Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1885-12-07
CIVIL SERVICE REFORM AGAIN.

To the editor of the Alexandria Gazette:
Since the appearance of an article from
nv pen on civil service reform which you
did me the honor to publish fortnight
since there have been repeated editorial ref
erences in your columns to the subject, and
one or two communications which seem to
have been elected by mine. If have been
instrumental in provoking discussion on
topic of such moment, | rejoice, tor, like
good causes generally among right-mlndeG
people, this reform needs only to be under
stood and fifty urged to be approved, and
its advocacy adopted.
Your leading editorial of the Both ultiuo
quotes from g letter of President Jefferson
in which he complains of the total exclu-
sion from Office which he found on his ac-
cession to power of all who were not of a
particular sect of politics." and then ex-
presses the intention to correct the proce-
dure" and, after the distribution of office
was somewhat equaized between parties, to
return with joy to that state OF things
when the only question concerning candl'
date shall be, Is he honest? Is he capa-
BILE? Is he faithful to the constitution ?"
You cannot applaud these uttcranccs moro
cordially than l 90, and l thank you for publish.
ing the strongest argument furnished by any Of
the fathers OF the republic against the spols sys-
tenn c.. JeiFc.son's declaration that the proper
condition of affairs in the State is one where tho
sole question" concerning candidate for nom
political office is, not what his political atla-
tons? but is he honest, capable aud faithful to
| fundamental law? Your construction Of Jeher'
sons letter, however, is neither borne out by the
text nor by the action on his part which followed
it, He did not profess intention to remove all
who were not politically in sympathy with him.
1r ~ rc1r mi q total
sion by his predecessor. As 3 matter OF fact, he
removed very fcw-thrty nine in all, if my in
formation is accuratc-and for the rest trusted
doubtless to filing vacancies as they occurred.
Indeed removals from Office b. our earlier
Presidents were inconceivably rare. Up TO Gen.
Jackson's time there had been in all by his six
predecessors only seventy-threc removals, which
is something less than two year. TO Jackson
belongs the bad emincnca Of inStitutlng the spol!s
system. lie is declared to have dccaDitatcd two
thousand Adams men tho first year Of his admin
istration.
Referring again to recent editorials and COM
munications, in seems that opposition to some OF
the rules Of the late U. S. Civil Service Commits
sion is with many considered sufficient ground
for dcnouncing the law itself. This is illogical
and wrong. The late Commission was dominated
| by men and Influences quite different from the
present, and there is good reason to believe that
the obnoxious rules il question Will now D3 mo'.l-
| fed 1t is not however, quite fair to say
| that the present rules make Confederate soldiers
| ineligible to the Offices compreheude1 i'll the act
| of January 10th, 1888. The limitations to
| ago in Rule II are Of general application except
| that persons honoraby discharged from the
military or naval service OF the country, who are
otherwise duly qualified" arc not affected By them.
This it is true, works tho exclusion OF most ex.
| Confederatcs. but only by including them with
| the rest Of their fellow citizens of like age who
| have not been in the Federal army or navy. But
any such discrimination appears to me as inlquit-
| I'm ,-nu Or IN 81 pF
dents, and trust that you will not cease to war
| upon it, AS an eX.Confederatc who has no apology
| to make for four years in tbs army, / could not
| feel otherwise. 1t is surely needless to add that
my wish to see the civil service law made far
| more comprehensive and sweeping had reference
| only to the number Of offices to which it should
extend aud not to any restriction like that here
| in question.
| The general e1pediency Of a limitation as to
| arc among candidates in the civil service ezami.
nations seems unqucstionable. Young mon learn
moro readily to be perfect in their duties and
! have "a longer period of vigor before them, SO
| that public interest would appear best served by
allowing mono over fOrty.tive 70 enter upon them.
Tho Offices do not exist for the good Of those that
hold them but for the public welfare. The latter,
| at least should be the prime object in filling them.
| Your correspondent, w. A. j., thinks it hard.
ship that II competent Republican otilco holder,
| not an offensive partisan should under the pre-.
sent administration continue in office to the ex-
| cluson of Democratic applicant. l should en-
tircly agree with him if the reform now beginning
| wai designed to be but porary and tho odious
old system to be revived under tia next Gopuhii-
| can administration. But in the very nature of
the case this is not contemplated, and ii it wero
| reformers would be speechless If they have their
| way tho otico3 will be gradually cqua'izci i'll
their distribution between the parties, and then
| removals except for cause be unknown under any
administration. if tho reform is ever 10 be, one
| party must begin it, and covet that honor for
tho Democrats Indeed they OWo it to them
selves and tho country to inaugurate it as some
| indemnity for the vicious innovation for which
| they were responsible when Androw Jackson
changed the unbroken practice OF his predecessors
and fastened upon the country tho mos. pcrnicious
abuses its form Of government has ever known.
L. w. 3.
Fairfax County, Va, Dec I, 1855.