New-York tribune., 1877-03-10
CIVIL SERVICE REFORM.
Cont;uncd from Fourth Page, bly, sheet.

+,rn For in THIS system are consolidated some Of
~ orst vices both democratic and despotic govern
o,s While marked by the intense selfShness, party
disregard of tho rights of the minority, vulgar
,acism and prescription for opinions sake which are
Of democracy 1t is marked none the less by the
,a,,on Of uower and man-wOrship, the craven. fawn
80 fonper the spirit OF intrigue, suspcion and eaunny
snSre which belong TO deSpotsm. AS the very name
mrts us whole auimus is that OF an army OF soldiers
Trging themselves with the spoils OF victory Inc con
etien is as false as IL is infamous and degrading Pnb
Nc Office not pundeT 1t rs solemn trust ana oO1h ne
have the public good first and chiefly IN view
This to DC s"S rcss sNS morality; but it Is the
rincine by which Washington and all the earlier fres
dents were ne rucpe fo Sch every Presdents
sh of office SOemDly binds hu There can De no DOUBT
IN appointing public Office on merely partisan or per
sona grounds as he would III connlVnS at open delaea
,,cDS and frauds upon the Government The Consttu
non it does not say in SO many words that the
psient shall nominate men To office with primary ana
slmance Of duties. That, however, clearly I'M
ned that why the appointing power is vested IN MN
vsen the public offices of the country are gigantic
Marty monopoy no man is entitled TO one except on
one unless ~ bears the party name puts on the part
eoar and yields implicit obedience TO the eehests OF
49, leaders 1t is nothing else III word than vast
ppsrty ring" OF which the President Is Head Center
members Of Congress the directorsln-ohiei and pot
irs IN trade the local managers Ii is inspired aud Ss
famed by three grand motiVes-paity interest pers0na
ambition and pecuniary reward One class desire piece
for
nty of personal distinction; far larger class desire
place for the sake Of me eonnen's %e E %10ie
II row 50 years since the same party mas had
control OF The Government that the younger generation
cs, hardly conceive OF the attending an entire
Change OF administration. For months after ms ihusu
raon Presidents name is mixed up win All the sno-
no king cnques OF his party throughout the
Union; the telegraph is largely occupied M reporting
heen removed appointed; Washington City Is invaded
nv huge army of Oceseekers, flushed Win tne sense
~ tbir patriotic services pushing their clams, fawn
lllX
fling t6e life Of the Chief Magistrate ny helr
tics II is a spectacle most pitiabe and Degrading TO the
manners morals, aud whole manhood OF the nation
GROWTH OF THE SYSTEM.
There are four stages in the growth Of the spois sys
tom that deserve to dc distinctly noted.
ta) The decision of the Congress Of 1879 conccdng to
te President alone the power OF removal THIS was the
first fatal STEP the rotoS DSeudos OF the system; but 1t
was only latent germ germ that required for its fu
deyeonent political atmosphere ana order OF senti
oeut very different from those which marked the age OF
5i Tne iour years law of 1920. Until then the ten
ure OF Office virtually during the faithful perform
10 lime By the law Of $50 every commission was TO
run four years and then lapse unless renewed Inc
design OF tie law was meet the of certain ds-
buTslng officers and mold them to asrleeI aecountay
By the necessity Of having their COMMISSIONS renewed at
t end OF four years. The bill seems 10 nave c
cited little notice OF opposition To nave Deen passed III
fact almost Sitb senO. But Mr.. Calhoun, then Secie-
taI of War; when he heard of its passage remarked 10
friend that the law one OF the most dangerous
over nsssed ana that II would work great revolution"
his prediction has been fulfilled 10 the letter AS the
a Won't into oncration in 1870 its dangerous charac
ter could not appear until lo yeIs aieT Hs q i@T
accession TO the Presidency IN ls29 lhcl us power oi
mischief instrument of personal ana party revenge
and ambition was suddenly revealed in manner TO
starc the hole nation. In 1896, the second year OF
Johu Quincy Adamss administration, the subject of Ex-
ecutiVc Patronage attracted much attention, ana an
elaborate report upon it was made 10 the oehle Dy
comnittoe, OF which Col Benton was chairman. That
WoIr RerIlIlican Nathaniel Macon OF North Carolina
Mr.. Vau BureD, afteTwHrd PRESIDENT; Mr nayne oi
South Carolina. Mr. White OF Tennessee and Col J0hu-
son OF Kentucky aftCrward Vice President We're mem
6ers of this committee. their report the possible evils
skiil n read in View OF the act thai Mr.. Adams dis
missed officers during his term, and especaly
in view al what followed under the next Administration,
tlis report is OF the most striking ana suggestive
documents presented TO the senate OF lle Cheu
ce5 come now to the third stage in the growth of
this aDamuaOc systein VIZ, tne open asowa anu adTp %
tOn o. the principle that " 70 the Nct9Fs Delons 1ic
spOs" Jackson and the leaders OF hls party sew
ea them sucTs of the report on eXccutlye pdirO-
already referred to, naugurated the spOS system
and established 1t as the policy OF tIe country. Dutls
moved only ocer and in every instance Tor cause
Ihe elder Adams dismissed ten during Lls term MI
though large portion OF the OicehOiders were strongly
opposed TO his election Mr. Madison during his eight
two terms only nine John Quincy Adams as nave siid
dismissed but two. Cen Jackson DUNN tne i nrsI
words he removed about three times as many III Que
year all his predeco ssors had dsmssedn 40 years be
lore the close of Gen JacksOns first term some 1000 re-
movals and appointments had been made, acc0LunS 70
an estimate oi Mr. Webster. " system hir wen MeD-
Considered scheme Tor tie maintenance OF party power
by the patronage OF office, and TINS patrohafe 10 oe
created by general removal! was adopted ana mas Deeh
carried into tull operation. No worth, Pubic OF
private service, civil or military was OF power 10 re
Set tic rCletess gTeedlness OF prescription SOdlels OF
The late war soldiers of the Revolutionary the very
LOST their situations If Warren himself had been
among living and had possessed any oice GEdcf the
Government high or low he would not nave oetn SUI
ferd hold a single hour, unless lac could show tha
he strictly complied with the party statues ana 'd
put we-uIarkod party Collar %rOulu ms neck. I
Jackson had made pretty "clean sweep OF the req
eTal officers throughout the country III WAS IeFHIu
uOD, perfect and entire, III the cNi serNicooi thc
And yet the iron viii and imperlOus OVerDeaing
temper Of Gen JACKSON backed ny MS linenfe Popu @
lay, could not establish the spOls system "!out eI
oOunteTmg the most strenuous opposition. AZ every
scP it was resisted by some OF the Seatei sIa1een
Of the country 1hey p0hleu out I,s , anli,I !r,i
and dangerous character with extraordinary earnest
and depth OF conviction. Its cOrruptlns lunuSAee
was for years the burden OF indignant protest anu ac
nuucla0n by the Whig party u thcir nAoiiaI @
in the resolutions OF their state conventions IN the
speeches OF their leaders and IN the Wig pres. an
the land. Various attempts were made also III congress- 10
subject made the Senate by Mr. Calhoun Az me
same time bl was introduced to essentially 0uHy .e
years law OF 1870 St conceding TO the PRESIDENT
the power removal required that III all nominations
made 10 the Senate TO fill vacancies occaslOned Dy me
exercise this power he should state the act ol inc "
moval aud also the reasons for it, The bill passed the
Senate by large majority, but failed IN me House; @
Ia The OF the debate on tins Dill MT webster
made his noble speech the appointing ana leinQt Ne
power. Mr. Calhoun also spoke with singular alhiy
and force No one indeed, read his port aud MS
various speeches on this subject without adlnrhs Iler
manly bOdness independence and patlouc slhil' al tc
more because Mr.. CahOun's practice ehtley coiie-
spOnded with his teaching. They deserve 10 be re-
printed In the tom OF tracts and clrcuste
among people If in his theory Oi the cOnsIlutOh
az compact between sovereign States aud III ms pro-
slavery doctrines MI Calhoun was the great political
LtIsdrC OF the nation, III reference 10 the WhOlc matter
Of owl service reform he OF the wlsest pueS
and most hclnlndcd statesmen the country mas pro
duced No man ever denounced the spolls system IN
teus OF unneasured severity, or polned OUT ls
evils and warned the people against It's latdl cOhse
que1ces with noblcr facility 10 the highest principles ol
Gylc duty " II YOU do not put 1t down." sald he' II
VII put you down" His letter 10 III. Channlng, nlsI
published few weeks in TIE 1ElEL Nk, Was
Shea just after his report 10 the Senate ana Is Il st4lk
Tie unity OF patriotic sentiment and The love Oi peace