Litchfield enquirer., 1877-03-15
Political Patronage.

The new President has met and con- quered his first obstacle, in the United States Senate. He gave serious offence to the prominent politicians" of that body by selecting cabinet to suit him. self and in harmony with the professions of his inaugural and of his letter of &C., ceptance rather than to suit them. The first opposition came from Blaine, whose language breathed open defiance to the Southern policy of the new administra- ton. Mir. Cameron and the carpet-bag- gers backed Blaine to the extent of their ability, and for a few days there was pros- pect of fragrant breach between the new president and the leading Republicans of the Senate. In the meantime, however, it became evident that the Republican press and party outside Congress were disposed to sustain the President. It was further apparent that the Democrat ic Senators would give Mir. Hayes the cabinet he wanted if the Republican ma- jority would not; and the result of the af- fair has been confirmation of the entire cabinet and an important victory for the new president.
 The character of this opening Senate opposition to real civil service reform is disclosed by the nature of the demands they have made of the President. MT. Conkling opposed the nomination of MT. Evarts. as Secretary of State, not because he is unfit for the position, but because he is not a .'Conkling man." That Senator has filled the federal civil service of the State of New York with his personal fol- lowers, through whom he controls State conventions, local politicians and the Republican legislature. A conspicuous proof ofsthis supremacy of MT. Conkling over New York Republicanism was seen in his capture of the delegation from that State to the Cincinnati convention last fall.' Senator Cameron opposes the new cabinet simply because Mir. Hayes had the firmness to disregard the pressure brought to bear upon him for the reten- tion of the younger Cameron in the War Department. The extent to which the Senate control of political patronage has been carried is shown in the fact that Mir. Fish, the most popular and deserving member of the old Cabinet, is allowed to go out without word of objection be- cause he is neither politician himself nor thejtool of politician, while heaven and earth has been moved to compel thu re- tention of Don Cameron, one of least worthy of Grants cabinet.
 The result of the Congressional con- test with Andrew Johnson, and of the lax methods of the Grant administration has been to throw the control of patron age into the hands of Congress. and par tieularly into those of the Senate. The Senators have, in effect, partitioned the larger patronage among themselves; and to such an extent has this system been carried that it has become the custom for the Senate to reject as matter of courtesy all nominations to federal offices in any state that are objected to by the Senators of that State. The result of this practice is that the federal civil ser vice in most of the states is filled with the personal following of the leading Sena- tor of that State. In this way Mr. Came ron can usually control the Republican conventions of Pennsylvania; Mir. Conk- ling, the conventions of New York; Mr. Morton, the conventions of Indiana; Mir. Spencer, those of Alabama: and other prominent Senators, the Republican con- ventions of their respective States.
 We sincerely hope that Mir. Hayes will follow up this first step he has made to- wards civil service reform. Nothing worth having can be done till the corrupt business of Congressional and especially of Senatorial patronage is thoroughly re- formed. He will find that it is the first step that costs most, and that is most important. It is indeed constitutional and right that Senators should be consul ted regarding the personnel of an admin istratiou, but they must not be allowed to demo,alize the national service by filling it with their political tools.