The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1883-01-10
THE CLARION.
SPEECH
Hon. James z. George
On the Civil Service Reform.
Mr.. GEORGE said :

NIX. 6EOkGE sal0:
Mr.. PRESIDENT think that this
bill is the Inauguration OF most lmpor- |
tant and necessary reform. The ills
which il seeks to remedy are OF the most
momentous character, affecting deeply
the purity Of administration and even
threatening the stability of our free in
stitutions. 1t proposes to overthrow the
dangerous and corrupting system which
has for its legend ITO the victors belong
the spoils," which holds the public
Offices, the great and high trust which
the people have committed to their ser
wants for the common good of all, as the
property of a successful party by right
Of conquest, TO quote phrase from Mr..
Webster, and which treats the defeated,
frequently one-half the American peo-
pie, as unworthy to participate in the
administration Of the common govern
mcnt. This system is based on the
patronage Of the Executive Department,
which wise and good men in days past
considered as fraught with so much of
evil to our country. Mr.. Calhoun, in
his report on the extent Of executive
patronage, made February 9, 1885, said
that patronage Mt best was but neces-
sary evil, and that its tendency, where it
is not efIectually checked and regulated,
is to debase and corrupt the commune
ty." Volume 8, page l56 Of his works.
And in the same report, speaking OF
the increasing dangers from this source
rs the country increased in size and pop
ulation, he said:
If to this difficulty, resulting from mum
bers and extent ONLY, there be added Others
of most formi liable chnracter--the greater
capacity, in proportion, on the part OF the
Government, in large communities, to seize
on and corrupt all the organs of public
opinion and thus to delude aud impose on
the people, the greater tendency in such
communities to the formation of parties
on local and separate interests, rest
ing on opposing and conflicting principles
with separate and rival leaders at the head
Of each. and great difficulty of combining
such parties in any system of resistance
against the common danger from the Gov
ernment-some conception may be formed
of the vast superiority which that organ
ICED and central party, consisting Of office
holders and ofice-seekers, with Their
dependents, forming one compact, dis
ciplined corps, welded by single individ
ual, without conflict OF opinion within
at the single object of retaining and perpet
uating power in their own ranks, must have
in such n country as ours over the people
q superiority so decisive that il may be safe
ly asserted that whenever the patronage anC
influence of the Government are sufficiently
strong to form such party, liberty, without
aspeedy reform, must inevitably be lost
When we add that this great advantage oil
the Government over the people--of power
Al.
with the growth and population of our coun
try, IL must be apparent how fatal would be
the assumption, ii acted on, that patronage
and influence should increase in the same
proportion; and how infinitely dangerous
has been the tendency OF our affairs Of late
when as has been shown, instead OF increas
ing simply in the same proportion they have
advanced with rRpidity more than double
So far is the f0Pton from being true, i
we regard mation Of our institutions
and the pres ion Of our liberty, we mus
hold it ms ornamental maxim that The
action of the '.,vernment should, with oul
growth, gra 'ty become more moderat,
instead of r' cNtense; "A maxim restng
on principle deep and irreversible, ana
which can not be vie ated without inevifa
BILE destruction. Moderation in the actor
of this Government the great centra
power Of our system--is, in fact the condi
ton on which our political existence de
ponds and in acting in conformity it bu
conforms TO the principle which divin,
wisdom has impressed upon the beauti Ia
and sublime system Of which our globe il
part and in which the great mass that give
life aud harmony and action to the Who'll
reposes almost motionless in the center
And in the same report, in speaking
OF removals from Office on partisan
grounds, he said:
Nor will it require much reflection to pei
ceive in what manner it contributes TO In
crease so vastly the extent of Executiv
patronage.
So long as Offices were considered as pull
lie trusts, TO be conferred on the honest an
faithful and capable, for the common goot
aud not for the benefit or gain of the il
cumbent or his party, and so long as II wa
the practice Of the Government to contnu
in office those who faithfully performed thei
duties, is patronage In point OF fact, WI
limited to the mere power of nominating I
accidental vacancies or to newly create
offices, and could, of course, exercise but
moderate influence either over the body
the community or of the othce.holders then
selves; but when this practice was reverse
when Offices, instead OF being considere
as public trusts to be conferred on tll
victory, to be bestowed as rewards for pa
tisaR services without respect 10 meri
when it came to be understood that n
who held office hold by the tenure of part
san zeal aud party service, 1t is easy to ST
that the certain, direct, and inevitable tel
dency Of such a state OF things is to conve
the entire body of those in office into co
rupt and supple instruments Of power, an
TO raise up host of hungry, greedy, an
subservient partisans, ready for every Sc
vice, however base and corrupt. Were
premium offered for the best means Of q
tending 10 the utmost the power of patrol
age; to destroy the love OF country, and
substitute spirit Of subseryiency and maj
worship; TO encourage vice and discourse
virtue; and, in word 20 prepare for Il
subyersion OF liberty, and the sstablishmei
OF despotism, no scheme more pcrie
could be devised; and such must be Il
tendency OF the practice, with whatever il
tention adopted or to whatever extent pu
sued.
These are wise words, and seem
have been inspired by prophetic /
sight into the present condition of o,
country. 1t will be well that we gi'
heed to them. Mr.. Webster was no lie
emphatic in his denunciation of tn