The Indiana State sentinel., 1879-12-03
delay or hesitation in its enforcement.

sfye and more searching methods for prevent
vided. II necessary to secure obedience to the
| law. the enjoyment and exercise of the rights
and privileges of citizenship IN the Territories
| of the United States may be withheld or with
held from those who violate oppose the
enforcement of the law on this subject
The elections of the past year, though occu-
pied only with State offices, have not failed to
eicit7in the political discussions which at
| tended them all over the country, new and
decisive evidence of the deep Interest which
| the great body OF citizens take in the progress
! of the country toward a more general and
| pfete establishment, at whatever cost, of
universal security and freedom In the exercise
of the elective franchise. While ma topics
| of political concern demand great attention
| from our people, both in the sphere of ma
i tional and State authority, finu no reason to
| qualify the opinion L expressed in my last
annual me ssage, that no temporary or admin-
| istraItve interests OF government, however
urgent or welghty, Will ever displace the zeal
of our people in defense of the primary rights
| of citizenship. and that the power OF public
opinion viii override all political prejudices,
| and all sectional and State attachments. in
demanding that all over our wide territory
| the anne and character of citizen of the
| United stat S shall mean one and the same
thing. and carry with them unchalenged
the Intelligence and PATRIOTISM OF ali good cit
liens OF every part OF the country, however
much they may be divided in opinions on other
political subjects, TO unite in compelling obe-
| dience to existing laws aimed at the protection
| of the right OF suffrage. / respectfully urge
upon Congress to supply any defects In these
| laws which experience has shown and which
| IL is within its power to remedy. L again In
woke the cooperation OF the executive and
! great purpose. 1 am fully convinced that If
the public mind can be set at rest on this par
am cunt question of popular rights, no serious
| obstacle Will thwart or delay the complete
pacification of the country, retard the gem
In a former message Invited the attention
| of Congress to the subject of the reformation
| of the civil service OF the Government, and
expressed the intention of transmitting to
Congress as early as practicable report upon
| this subject by the chairman of the civil SER
In view of the facts that, during consider
able period, the Government OF Great Britain
has been dealing with administrative prob
lens and abuses, in various particulars an
aIogous to those presented In this country,
ano that IN recent years the measures adopted
were understood to have been effective and in
every respect highly satisfactory, Thought it
desirable to have fuller information upon the
subject and accordingly requested the chair
man of the civil service commission to make
| thorough investigation for this purpose.
| The result has been an elaborate and compre-
heDsive report.
| The re port sets forth the history of the par
| tisan spois system in Great Britain, and OF the
rise and fall OF the parlisme ntary patronage,
and of official interference with the freedom
of elections. 1t shows that after long trials of
various kinds of eXamin ations, those which
are competitive and open on equal terms to
| all, and which are carried on unuer the super
with great advantage, been established as con-
ditions of admission 10 almost every official
place in the subordinate administration of
| that country and of British India. The com
| pletion OF the report, owing to the extent of
| the labor involved in its preparation, and the
| omission of ongress to make any provision
| either for tire compensation or the expenses of
i the comm ission, mas been postponed until the
| present time. 1t is herewith transmitted to
| While the reform measures of another Gov
ernment are of no authority for us, they are
! entitled to influence, to the extent to which
their intrinsic wisdom, and their adaptation
Ito our institutions and social IL may COM
mend them TO our consideration,
| The views have heretofore expressed con-
| cerning the defects and abuses In our civil ad
| far as an enlarged experience has deepened my
| sense OF the duty both OF officers and of the
| people themselves to cooperate for their re-
1 mOval. The grave evils and perils of a parti-
| san spoiis system of app intment TO office and
of office-tenure, are now &c nerally recognized
| In the resolutions of the great parties, in the
| reports of departments, in the debates and
| proceedings OF Congress, in the messages OF
executives. the gravity OF these evils has been
To commana she necessary support. every
measure of refo{aa must be based on common
With with the % heaissy existence Of great parties,
which are inevitable and essential in free
| State.
| When the people have approved policy
| a a national election, confidence on the part
i ofthe officers they have selected, and of the
/ ADVISERS who. in accordance with our political
Institutions, should be consulted, in the peli-
| cy.which IL j. their duty to carry into effect,
/ is Indispensable. IL is eminently proper that
| they should explain IL before the people, as
| of their official duties.
| Very different considerations apply to the
| grAeter numoerof those who I'LL the subordi-
nafe places IN the civil service. Their respon-
sibality M theff superiors in official position
| 1t s their duty to obey the legal instructions
votSed, and their best public service consists
/ in he discharge of their functions irrespective
i of 8artisan politics. Their duties are the
| eyefpoiicy prevails. As a consequences, IL fol-
lows that their tenure OF Office should not de-
/ supremacy of any party, but should be- deter
/ mined by their capacity to serve the people
most usefuIly, quite irrespective of partisan
/ interests The same considerations that should
govern the tenure should also prevail in the
| appointment, d scipline and removal of these
/ subordinates. The authority of appointment
and removal is not a peruuislte, which may be
| used to aid a friend or reward a partisan. but
is trust to be exercised in the public interest
| under all the sanctions which attend the OBJ
legation to apply the public funds only fol
public purposes
Every citizen has an equal right to the hon.
| er and profit of entering the public service OF
his country. The only just ground OF discrim
ity he IS to make that service most useful to
| the people. Except In cases where, upon just
and recognized principles, as upon the theory
of pensions, offices and promotions are be.
| slowed as rewards for past services, their be
stowal upon any theory which disregards per
| sonal merit is an act of injustice to the citizen
| as well as a breach of that trust subject tc
| which the appointing power is held.
In the light OF these principles 1t becomes o
great Importance to provide Just and adequate
| means, especially for every department, anf
large administrative ONCE, Wnere persona
| discrimination on the part of its head is moi
practicable for ascer taining those qualifica
lions 70 which appointments and removal,
| should have reference. To fail to provide suct
means is not only to deny the opportunity o
ascertaining the facts upon which the mos
| righteous claim to office depends, but, of neces
SHY. to discourage all worthy aspirants, by
handing over appointments and re
ism. II it is the right of the
worthiest claimant to gain the appointment
and the interest OF the people to bestow Il
upon him, 1t would seem Gle sr that a v ise and
just method of ascertainipg personal ntnesi
for Office must be an important and perma
nent junction of every just and wise govern
ment 1t has long since become impossible
in the great offices, for those having the duty
of nomination and appointment, to personal
1y examine into the individual qualification.
of more than q small proportion OF those seek
ing office: and. with the enlargment of ths
| civil service, that proportion must continue tt
become less.
In the earlier years of the Government. thu
| subordinate ofiices were so few In number tha
1t was quite easy for those making appoint
ments and promotions to personally ascertain