The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1882-07-03
civil service ncrorn,,:-rh. POLITICAL A.

ly respected in that city. l.. anE 81
Pr. .--------@--= ia -.
Civil Service HcfOrm-Ihr Political As.
.hti aH'A' scssuIcnf Iiuxincss. 3
r MrsWebster WIS called TO the Office Of
Secretary OF State by President Harrison
in March, 1871, and one Of his first official
acts was to address by order Of the Presi-
dent circular letter 10 each chief OF n
Cabinet office, in which the levying OF po-
ltical assessments was prohibited, and the
payment OF such assessments WIS declared
+ to be cause for removal. Mr.. Webster's
letter read as follows: .a5' ~ gu 81.
DEPARTMENT OF STATE,
March 20, 1911. !
Hon. Thomas Ering, Secretary Of Tie Treas.
uuy: ..I,. .ii
SIN The President is OF opinion that It
is II great abuse to bring the patronage Of
the general government into conflict with
the freedom Of elections and that this
abuse ought 10 be corrected wherever 1t
may have been permitted to exist, and to
he prevented for the future. .eg.
He therefore directs TINT information be
given to all officers and agents in your de-
Inrtment OF the public service that parti-
san interference iu tue popular elections,
whether OF State officers or officers OF the
Federal Government, and for whomsocver
and against whomsoever it may, be exer-
cised, or The pqyment Of any contribution or
assessment on salaries or official compensation
for party or election purpoees, will be re-
garded by him Us cause Tor removal.
!. This. was not the only deliverance OF
Webster on tho same subject. Last week
his centennial was celebrated ut Dart
mouth College, New Hampshire, where he
graduated. Senator Bayard, OF Delaware,
) was the orator. & rsall
Dir. Bayard made strong appeal for
! civil seryice reform from Webster's teach.
ing. lnlS32, the Massachusetts senator spoke
ny follows in speech at Worcester, when
{. President Jackson was first putting in OPP
Grafton the doctrine that to tho victors be,
long the spoils:- q. Et,-y, lI1t Ia
AS far US l know, there is no civilized
country OIL earth in which, on u change OF
rulers, there is such IN lnquisition for spoil
as We have witnessed in this free republic.
Z The inaugural OF 500 spoke OF n searching
!. operation OF government. The most se,irch-
ing operation, sir, Of the, present admins.
tration has been its search for Office and
place: When, sir, did any English minis
ter, Wing or Tory, ever make such IN in
quest? When did he ever 60 downto low
water mark TO, make All BUSTING OF tide.
waters When did he ever take away the
daily bread OF wcishers and gaugers and
measurcrs? When did he ever go into the
village TO disturb the little postoilices, the
mail contracts and everything else in the
. rcmo,cst degree connected with govern
mcnt? Sir, u British minister, who should
do this and should afterward slow his head
ina British House OF Commons would
be received by universal his7.
And in my opinion, sir, this principle Of
Claiming monopoly Of Office by the right OF
conquest, unless the public shall eGectual.
~ rebukc and restrain it, will entirely
change the character OF our government.
1t clevates party above country; it iorscts
the common veal in the pursuit Of personal
enlolnment; it tends to form, It does form,
we see that it has formed, u political com.
bination, united by no common principles
Gropinions among its members, either upon
the powers OF the government or the true
policy Oh, the country, but hold together
simply rs m association, under the charm
OF d popular head, seeking 10 maintain poe.
session OF tho government by vigorous ex-
ercse OF tynnical party prescription. Sir,
il this couse OF things cannot be checked,
good men will grow tired Of the exercise Of
political privileges. They will see TINT
such elections, are but a mere selfish con-
test Tor. Office, and they will abandon the
government to, the scramble Of the bold,
the daring and the desperate. 3 ,ss i''h
Speaking Of the spoils system himself,
Mr.. Bayard said ~ rtuu!;iI
"lts fatal consequences do not believe
are ovcreslimated or overstated; and speak
D ing, not without practical knowledge OF its
effect upon the whole framework OF our
government in all OF its three great de-
partments, Iaver my believe that unless an
end shall soon be put 10 Il system by which
i ut every election, the offices OF the country
are, to use the words Of Webster, ."claimed
by tho right OF party conquest" and have
that claim allowed, We will lose even our
form Of government, OF which long, before
tho system will have disappeared. &! States.
Inanship is impossible with men whose
only thought and occupation is official
brokerage, and who administer the powers
OF official patronage not by the measure Of
tho applicants character, ability or fitness
toperform the duties Of the place, but by
his servility and unscrupulous devotion to
TO the objects Of the political conspiracy
into which he has been admitted. "Never
/, forget" wrote Macauley TO his constituents
when leaving for India, "that the worst and
most degrading species OF corruption is the
corruption which operates not by hopes
but by fears" And once in office under
: the spoils system, the trembling posscSsor
is induced 10 commit any act Of unmanly
servility in the fear that he will be dismiss.
ed. And for the same reasons he does no.
disclose abuses going on around him when
to do 50 would subject him to dismissal
"ior the good Of the party" The operation
OF such exciting hopes and fears upon the
unprincipled and morbid mind has had
I lately n fearful illustration at which the
nation still shoulders; but who shall say
4 that the utter. Generalization and dcstruc:
ton OF tho better nature OF men by politics
under the spoils system did not find a nat.
ural outcome in the, murdcr-under con.
z fusion OF hope and revenge concerning
ntllca-of n hi, ~ nla., ,,l r