Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1878-10-17
Ben Hill on the President.

Some months ago Senator Hill, of Ga,
who was. upon Mr.. Hayes accession to
Office, so kindly disposed toward the
President as TO almost excite the suspi-
cion of his democratic constituents, pub
Iished some rather caustic illusions 10
the Presidents civil service policy
These remarks have been sharply COM
mented upon by Northern journals
Mr.. Hill, replying TO a Georgia acquain-
tance, defends his accusation in the fol-
lowing letter:-
ATLANTA, Ca, Oct. 2, 1878.
MY DEAR STR-In this day of much
printing il is almost impossible to have
ones opinions or motives correctly rep
resented. ! suppose it Is because ms
representation is SO easy. have new
er cast any "slurs on the President. -
j have never expressed any bitterness
toward Mr.. Hayes" because / hate
never felt any. | have never COM
planned or indulgedin pique because Mr..
Hayes did not appoint persons to Office
who were recommended by me. / have
never recommended any. | have in
dorsed some applicants as qualified, and
have greatly desired to see the civil
service improved-especially in the
South. trust no man who knows me
needs TO be assured that in the dis
charge of my public duties ! am inca
Pable Of being influenced by personal
piques and disappointments. With me
all personal feelings and relations,
'Shether OF friendship or otherwise, are
subordinated to the public good. But
shculd be very uncandid i'll did not
confess that have been most grevious-
1y disappointed in Mr. Hayes and in
his administration. IL my grievance
were only personal the world would
never suspect IL in my official conduct
and opinions. II is because my .grie-
vance relates only TO our national char
acter and the public veal that ] make
known its existence, and will proceed
to set forth briefly the seasons for it.
/ believe that what is known as our
"civil service" as IL now exists, and
has long existed, is a crime against
popular government and civilization.
believe IL has been the chief cause
OF many troubles and corrnptions in
the past, and If not thoroughly re-
formed will surely undermine and
destroy our free institutions. ! will
not stop here TO discuss the grounds of
this belief. They have been long and
well considered, and have produced alb
solute conviction. / always did abhor
that old party slogan ITO the victors
belong the sposls.'' II was never suited
to any but bandits and plunderers, and
was alwaya3isgraceful TO men claiming
to be patriots and statesmen. II redu-
ces the science OF government TO the
tricks Of gamblers. the hypocrisy OF
demagogues and the blows of rufians.
heard Mr.. Hayes when, in his inau-
gGral address, he announced his policy.
or rather his purpose of civil service
reform. To say was pleased would
feebly express the truth. In spite of
my conviction that he was not elected
by the people, but owed his Office to
unmitigated frauds for which believed
ke was not responsible, | felt willing TO
bury this last and greatest wrong with
The many that had preceded II, and for
which all sides were more or less res
ponsible, ara unite my humble efforts
in support OF 4 policy which, in my
judgment, promised escape TO our whole
country from all such wrongs in the fu-
ture.
What is spoken Of as Mr.. Hayes
Southern policy was Of far less signi6-
canoe. This Southern policy was
necessity Of the situation. Mr.. HAYES
had no power to avoid il. The end of
carpet-bag plundering in The South
and disgrace TO the nation had come by
events. Even General Grant saw that
the army could no longer be used to
settle contested elections in the States
and maintain robbers in power. But
with our corrupt and ever corrupting
civil service the situation was different.
This evil has its origin before the war.
II had grown up under the nurture.of the
leaders Of parties. IL had pushed its
braxen supporters ard benefciaries to
the front seats of authority. II had
grown and strengthened with every
year and seemed to have intrenched IT.
self impregnably during General Grants
administration. When, therefore, in
the very day Of It's insolent power, in
the very midst Of its pampered
courtiers; and on the very field OF its
greatest sway. Mr.. Hayes announced
in clear and unfaitering voice his pur-