The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1884-07-20

ches the rising instinct of patriot.
ism in the heart of the southern
youth. It revives and stimulates
prejudices. 1t substitutes the spirit
of b rbaric vengeance for the love
of peace. progress and harmony.
THE CIVIL SERVICE.
The general character of the civil
service Of the United States under
all administrations has been honor
able in the one supreme test, the
collection and distribution and dis
bursement of revenue. The record
of fidelity has never been surpassed
in any nation. With the almost
fabulous sums which were received
and paid during the late war, scru,
pulous integrity was the prevailing
lule. Indeed, throughout that try
ing period it can be said to the honor
of the American name, that unfaith
FUN SO and dishonesty among civil
| officers were as rare as misconduct
and coWardice was on the field of
battle. The growth of the country
hiss continually and necs ssarily en-
larged the civil service until it in
cludes vast body OF officers. The
rules aud methods of appointments
which prevailed when the number
was smaller have been found INSULT
Gent and i'm practicable, and earnest
efforts have been made to separate
the great mass of ministerial
officers from partisan in
tiuence and personal control,
impsrtially in the mode Of appoints
ment to be based on qualifications
and security of tenure to be based
on the faithful discharge of duty,
are the two ends to be accomplished.
The public business will be aided by
Separating the legislative branch
of the government from all control
Of appointment, and the executive
department will be relieved by SUBJ
jecting appointments to fixed rules
and thus remove them from the
caprice of favoritism. But there
should be a rigid observance of the
law giving in all cases Of equal com.
potency the preference to the SOL
diers who risked their lives in the
defense of the union. l entered
Congress in 1868 and in somewhat
prolonged service I never found it
expedient to request or recommend
the removal of a civil officer except
in four instances, and this for mons
political reasons which were in
stantly conclusive with the appoint
ing power. The officers in the dis.
trict appointed by Mr.. Lincoln in
1861 upon the recommendation of
my predecessor served, as
a rule, until death or
resignation. l adopted at the be-
ginning of my service the test Of
competitive examination for ap-
pointments to West Point and MAIN
tanned it so, as 1 had right by law to
nominate q cadet. In the case of
many officers / found that the
greatest law which arbitrarily
limits the term of the commission
offered a constant temptation to
changes for mere political rea: ons.
have publicly expressed the belief
that the essential modification OF
that law would be in many respects
advantageous. My observation in
the Department OF State confrmeu
the conclusions Of my legislative K.
perience and impressed me with the
conviction that the rule of i'm partial
appointment might with advantage
be carried bsyond any existing pro-
vision of the civil service law. II
should be applied to appointments
in the consular service; consuls
should be commercial sentine's en-
circling the globe with watchfuI-
ness for their country's inter.
ests. Intelligence and comps-
tency become therefore matters
Of great public concern. No
man should be appointed to an
American consulate who is not well
instructed In the history and re-.
sources of his own country, and the
requirements and language of the
commerce in the country to which
he is sent. The same rules should
be applied even more rigidly to sec
retaries of legation in our diploma
tic service. The people have the
right to tbs most efficient agents in
the discharge Of public business,
and the appointing p-wer should
regard this as the prior and Interior
consideration.
THE MORMON QUESTION.
Religious liberty ia the right of
every citizen in the Republic. Con
gress is forbidden by the Constitu
tion to make any law respecting the
establishment of religion, or prOhib-