The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1883-01-10

and most merltOflOus, Is pEelefIeu'
This is wrong, sir; length OF service gives
no superior title to a continuance in that
service. If it be good thing; If it be, aud
is generally considered, piece of singular
good fortune to secure an appointment 1t
Is no Injustice that this good fortune shall
at least be not made better. There will
always be in this country, l hope, many
more who are competent TO till these othces
than there are offices to fill. There will be
no scarcity Of persons able and willing to
ell them, and hence no danger, IT due care
be exercised and examination made and
without this the whole scheme will fail j OF
having incompetent or unworthy persons
appointed. Besides, sir, the requirements
that all persons shall enter public life at
the lowest grade will deter the best men
from applying They will be unwilling to
surrender career in business or In the
professions for the mere mechanical drudg-
cry and, to them, inadequate compensation
of the lowest grade. Let the office be given
to the most worthy, whether they be found
in official or in private life.
Again, this method tends to produce an
official CASTE separate and distinct from
the great mass OF the people, with special
and peculiar rights and privileges. 1t
will tend to prevent any service in these
offices except by those who mean to make
office-holding the business of their lives.
Such system may produce possibly
greater manual dexterity in the discharge
of official duties and more ready knowl-
edge of the mere details of an Office, a
greater facility in turning to old records,
books, and papers; ia other words, more
perfect machine in the regular automatic
: working of office; but, sir, this advantage
will be purchased, as | believe, at great
, sacrifice. 1t will exclude the more able
and intelligent. 1t will separate the civil
service from sympathy and communion
with the people. 1t will prevent that
spirit, so necessary in officials, which
makes them feel that they are part OF
the people--their servants only.
Another objection is that, it being settled
: that all who can enter the higher grades,
= it will come to be considered that the low
! est grade is but the preparatory school for
! the higher grades, and this will produce
. two serious results. First, the examiners
, will give certificates only to those who
: shall show capability for advancement,
y thus excluding altogether from the lowest
: grade of the public service for which they
are entirely competent for the higher posi-
9 tons. This is unjust. Every citizen has
;, right to have his claims for particular
3 office considered without reference to his
possible capacity for another and different
/, one. Second, their appointees in the low
l est grade will, under this practice, con-
- slider their employment in that grade as
r. purely educational, purely probationary
- They will have no heart for and take nc
-, pride in the work assigned them. They
- will continually look for the good day
=, . when they are to be promoted. Should
:; there be failure to receive promotion il
=, will be considered as slight and dis.
" grace. Moreover, the provision seems not
~ fully to accord with what l consider the
!" principal merit Of the whole scheme
= namely, that appointments hereafter are
70 to be made on merit alone, SO that every
~ citizen of the Union however high or how
a ever humble shall have an equal oppor
a. tunity for public employment instead o
70 as now being accessible alone by thos,
y who from their connections with inhuen
g tial public men are the special and exclu
a. a. sive favorites of fortune.
II | trust, sir, after the assault made Oh
y. this provision BY the Senator from Geor
60 gia, which was well calculated to produc,
N the impression that it was contrived TO
We the purpose of retaining in Office all tn
or appointees OF the party in power, that tn
90 friends OF the measure will consent to al
st amendment 1t was well said by the Sena
IN tor from Massachusetts that it was
m sential to any scheme of reform that
N should have the support OF both partie
~ in this country | trust therefore, that til
+. friends of the bill will consent to sucl
amendments as will secure it against Jus
), criticism; that it may not operate for tn
~ benefit OF one party to the detriment q
~ another. The reasons which have urge
~ in favor of the amendment seems to b
u conclusive. shall vote for it. Ii it j
nc carried, | shall be gratifed if the provis
~ Ion IN question shall not in practice hav
A, the effect which l apprehend, l will ais
- be gratlted. Ii it shall have that effec
In the bill can be amended. There are tw
.e years yet of this Administration remain
=! Ing That will be time enough to sho,
=, the workings of the scheme and the dispc
IS sltion OF the party in power to give it
+. TAR trial. 1t it shall be found that
i, works badly, it can be amended wheneye
~, needed. Ii it shall be found that its prC
~ visions are evaded or perverted to part
IA ends, there remains the power to amen
a'n ana the power to put in Office those VIII
~ =" VIII give 1t fair operation.
.ss Mr.. President it was objected by III
, ,n Senator from Georgia, that the bill nr,
1 Le vided Tor life tenure in Office. This is 4
IN error. 1t does not provide for removal
~ Inc matter is left exactly where the Cor
aa, stltutlon leaves it. 1t is not in the pow,
Il OF Congress to take away from the Pres
M dent his right to remove any more than
an, take away his right to appoint. The Oh
zas power is an incident OF the other. an
nd they are inseparably united. How lor
ion a. appointee shall remain in Office mus
bnt therefore, necessarily depend on the di
tss eretIvn and judgment Of the appointir
ons power where the Constitution has place
on It, The Constitution may be wrong S,
.eS until 1t is amended we must obey it.
,bn own, sir, ! deem its amendment on Il
oss subject OF the appointment to Office az
ybo measure greatly needed. Accordingly
~ mad the honor to introduce at the last ~
10 ~ sion resolution providing for an amen,
ment giving the election Of all FEEDER
. oheers having local jurisdiction to Il
ec- people Of the locality in which each ave
~, clsed ms powers do not intend "a al
sue cuss that amendment now. but I tr,s,
lay shall he nardo,,nJ e.. .---.'l - sANos