The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1877-03-24
Letter from Wellington.
Correspondence q dc fcmi1ocrailc Advocate.
wAsgNaTox, March 2isi, ls15.


WAsESGroN, March 2lst, 1871.
The Senate has adjourned, The office.
seeker has gone home sadder and a wiser
man. The new administration is sailing in
the wonderfully smooth waters of public APP
proval. IL seems that the country in this
respite from msgovernment, with deep long
ing for peace, will half forget the wrong aud
disgrace to which it has been subjected by the
electoral commission, So sweet, indeed, is
! hope Of release from the thieying despotism
Of the last eight years, that even the Demo
cratic press helps to swell the chorus ofpraise.
Governor Hayes, conscious Of the utter
emptiness Of his title. is doing his utmost 10
conciliate the majority, and reconcile the
country to his fraudulent tenure. "Thus con.
science does make towards of us ALL But
lot us not be deceived by the civil service re-
form, Just now Wanting itself so conspicu.
ously. IL will be nothing more than spe.
cious nulity if il does not go far deeper than
it has gone yet. Senator Morton, through his
protege, the LIST Assistant Post Master Gen.
eral has still the disposal of the greater por.
ton of Post Office patronage. Any one ac.
quainted with the real condition of our civil
service exerescence knows that the depart
ments must be emptied from nttic to cellar,
swept, fumigated, disiniected, and refled with
recognize this first principle of reform when
he refused to retain even one of Grants sec
ond-hand cabinet but it is not enough to
have new aud respectable cabinet. A plug
hat will not turn thief and swaggerer into
christian. Ii Mr. Hayes and his cabinet were
imbued with real reforming energy, they
would not be content with the old stdtH quo
and such fine railing sentences as ''no re
moVals without cause, no promotions without
merit 1t is written; ''wOc unto them that
are at ease in Iion!n but how much worse
for those who are at ease in Baal or Dom.
daniel2 The great majority for 'l'iIden was
demand for other reform than that promised
through Hayes. When each cabinet officer
shall have recognized the fact that the civil
service is groaning under n burthen of ma
chine politicians, sons, cousins, and mothers
in-law, of Senators; that there are twice the
number drawing pay that are necessary to do
the necessary work; that those who compose
the clerical force are lazy, inefficient, dishon-
est, demoralized by the creed that the essen
tial and sole qualifications for office are to
vote the Republican ticket, and to pay cam
palgn assessments unmurmuringly. When oil
this shall have been realized, and the whole
foul service purged and regeuerated, we viii
have reform that is something more than q
name-tie reform tha was demanded in the
election of 1ilden.
There seems to have Neen an impression
that the appointment of Posi- Master General
Key was a concession to the majority that
did not vote for Mr.. Hayes But those who
imagined 1t to be more than gaudy lure have
been undeceiyed. Senator Merrimon. of
North Carolina, recently wrote to the Post
Master General inquring specifically il mp.
pointments without regard to politics, would
h.. 10. -, al. Il. a
piled "When a vacancy exists in any Office
connected with the Postoiicc Department in
the Southern States, preference will be given
to Republican, all otherthngs being equal.
just at present speculation is active IN ref,
erencc to a new political combination looming
above the horizon, which has for its object
the disentegraton Of the Democratic party
Is was ioreshadowed in the public improve.
ment bait Of Mr.. Hayes inaugural address
it was further developed in the appointment
Of Democrat of easy virtue to the position
Of Post Master General; aud its grand obcc.
tive coup is to be the election of u RepubH.
can, preferably Charles Foster, of Ohio, to the
Speakership OF the forty fifth Congress. The
Democratic majority Of the next House will
be from four to nine, but the administration
hopes that by placing its ill.gotten patronage
about in spots, where it will do most good, it
may win over II sufficient number Of South.
western De nocrats to give it control of the
next House.
The Southern policy of Mr.. Hayes, so au.
roral in promise, is barren in tulfllment.
Last week we were told, that by Wednes.
day, the Dist instant, the military would
be removed but now, dies remit and the
dual governments in Louisiana are about
to have duel, while the army stands by in
the role of a mutual second, while Mr.. Hayes
hesitaies to call him Governor, who, though
beaten by 5000 majority, still received / 900
more votes than the said Hayes.
Thus conscience does make coward Of
Mr.. Hayes, and thus the ''natiye hue of res.
oluton is sicklied over with the pale cast of
thought. Gas.