager that his employees shall take
no part in elections or vote only as he
votes. If it were understood that such an
order would be strictly enforced the char
acter of the civil service would wo-
fully deteriorate, for no person who
has any self respect or the spirit of man
would accept an Office under such degrad-
ing conditions that he could not hold up
his head as a man among men. and the
Offices would have to be filled with in
ferior men willing to wear before the pub
lie the sign of their voluntary degradation.
The order is unpopular and odious.
Every sensible man sees through its weak
ness. Few undertake to uphold it. The
President honestly intended to strike at
evils existing in the civil service, but the
remedy is far worse than the disease.
Those evils must be left TO be dealt with
by legitimate methods and principally by
an enlightened public sentiment.
Combinations of ofiiceholders have il
is true produced vast mischief, but In
intelligent communities active in the per-
Torrance of their political duties they are
perfect weakness. The Tweed Ring col
lapsed in day under the breath of pub
lie indignation. Wealth could not save
it. Its power was gigantic, but that OF
the people was greater and down went
the monster of iniquity. We can trust to
the same agent to correct evils in the civ
IL service under the national government.
We trust the explanation of Mr.. Devens
in relation to the civil service order fore
shadows the complete sweeping away of
its obnoxious features. The President has
nothing to lose and much to gain by hav-
ing it done. II has injured the admins
tration, and weaker the republican par
ty in every State. notwithstanding the la
bored attempts made by superserviceable
friends Of the President to bolster it up.
The excuses and explanations which have
already appeared in reference to the order
have greatly weakened whatever authori-
ty it had. It's end we believe and hope
is not far distant.