National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1879-11-04
WHERE "RAsCALIrY EARNS PROMO
TOM

WHERE RAsCALITY EARNS PROMO
TION."
THE Vestiche Post, Secretary SCHuRZ's
paper, thus speaks its mind about Secretary
EvARTs and the State Department.
If there is Department in which civil
service reform is scorned, and tho old, destruc-
tive system of rewarding partisan service is
upheld If there is Department in which
rascality earns promotion, and honesty is
punished, 1t is the Department of State Of
which Mr. EvARTs is the head.
This looks as if Secretary scHURz and
his paper had got their Dutch up, and have
resolved to smash Secretary EvARTs and
the State Department for the reason that
they fail TO take any more large doses of
that peculiar nostrum, ciyil-service reform,
from the Interior spoon. No rebel news
paper or debauched Democratic fier
would show greater bitterness of soul than
this in speaking of the Department of State
and its eminent head. If this UcsHicbe
Post was not known to be not only the Pc
| cular organ of Secretary SCHURz, but Il
part Of his personality, its sayings would be
of no more consequence, perhaps, than the
vaporings of any other malcontcnt But
the fact that it is not only the organ, but
in part the property Of the Secretary of the
Interior, gives it n consequence under the
| circumstances which cannot be passed by
in silent complacency by either the Secre-
tary of State or the President. The attack
is so bitter aud disloyal-so insolent and
oflensive-so malicious aud slanderous--
that for the credit of the Administration
and the Cabinet Mr.. SCHURz should be
required ut once to enter disclaimer and
denunciation Of this atrocious assault
upon iellow-member of the Cabinet and
the Department over which he presides, or
be invited to retire from position which
he no longer adorns, and which he is using
against the Republican party aud the best
interests of the public service. The Presi-
dent can scarcely afford to sit quietly and
have the first Department in the Govern
ment and its Minister denounced and ma
| ligued rs a Department in which rasc lity
earns promotion and honesty is punished p
without Offering some defense against this
assault, and protection against future
oifenses of this character under the recog-
nized auspices of another member of his
Cabinet.
This assault, had it come from Demo-
cratic paper, would have been regarded as n
baseless and shameless slander of Secretary
EvARTs and his Department, which might
perhaps be tolerated and disregarded under
the accepted policy that "all's fair in poll
"tics." But it has no such origin or excuse
to plead. 1t comes from proiessedly Re-
publican journal, of which Secretary
SCHURz is part owner and which is pre-
sumed to speak of matters relating to the
Administration under the inspirations
of that Cabinet Minister. This makes
it necessary that some notice should be
upon the Secretary of the Interior that he
promptly denounce the malignant assault
or close his relations with an Administra-
tion so deeply seated in corruption. Ifthe
assault upon Secretary EVAR1s is justified
he should be asked to step down and OUT
fit is not justified, then the Secretary OF
the Interior cannot he too prompt in de.
nouncing its enormity of offense, and in
behalf of his paper in making becoming
apology to coordinate department of the
Government, which is grossly and griev
ously insulted. A failure to make goot
the allegation against Secretary EVART'
aud his Department, so that it can b'
promptly purified, or on failure to substan
tiate those general charges of rascality s,
freely made, a proper amende is not a
once profiered for the insult, the duty of tn,
President in this matter seems to be very
/ plain-either Secretary EvARTs should e,
, for being so great rascal, or Secretary
ScHURz for giving, either directly or indi
rectly, currency to such n calumny agains
the Administration of the Government
This feature of civil-scrvice reform, ut least
/ should be eliminated from the Government
5 and we greatly mistake the temper of tn,
+ President if he remains passive under tn,
l circumstances