Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-08-04
CIVIL SERVICE REFORM.
The Democratic Party Pledged to sup
port 1.-THE Republican Party Against

It
CINCINNATI, August 2~-The following
i an extract from the speech Of Hon. ".
: Groesbeek, delivered this evening:
ne la0le goes, that the Augean sta
Dies We're continuously occupied for thirty
years without being once cleansed. and
50 became very foul. The Executive De-
partment Of the Government has been
continuously occupied BY the Republican
party Tor nearly quarter Of a century.
2 know something Of the foul accumuIa-
rl0us during that time. Of whisky rings.
OF land grabs, Of credit mObiliers. and
star route plunderings. What 9th
eT hidden Impurities may be
fostering within il. We know not. There
Is "A feeling Of distrust. and fear there
arc more But these ara enough. and the
time has FULLY come when there should be
q thorough hOuse-cleaning Of the entire
political structure. The Republicans
have refused 60 do this work. and insist
that the present occupants shall not be
disturbed In order, therefore. that il
may De done, there must be a change Of
administration. Let Us suppose this
change 70 be made. and the great house
vacated. cleansed. sweetened and made
ready for the new occupants. How shall
II be reoccupied: / refer only 10 the
nOn-p0liJical and clerical officials 70 whom
have been assigned the humber apart
meuts- All bacEstairShaye been removed.
all side doors walled up. and the only en-
trance Is at the front. and there the law l
have been considering. stands as door
keeper. An applicant tor admission ap-
pears and presents a letter. It is from a
Congressman who has just been elected
for the first time. The substance Of the
letter l. about a. follows: ALLOW me 10
present my dear friend. the bearer. He
l. skilled IN packing nominating cOnven-
tl0ns- and on election DAYS votes early and
often. In q word he i one Of those zeal
0us workers upon whom we depend for the
success OF the party and the preservation
u lis sacred principles He wants an
office. Don't fail % give him one, for If
YOU should. j VIII beimUcl embarrassed II
not seriously compromised Admittauce
j. refused. The applicant becomes indig-
uaut. and lets the dOOr6eeper know. in
emphasized saxon. that he has. all his
life. fought. bled and died for his party.
$50 home and be buried.' replies the door
and presents a letter from a Sena-
tQr. For some reason. II i
carefully sealed. Upon being torn open.
il i found % be In the usual form. and
significant only for the closing sentence.
which j. in these words: Don't show this
letter % the bearer, and l heseech you To
give the fellow something. no matter
what He i boring me 10 death IL i in
vain. and the applicant departs 10 be with
1ls dead brother. >tul another appears.
and with an air OF confidence. for his
recommendation l. from a higher source
t1du that Of the others. II Is examined
and returned. The astOuished Office
seeker asks il the signature has been No.
rlced. The letter i from the Presi-
dent =. and the time was when
this recommendation would have been
ah Hrr= Sc o.
ro-atIEe has been Withdrawn, and l am
than the President. You cannot enter
He l1lters for q while. waiting for some
tlln- % turn up. and ~ last disappears.
And now come the n0n-partlsan appi-
caut>. ult from conventions or ward meet
in-s- but from the homes Of the people.
They bring no letters: they don't need
them. They come lE invitation Of the
law. The doors open wide. and they 20
ia. Wat i their politics. They are
Democrats and Republicans. about the
same number ot each; and Is the people
OF the [ nlCed states VIII always be dITI-
ded into Two parties. Of varying but nearly
equal strength and intelligence. 30 these
places VIII always Be occupied oy per-
sons coming prqmIScuously from the pe0-
pie. and. l mag say. equally divided in
their political views. Irmay happen that
u them VIII De Republicans than Demo
Gratis: - It may happen under a Repubh-
can administration that more Of them
VIII be Democrats than Republicans. II
may Dc safely stated. however. that both
0f the great parties whether IN power or
out II power. VIII always be fairly repre-
-ented. ana this VIII be better and more
satisfactory than IL has been heretofore.
How long viii they stav. The law
H. On -- 20 rr-r- g.
was before. g il i now. the time i not
liked They have been requested u pre-
pare themselves for these places. and theT
have done -. II i their reasonable eX-
pecta-i0u that the obligation which fairly
arises Out Ot such a request. and their
compliance with IL. viii be observed. That
j. aL. They know they are % be allowed
U retain their independence and self-re-
-pecr- that they are not 20 be piuudered
ty assessments. or harassed by p0liti-
clans. OF driven out because Of their Opin-
Ions or votes. The power Of removal over
shadows them a. il did those who pre-
c=ded them. but viii no longer be applied
for mere party purposes. That i all they
know. and with that understanding they
take their places. How long Will they
-tay- II would De premature % answer
that question to-day. and II i FAR better
To refer it % the wiser judgment that
comes 90 trial and experience. In the
meanwhile. We may rest IN the certainty
that no harm VIII come 70
the government because Of the emanciua-
tion " these officials from political
-lra-lom- and by reason II the greater
Independence Of their position. and their
greater uearness 10 the people. they NAV
prove % De a strong bulwark against the
eucrlaclments Of executive power. His
tory admunl>hes Us u watch those who Oc-
cupT the ambitious and commanding DO
sitiOns, but not such as these.
Three National Democratic conven-
tions and three Ohio Democratic cOnven-
ti0ns have declared for this reform. -.
also. have ike conventions in New Hamp-
>hiIe. and Michigan, and Massachusetts.
and New York. and Connecticut. and
Maine. and Pennsylvania. and Indiana.
and Missouri. and South Carolina. and
California. and II may be in other states.
These declarations VIII never be re-
called nor viii this law be repealed. un-
less 10 give place 10 better one. We
have always gone too far 10 turn
back. nor Will we stand still. The
reform l. inaugurated. and it viii 20 on
from strength 10 strength. until IL shall
take charge Of and regulate all the offices
within lis appropriate jurisdiction: and
In due time IL viii be adopted BY the
States. and. especially, bv The large and
expensive municipalities. Ii is a busi-
ness necessity. and il Is right. Nor Is
this all. Ii Is Democratic. and / hope il
may be the privilege OF the Democracy 20
take il in their own keeping at the earli-
est opportunity. and administer IL with