The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1882-12-07

renders their restoration,r they destroyed
we'll nigh impossible.
The Communication which made to Congress a
! Its first session in December last contained some
what full statement of my sentiments In regard {,
the principles and rules which ought to govern ap
pointment to public service.
Referring TO the various plans which had thereto
fore been the subject of discussion in the Nationa
Legislature (plans which in the main were modelled
upon the system which obtains In Great Brtain,bu
which lacked certain of the prominent features
whereby that system is dstingushed), felt bound
to Intimate my doubts whether they or any of them
would AFFORD adequate remedy for the evils they
aimed to correct.
l declared, nevertheless, that If the proposed
measure should prove acceptable to Congress, they
would receive the unhesitatlng support OF the Elk
ecuttve.
Since these suggestions were submitted for your
cons Iteration there has been no legislation upon
the subject to which they relate, but there has
meanwhile been an increase In the public interest
in that subject, and the people of the country ap
parently without distinction of party have in yari
Gus ways and upon frequent occasions given ex-
preston to their earnest wish for prompt and def
mite action. In my judgment, such action should
no longer be postponed
may add that my own sense of Its pressing i'm
portance has been quckened by observation of a
practical phase OF the matter, to which attention
has more than once been called by my predecessor.
The civil list now comprises about one hundred
thousand persons, far the larger part Of whom
must under the terms of the Constitution be Sc
lected by the President either directly or through
his own appointees
In the early years of the administration of the
government, the personal direction Of appointments
TO the civil service may not have been an irksome
task to the Executive; but now, that the burden
has increased fully hundred fold, IL has become
greater than he ought to bear, and 1t necessarily
d1verts his time and attention from the proper dis
charge ofother duties less delicate and respon-
sbe, and which In the very nature of things can
not be delegated to other hands.
In the judgment Of not few who have given study
and reflection ito this matter the nation has out
grown the provisions which the Constitution has
established for filling the minor Offices In the pub
lie service.
W may ha OF no vuisd
expectancy of changing the fundamental law In
this regard 1t Is certain that much relief may be af
rorded not only to the President and to the heads
OF the department, but to Senators and Representa-
tives in Congress, by discreet legislation. They
would be protected IN a great measure by the bill
now pending before the Senate or by any other
which should embody Its Important features, from
the pressure OF personal Importantly and from the
labor of examining conflicting claims and preten-
Sions of candidates,
that before the close of the present session
some decisive action may be taken for the correc-
ton of the evils which tnhere in the present meth
DDS Of appointment, and assure you of my hearty
cooperation In anysmeasures which are likely to
conduce to that end.
AS to the most appropriate term and tenure Of
the official life of the subordinate employees of the
government, 1t seems to be generally agreed that
whatever their extent character, the should
be definite and the other STABLE and that neither
should be regulated by zeal in the service OF party
or fidelity to the fortunes of an individual.
1t matters little to the people at large what com
petent person is at the head of this department
Of that bureau they feel assured that the removal
the retirement of honest and faithful subordnates
whose duties are purely administrative and nave
no legitimate connection with the triumph OF any
political principles the success of any political
party faction 1t is to this latter class OF officers
that the Senate bill, to which have already re-
ferred, exclusively applies.
While neither bill nor any other prominent
scheme for improving the civil service concerns the
higher grade Of officials, who are appointed by the
President and confirmed by the Senate feel bound
to correct prevalent misapprehension as to the
frequency with which the present Executive has
displaced the incumbent of an office and appointed
another in his stead
has been repeatedly alleged that he has in this
particular signaly departed from the course which
has been pursued under recent administrations Of
the government. The facts are as follows:
The whole number Of Executive appointments
during the four years Immediately preceding Mr.
Gardeld's accession to the Presidency was 1886.
OF this number 244, or per cent, Involved the re-
moval of previous tncumbents.
The ratio of removals to the whole number of
appointments was much the same during each OF
| those four years.
were IA removals, 93 per cent in the second with
917 appointments, there were S5 removals, or 80 per
cent in the third, with 49O appointments, there
4S removals, or 10 cent in the fourth with
1923 appointments there were 81 removals. or 80 per
cent. In the four months OF President Garhelds
administration there were 800 appointments and 80
removals. 22.7 per cent. Precisely the same num-
Der Of removals 1897 has taken place in the fourteen
months which have since elapsed, but they consu-
tute only 7.8 per cent of the whole number of ap
pontments dis within that period, and less than
2.6 of the entire list of officials 459-exciusve of
the Army and Navy which Is filed by Presidential
appointment.
/ declare my approval of such legislation as may
be found necessary for supplementtng the existing
provisions of law In relation to political assess
mentS.
In July last authorized public announcement
that employees of the government should regard
themselves at liberty to exercise their pleasure
in making or refusing to make political contribu-
lions, and that their action In that regard would In
no manner affect their official status
In this announcement acted upon the view
which had always maintained and still maintain,
that public officer should be absolutely Tree
any other citizen to give to withhold contribu
ton for the aid of the party OF his choice 1t has,
however, been urged, and doubtless not without
foundation In fact, that by solicitation Of official
superors and by other modes, such contributions
have at times been obtained from persons whose
only motive for giving has been the fear of what
might befall them II they refused 1t goes without
saying that such contributions are not voluntary,
and In my Judgment their collection should be pro-
hibited by law A bill which will effectually sup
press them will receive my cordial approval.
hope that however numerous and urgent may
be the demands upon your attention, the interests
of this District will not be forgotten.
The denial to Its residents of the great right of
suffrage in all relations to NATIONAL State and
municipal action imposes upon Congress the duty
of affordtng them the best administration which
its wisdom can devise
The report of the District Commissioners indi
Gates certain measures whose adoption would seem
to be very desirable instance In particular those
which relate of taxes to steam railroads,
and to assessments of real property.
Among the questions which have been the topic
Of recent debate in the halls of Congress none are
of greater gravity than those relating to the ascer
tainment OF the vote for Presidential electors and
1ntendment of the Constitution in its provisions
for devolv1ng Executive functions upon the Vice
President when the President suffers from inability
to discharge the powers and duties Of his office.
trust that no embarrassments may result from
failure to determine these questions before an
other national election
The closing year has been replete with blessings
for which owe to the Gtver of all Good our rev.
erent acknowledgment For the uninterrupted har-
mony of fore gn relations, for the decay of
tional an1mosities, for the exuberance of our har
vests and the tr1umphs Of our mining and manufac
turing industries for the prevalence of health the
spread of intelligence and the conservation of the
public credit, for the growth of the country in all
the elements ofanational greatness-for these and
countless other blessings-we should rejoice and be
glad. I trust that, under the Inspiration Of this
great prosperity, our counsels may be harmonious,
and that the dictates Of prudence, patriotism, jus
ttce, and economy may lead to the adoption of
measures in which the Congress and the Executive
may heartily unite. CHESTER A. ARTHUR.
Washington, December 4, 1882