National Republican., 1881-07-08
Appointments 20 omcc.

naturally gwen rise TO some discussion
concerning the civil service and the
methods which prevail in appointments
10 office. Without entering upon a CON
troversy with the advocates of any special
theory, we venture to call attention to |
two or three considerations upon which |
there can be no difference. And first of
these is the persecution of the President
by people unknown to him.
The President of the United States
ought to he free from the opportunities
Of any who seek him to subscrye their
own private interests. He holds great
and responsible trust for all the people.
He requires information and also time
forrehection and dconsutation with others.
Many people appear to think that, be
cause we live in Republic where all
men are equals in rank, the
President would in some way violate
the proprieties by being difficult of
access. "What becomes of our Republican
simplicity they ask, " if even our high
est public servant may hedge himself
about and deny audience to the planest
citizen" This might be said of the
mayor of small town. but for the Chief
Magistrate of Nation of fifty millions of
people to be under obligations to give
audience to any and all of the people is
simply to require of him what is mani
festly impossible.
The city swarms with people who hope
10 secure Office or other favors by per-
sonal importantly. Men who exalt their
own importance badger Senators aud
members into signing recommendations
for them, and, armed with these creden-
tials, claim the right to argue with the
President his obligation to yield to the
pressure they have thus manufactured.
The usages of the White House enable
any man to enter the Presidents room
who is taken there by q member
of Congress. This is all wrong Applica-
tions and recommendations for Office
ought always 10 be presented to the heads
of Departments, and no man ought TO
visit the White House in relation to an
appointment unless he is invited there for
that purpose, or has grounds for believ-
ing by reason Of his personal relations to
the President, that a statement Of his
opinion or desire would be acceptable.
The President has the right to deter
mine for himself the sources of informa-
ton upon which he will rely in each
State to enable him to select suitable
persons for Office. 1t is his privilege to
allow incumbents to remain in places the
duties of which are being well performed,
and he is not bound to hear from hun
cry applicants their reasons for urging
the creation of vacancies Senators
and Congressman have no rights in
the matter of controlling appointments,
but of course it is very natural that
they should be included by the
President among the sources of informa-
>tioI before alludedc-to. Indeed, all who
know anything of public life know that
Senators and members are regarded as
the best attainable sources of inlorma-
ton. This comes of the fact that the
men chosen by the States and people are
best acquainted with their several con-
stituencies, and that their election is Il
sufficient testimony to their worth and
good judgment. If the President desires
the opinions of men, whether Senators,
Representatives, or private citizens, he
will make it known. Every man Of
proper delicacy will only advance his
opinions after some evidence that it will
be agreeable to the President to hear
them.
The President could have performed
ten times the work he has done since the
4th of March if everybody had under
stood that he would not be importuned
by anybody for Office, nor allow any one
but himself TO mark out what should re-
ceive his attention. Bureau officers
should hear all charges against incum-
bents of office and collect the facts. The
heads of Departments should be
Eble to present to the President
all matters requiring his attention, and
he ought never to be subjected
70 the small squabbles of conflicting APP
plicants. He could easily direct. in
general way, to whom his Cabinet minis
tiers should refer in the several States and
districts for the determination Of disputed
questions, The effect of nominating men
TO places in the several States without
consulting the Senators and Representa-
tives thereof il is not our purpose at this
time to discuss We have said that it
touches no rights. 1t is equally tue that
opposition by Senators TO the contirma-
tion of nominees invades no right or pre-
rogative of the President.
From what has been said above, it will
be seen that no man who seeks Office ever
need he allowed to cross the threshold of
the White House door. lie has no bust
ness there If he "worked" for the
party, that should not he an obstacle to his
appointment If he aspires to n place, let
him communicate with the head Of the
Department TO which the place is related.
Let him present with his application the
willing testimonials of those who know
his worth and abilities. Having lodged
his application, let him go about his busi-
ness, and let the Government decide
whether to appoint him or not.
What If the President and each Of his
Secretaries would decide to make brazen
impudence and unweary!ng importantly
a barrier to official prefcrment2 Let
every applicant know that he has
damaged his case by begging and implor-
ing and waiting and reinforcing. Have
the President master Of his own hours,
and free from intrusion by any he does