The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1882-02-16


Ihal canght him just above the ear
nee Kissed her once and called her dear
Ana men N sorrow breathe it low
he scorned her pleading cry for beeri
Webster ana CivII-servIce Reform.
No statesman has ever spoken
clearer upon his views of Office, and
the rights OF Office, than Daniel
Webster. He unvaryingly viewed
the place OF power as n sacred trust.
whether 1t came from the people or
the executive. No alliances were
tolerated by him which claimed n
pledge of Office for votes given. No
dlsplacements were considered lust
upon party grounds, where the in
cumbents were competent and faith
ful in the discharge of duty. All
his speeches that touch al ali upon
the subject would point clearly TO
civil-service reform and 10 what
lhat term implies at the present
time. The rights of the people TO
elect must be untrammeled by any
claims of the elected, and when an
official was once chosen no threats
OF displacement for political bias
should be tolerated. AS early as
1870, Mr.. Webster began 10 weave
into his speeches the praise of
honest dealing with the ballot. and
demands for perfect guarantees of
the freedom of suffrage. At the
convention of delegates chosen TO
revise the constitution of Massachu-
setts IN that year he said, "Nothing
ls more unfounded than the notion
lhat any man has right to an office.
This must depend ON the choice of
others, ana consequently upon the
opinion OF others in relation to his
fitness and qualification for office.
There are certain rights, no doubt.
which the whole people owe 10 each
individual in return for their obe-
dience and personal service" MIR.
webster believed that while the
executive had the nominating
power, congress could and should
regulate the tenure of office. In dis
cusslng the appointing and remov-
ing power, in the United States
senate in 1925, Mr.. Webster held
that the clause in the bill under dis
cussion, providing that the reasons
OF The president for removing should
be given when new nominations
were made, should be sustained as
correct "llaving no wish TO di-
ninish or control in the slightest de-
gree the constitutional and legal
authority of The presidential office.
| yet think that the Indirect and
rapidly increasing influence which
II possesses, and which arises from
the power Of bestowing office and of
taking it away again at pleasure.
and from the manner i'm which that
powcrseelns now 10 be systematically
exercised, is productive of serious
evils. The extent of the patronage
sprlhglhg up on this power OF ap-
poihtment and removal is so great
that 1t brings Il dangerous mass of
private and personal interest into
operation III all great public cleo
mons aDd public questions" "This
is lnischic! which has reached al-
ready ah alarming height. The mn
llmlied power 10 grant Office and
take IL away gives command over
the hopes and fears OF a vast multi
tude of men,"
In speech of Mr.. Webster,s
III Baltimore the same wear,
on the presentation of n
vase, Mr.. Webster said: al confess
my Judgment would have been that
the power of removal did not he
long 10 the president Zone: tbat IL
was but a part of the power of an
pointment, since the power of an
pointing one man 10 Office imnIies
the power OF vacating that Office Inv
removing another out of IL. / he
lieve That in all these respects re-
form, a real, honest reform. is dc.
cldedly necessary TO the security of
the constitution, and while | con-
tlnue III public life shall not halt i'm
my endeavors TO produce IL. IL is
tline to declare that offices. created
Tor the people, are public trusts. not
private spoils. The power of re.
moval is, or, at least, formerly
was, a suspected and odious
power"
we could multiply almost indeG-
nltely these excerpts, so opposite TO
the state OF things in which we ac-
tually find ourselves, proving nj
once the far sighted sapacjtv Of
Webster and the Justice of The de-
mand for the supplanting OF favor
itism by impersonal competition for
Office. at is the use OF the power Of
patronage; it is the universal giving
and taking away OF all places and
offices; for reasons no way con-
nected with the public service or
the faithful execution of the laws: IL
Is this which threatens with over
now all the true principles of the.
government" Patronage is reduced
TO system. Ii is used as the
patrlmony, the property of
party. Every Office is a lar9ess n
bounty of favor, and it is expected
TO be compensated by service and
iiealty. The principle Is vicious. il
is destructive and ruinous. and
whether it produces its work of dis
union to-day or tomorrow, 10 must
produce 1t in the end. 1t must de-
stroy the balance OF the government.
ana SO destroy the government ikseIc''
Ihus the people Of the United
States had the advice of Daniel
Webster more than forty-five wears
ago, TO establish reform of the civil
service as :he greatest safeguard
oil the union and constitution.