The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1878-01-28

father.
Mr.. Lodge inserts letter from his great
grandfather to Washington, ''simply as an
Illustration of the conception of the Civil Ser
vice entertained by Senators in 1891, and also
as showing the relation to the President which
Senators thought they held, with regard to
such appointments" L also shalt insert the
letter "simply as an illustration Of the" pecu-
liar optical illusion which affects a certain
class of politicians of to-day whenever they
look at cur Civil Service,
CABOT TO WASHINGTON
SIe: Mr.. William kirkpatrick, member Of the
house OF Messieqrs Grlvegnee g Co., OF Malaga,
States in the character of Consul for that port.
Should It be thought expedent to institute such
tlon, as well as talents and disposition, peculiarly
enable him to fill it with propriety. Permit me,
therefore, Sir, to request that. when the quafca-
also may be considered.
II any apology is necessary for this freedom hope
It may not be deemed insufficient that, having been
led by my profession to make frequent visits to
Spain, among other intimacies formed one with
lhe principals of the commercial establishment to
which Mr.. kirkpatrick belongs; that these have de-
sired my testimony on this OCCASION and that my
experience OF their integrity and their friendship 10
the people Of this country constrains me to think
well of gentleman they recommend, and to confde
in one for whose faihfuness they are willing to be
responsible am, with the most profound respect,
Sir, your most faithful and obedient servant,
GEORGE CABOT.
Will Mr.. Lodge have the goodness to tell us
in what consists the difference between the
conception of the Civil Service entertained
by the Senators Of 1871 and of 1877, or be-
tween their relations regarding ths President,
as revealed by this letter? Senator Cabot not
only recommended his felow-tradesman to
office, but strongly limited that an office should
bs created for hin to fill 1 believe General
Grant did institute the office of Inspector of
Consulates for his friend Dr. Newman, but the
Reforners never counted t unt0-hiIsa foe Eishs---
eousness, and it certainly did not justify Mr..
Cabot in creating a consulate for his friend
kirkpatrick. believe also that the placing OF
consulates 10 the hands of merchants on the
spot has bssn found to offer too great tempta-
tion to dishonesty and local complications and
has been discontinued That is, the Civil
Service notions of Mr.. Cabot have been
reformed by modern politics. Bat it re-
mains that the fact which Mr.. Lodge calls
upon US to admire in contrast with pres
ent ways, is that an Office seeker, con-
nected by business with his great-grandfather,
desired that gentleman to say good word for
him, and that he did SO TO the exteat even of
suggesting that an Office bs created where none
existed! Do our Senators need stimulus in
that direction? 1t is true that Mr.. Kirxpat-
rick's Fitness" Is alleged and that the letter
is courteous and not dictatorial. Bnt does Mr.
Lodge suppose that when Senator Conkling,
for Instance, recommended Mr.. Arthur to the
COlloctorship of New York, he sat down aud
wrote:
DEAR OLD LYs-Ches Arthur is scalawag, but
he wants the place and want his VOTE SO you iuss
shove him in and be quick about it,
Yours forever and day,
ROSCOE CoNKLINd.
For myself do not doubt that the letters Of
all Senators to all Presidents would, upon ex-
animation, prove to be, on the average, no less
proper in tone, and considerably less clumsy in
style than the letter of Mr.. CsbJt to President
Washington.
Auohar letter of Mr.. Cabot to President
Washington indicates beyond question that the
doctrine of Civil Service reform which was
wildly and spasm0dically proclaimed during
the early weeks of President Hayes's admins
traton that when the Presidents wanted the
opinion of members of Congress he would ask
for it, and that proffer of opinion was imperti-
nent, had no foothold among the fathers. Mr..
Cabot jus silly considered that the President was
but part of tho government and that IL was
the right and the duty OF Senators to charge
themselves with securing proper appointments
to offices of honor and trust. Thus writes Mr..
Cabot unsolicited to President Washington:
'Sir-The great importance of selecting per-
l sons speedily for the offices created BY the
/ British treaty, and the difficulty of finding
those who may be in all respects competent to the
duties required, have suggested the belief that
| it might not be unacceptable to the Executive
| to receive from various parts of the MON the
1 names OF candidates who may be thought most
l sustable." That President Washington did not
1 lay down as a Civil Service rule the injunction
that Senators should speak only when they are
i spoken 10 may be inferred from the fact that
/ one of the men suggested by Mr. Cabot was
| afterwards appointed Commissioner under the
| treaty.
| Another bit of correspondence throws floods
| of light upon the conception of the Civil
| Service" entertained by the administration OF
| Washington. June q, 1886. Secretary n ;ker-
/ ing writes to Mr.. Cabot that the PRESIDENT
| has sSde;ermined to make change in the Con-
| sulate at Hamburg and believing that even
4 ex Senators have something more to dc with
| the reasons of the Presdent's action thaa tue
Shah OF Persia. Colonel Pickering explains
| that in spite of the lucrative legitimate fees OF
l the Office and the great wealth of the incum-
bent, Mr.. Parish. merchant, which ought to
| make them of little consequence to him, there
are nevertheless repeated complaints agaios'
him for taking exorbitant fees-as seven dollars
| instead of two for every certificate. 'Of this.
| soys Secretary Pickering, IAN explanation
| would have been asked, If other causes Of po-
| Htical nature had not Influenced the decision.
| The italics sre neither Secretary Pickering;
Il nor Nlr. henry bdUOb LOuHS =, Uub NY OWu
| That Cabinet officer under Washington ane
| Adams should have allowed political consd
| erations not only to Influence man 8 reten'
tioa of office, bat prevent an investigator ihtl
| charges of malfeasance in ottce, as an illus
| tration of the conception of Civil Service il
l 1906" which seems wholly to have escaped Mr.
| Lodges attention.
1t is worthy, also, of notice, that Secretary
| Pickering gravely asks of ex-senator Cabot
| do you know of any respectable American
citizen, of a mercantile character who woul'
| be willing to accept the appointment? 1t has
| take it, been lucrative place, even by tth'
| fees of office" And Mr. Cabot, haVlog
| taken candle and sought diligently, reporA
! dutifully and soberly: II have inquired an
D gently for a character to supply the vacancy
| Hamburg, and all my friends units IN the oeils
Y that Mr.. Samuel Williams. OF Salem, ls verl
1 ssitable man." .,.. He is now In Eugianu
| A'Mr. Samuel Williams, says Mr. Lo7ge, 10
| foot note, was subsequently appointed, an
| accented the office. AT Later day Mr. WI
| Iams was the largest American banker !
| !. .ondou. He todS a nepheao OF Cot0HeI rscA
era'1g. e- p;o,,ou;r.. ~,
nene d to apply TO a man who could remiud bin
mat 1e had a nephew, and how lucky tn
| nenbe W in living at time when II was Io
necess sry to raise the war-cry of No Nepotisu
| un1er be Washington Administration
| But n jr. Cabot was very particular about haN
| ing "sui table, people in Office. "rhe only hes
tation''h Is great.grandson tells us, "he felt in
| Ires,gpiug ht5 seat in Congress- was caused
| The fear that his successor might not be ma
| Of suitable character" 1t Is even now hard
, | believe that Massachusetts, was ever so lackln
| inamen az to have difficulty in finding one
| ability aud integrity enough to move to stIik
sI1sE AND LETTERS OF GEORGE CABOT.
l Henry Cabot Lodge. svo, 6l5 PIP. Boston: Little
G ! Brown q Company, 1877.