Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1879-12-01

Intelligence ani patriotism cf a good c!i;2ets
| OF every palt ct ih9 rGu1tTy--hGRcvcr much
they unv be divided 10 opinions on other petit
| lc!s sutl:c.s TO unto in cjmpelIoS obedience
! in e5ls'lns laws aimed at the protection of the
night t suffrage. resp. c;:u!l7 urge upon Con.
frtfst3 supply any dcteO;siu thts, Laws which
,XptI9Dcs has shoWn, and which it is within its
power to remedy. neain invoke the &C.
operation OF the executive and legislative all.
thOtiicS Of the States in this great purpts,.
am fully convinced that if the public mind can
be set ct rtss on this paramount question ct
popular tights, no serious Obi ct will thwart
or delay The complete pscifcaton of the county
or TGtard the general Giffu!i "a Ct prosperity
On The subject Of civil service reform. which
tic President treats 3. some length, says: IL
view Of the facts that during considerable pc
Rod the government OF Great Briteio has been
doailHg with administrative problems aud
abuses 10 various particulars analogous 10 these
| presented 10 this county, and that II rlccDt
years tic ncaSUrts adopted We're Understood %
have been effective and 10 every respect highly
satisfactory, thought it desirable to have fuller
Information upon the subject and accordingly
requested the chairman OF the Civil Sarpice
Comnl sioa to make thorough Investigation
ter this purpose. The result has been al elaborate
and comprehensive report. The report sets
forth the history CT tho partisan Spells system
10 Great Britain, ard Ct the ris, and iall OF
tie parliamentary patronage and CT official ia.
teif.rcncs with the freedom of elections. II
5ho6s that aftcr long trials OF vaIisus kinds Of
EXAMINATIONS those which arc competitive aud
oren Oh tqu1! terms to ell, and which arc car.
lied On under the super!utcrdeuca of q sin
! glo commission, have, with ercat adVan
tagc, been established IS otnii:iors CT adu;s.
sion to almost every eficisl plsce 10 tho SUBJ
ortlaato administration CT that country and
or British India. The coU pleti0n Ct tic report,
oHl1g 10 the extent OF the leb,r Involved 10 its
preparation Gld The emission Ct Congress 10
mako a5y provision either fer The compsrsa-
ilcD or the eXpersts ct the commission has tceE
postrorcd Until the l!rts, tine. It is here
Ti,E transmitted to Cosgross. While tbs 20.
toIm measures CT enOthtr government are of
III authority feE Us, they are entitled 10 itfu
crco 10 the txtt ut 20 which Their intrinsic Wis
dom end th6ir 61aptalion to our Institutions
and s:clal inf. may commend them 10 our con.
s:deralloH. The views have heretofore eS.
Pressed cotctr1icg tho defects ind abuses in
cu7 usii adm!psii aIiCn remain unchanged ext
cept a So ter IS en- enlarged txper!etc, has
4 opened ny sense CT his duty Of officers and OF
the pcopa themselves to cooperate for their
rsnoGGl. a large AID responsible part Of the
duty cl restoring the civil service to tho desired
ru;lty and ethcIcrcy rests upon the President,
aru 1t 1aS been my purpose 70 Go WSa. is within
my power 10 advance such prudent and gradual
measures CT rtfar.u rs viii ulost surely snd rap
idly brig about The radical change of system
csscnl!al TO make our administration methods
satisfactory to Tree and irteiiisopt people. By
proper exercise OF authority it is IN tho power
OF tho Executive 20 Go much to promote such
o reform, but i! cannot be too clearly under.
stool that nCthlos a3tqI.t1 eau hn accomp-
l6hed without c,-orcra,lon ca the part ci Con-
gross ard consldtrltc and ia.c!i:cctt support
among the people.
lie refers to the work u! tic Civil Sslvicc
! CommIS:l0n and the failure Ct Congress To ap-
r propIlatc money Tor tho rcsumptoa e the
work Ct the commission on the suffice. of com
pciilva examinations !os oEc,. lie s,ys:
think the economy, purity and efficiency OF The
pubic service Tcud DO greatly promoted by
Their systematic lttroGu,tlon wherever Eracli-
C BIC throughout tho cnlic Civil Services Ct
the hoViramrnt, together with ample provs-
Ion Tor their general supervise ID, IL order 10
secure cons!Sscncy an.! uniform justice. Reports
OF examinations heretofore made shog tina; tho
results have been salptary in marked degree,
and that the GcGcrsl application CT similar rulcU
cannot tail TO bn Ci Il decided b.Gt to tho scr
VIC. deem !! ny duty Ia rnnew the recon-.
mcndation contained in my annual message OF
December, 1877, rtqCclting Congress to mako
tho necessary appropriation for the II assumption
It tho Teik OF tho Civil Service Com uissior.
Economy will bo protGCt,d by aIthoriS;cg u
moderate compensation tG persons IN The pub,
nc scTv G. who may pCiorm extra labor unon or
un"cr The ctm;:It2:or r. he f.xocGtivn nav
direct.
1t may not hc cay, anI i. m7y Ecvcr, pr,.
han a., e
proper limit OF political action Oh tho part Of
Federal o!i.cr;; bu, waile their right to hol:
ADD freely express thtE cpino;s cauro. he
qresleEtd IL vtvy plain that they Should
neither be allowed to Geg0tc 10 other subjects
tho tlDe needed iGr TAO proper discharge ct
their ctic!al dulits nor 70 u:c the authority uf
their cflc, to cnt2rc, their owa opinions, or 10
coClc' tic pGiIica! action of those who hold
different opinions. Rcas0ns of Justice and rub.
lie policy quite analogous to those which forbid
tic uSo o! oihtis! power Tor The oppression OF
the mi1ate cN,z;n impose upon tho Govern
mcnt the daty ct protecting its officers and
agents tcGul a:bituiy ex1cli3us. in whatever
aspect considered. r. PRACTICE OF making
'cvIes Ter parry proposes upon The sacrics ct
] ottoeIa Is lllEly demoral;ziog to tho pubic
service ard dscrcditabic TO tho oountry.-
Though al cticar should b. as free as any
| ctaic citizen 10 giVs iii Own money in aid IF
| his Opinions or his party, he should also be as
free IS acy other c!iZ!n 10 refuse to make such
gifts, Il salaries ar. bat Fir compensation
Tor lime AID labor Of tho cfoers, il is gross 10.
us;;co 10 levy tax upon them. If they are
made excessive, Ia order that they may bsar
the tax, the excess is an Indirect robbery of the
public iunds. lrc1nmecd, therefore, such
revision aud extension Of preseut statutes as
shall secure to those 10 every grade Of official
lite or public employment the protection with
which great aad enlightened Nation should
guard those who arc faithful in its strvc,.
Oar relations with flrelen countries have
co1tilusd peaceful. With Great Britain thcro
arc sill unsettled questions growing out Of tho
local laws of the maritime pro7iDces, aud the
cctlon OF the provincial authorities is deemed
to be 10 dcrogasior CT rights secured by treaty
to American fishermen. The Uoitcd States
| Allrlster in LondoD has been Instructed to pre-.
| sent demand fer sos, 305. OF, in view of tho
damage received BY Amt rcan citjzsrs ar Far