The New York herald., 1878-10-28
MORALS AND POLITICS.
LECTURE By GEORGE WILLIAM CURTIS AT THE
sEnnNn uN1rApIAH cuupcu nnonRIxN

LECTURE BY GEORGE WILLIAM CURTIS AT THE
SECOND UNITARIAN CHURCH, BRooKLYN.
The second Unitarian Church, corner Clinton and
Congress streets, Brooklyn, WAS crowded last night
by the announcement that Mr.. George William Curtis
would lecture sMorals and PoIitcs.n In prefacisg
his lecture Mr. Curtis said that no had gladly
accepted tho invitation TO read paper that sub
ject 10 that church, It seemed to him that iur-
nished y ntting text at this present time when tho
great parties TO be dssoiving. He slt he needed
apology In the discussion OF morals and politics
the presence Of those should seck knowledge
thereof both public privale life. There moral
deterioration political character q nation.
wo must, therefore, sock ana obtain q higher
political morality. This fAct Is the most powerful
argument that can DO mado Tor q reformation. Tho
principle OF our cvil system OF party patronage
reward ior services rendered by ndividuais TO party
was not new. inc scrambe tor pinnaer had been
by the writings OF Boiingbroko and swart-
out. But tho degrading scramble tor official
has discarded known 10 the world The Amtri-
eau system. In tue Unilcd Statos cnango Of party
invites only n system u tho nistr
OF the laws but II ncccssItates clean sweep OF Nil
nod positon under the defeated party nj
tue poiis. There must follow a change of clerks Of
doorgespers, messengers, busters OF rooms oven
OF rowers oi Custom House boats. IL u iree trader
comes into power tho trimmer Of the lamps must 10
out protective tarin party WINS the Postmisross
VINO owes her place under the outgoing
powers to the influence Of a cousin must make way
the Interest oil the vicorious party Such system
contemplate ami domoraiizng TO the nation. Yet
strong aud SO powerful tnat We come to an election
only choice In candidates ir too frequently, but
ms tho choice between two poor horses catered tor
rnce-one horse Usng lame Two legs and The other
civlL sxavIox REroRm
No midshipman nor West Point cadet but is proud
OF his buttons and his uniform as - 10 the nvory or
tho service OF his government Is the civii service
OF less importancuY But why Is Il, then, that the
very term vi .Uficenodcrr so often implies a
proacnY The speaker would bear testimony to the
nonesty, ability ana 70 tue credit OF many officials.
ofce-the consciousness that mertt 10 no protsction
10 tue incumbent la oicsncvitsbIy tends TO mako Of
ths ohlcehoidsrs personal parasites. IL 10 system
that tends 10 corrode their manhood. rho speaker
haa bcep spoken TO ny man VINO ned an ONCE, and
who came 20 him with tears IN his eyes. Saying he
would rather lose hts right hand than do what was
demanded o him by his party, but his bread and the
10 the mandates. Was not this an outrage, n tact
wortny 70 be preached from tho puipny Shall
the seIi.respect oil men who aeshs 70 do
their duty sc,entiously be- 80 debased
Tnis evil system class Of peopie VINO doinI-
nate, tut whose views are shared only by tue few.
Their object Is tho control oil the party GU which
their position depends Young men win ambition
anu energy md that nominations aud elections are
controlled only by the iow, thcy debarred
iron participating 10 po,ics unless they are willing
10 submit 70 an oiigarcny. Tho chief city Of
tho nation Is s.n controlled by the head OF
an ohceholdor sycophant, but u promotes waste,
,xtravagsncs and loss Mr.. Curtis quoted STATISTICS
" SNOW kroat stehuy ihctehsc Ia
the federal Offices since early part OF present
century. He also quoted IRON recent reports vi
tho Cong Residual Commission appointed TO invest-
gate New Ysrk Custom House abuses,
aud showed the absolute necessity for
prompt aud earnest reform. lie decrled
tne objection so frequently made To civil service that
IL impractcabie; that party must DO
maintained by palroasse and that no party i've
without bestowing tho rewards oi 0hlco tho m
dvlduals who work W keep tho machine oDcration
These objections, Mr. Curtis contended, corrupt
fasclos, Ihe history Of the fathors reiutcd them
would nvnrken trumpet call OF
civil service reform NOT wvrtny of tn6 nanc of
an American clllzsn.