The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1885-01-08

! NEW YORK, December 29.-The fol-
lowing correspondence explains itself:
| NATL CIVIL SERVICE REFORM LEAGUE
OFFICE 4 PINE STREET,
New YORK, December 20, 1854.
| Hon. Grouer Cleveland: SIR: We
have the honor to address you on behal1
of the National Civil Service Beform
League, an association composed oi
citizens of all parties, whose sole pur.
pose is indicated by its name, and which
takes no part whatever in party contro'
versy. The vast increase in the number
of persons engaged in the civil service,
and the grave mischiefs and dangers
arising from, the general prescription in
the service which for half century has
followed a change of party control of the
national administration, have produced
so profound an impression upon the pub.
lie mind that the first effective steps
toward reform were taken with the co.
operation Of both parties in the passage
of the reform Act of January 10Th, 1883.
The abuse which that Act seeks to cor.
rect, however, arc so strongly entrenched
| in the traditions and usages of both par
ties that there is naturally widespread
anxiety lest the party change in the
National Executive, effected by the late
election, should show them to be insu-
perable; but believing as we do that the
reformed system cannot be held to. be
securely established until it has safely
passed the ordeal of such party change,
and recalling with satisfaction and con-
fdence your public expressions favorable
to reform and your official acts as the
Chief Executive of the State of New
York, we confidently commend this cause
to your patriotic care in the exercise of
the great power with which the Ameri-
can people have entrusted you.
Respectfully, yours,
GEO. WIN, CURTIS, President.
VIM. PORTS, Secretary.
John Jay, Moorefeld Storey, j. Hall
Peasants, w. w. Montgomery, Everett
P. Wheeler, Frederick Cromwell, Nor
rell Wyman, Jr., Carl Schurz, Silas w.
Burt, A. S. McDonough, VIM. Carey
Sanger, VIM. w. Aiken, Executive Com.
mittee.
PREsIDENT.ILECrC CLEvELAND's REPLY.
ALBANY N. Y, December 25, 1884.
Hon. George William Curtis, President,
&c.-DEAR SIR: Your communication,
dated December 20, addressed to me on
behalf of the National Civil Service Re-
form League, has been received. That
practical reform in civil service is de.
manded, is abundantly established by
the fact that the statute referred to in
your communication TO secure such re-
suit has been passed in Congress, with
the assent of both political parties, and
by the further TACT that the sentiment is
generally prevalent among patriotic peo.
pie, calling for fair and honest enforce
ment Of the law, which has been thus
enacted. / regard myself pledged to
this, because my conception of true
Democratic iiaith and public duty re-
auires that this and all other statutes
should be in good faith and without
evasion enforced, and because in many
utterances msde prior to my election as
President. approved by the party 10 wfi;h
/ belong, and which l have no disposi.
tion to dsclaim, j. have in effect promised
the people, that this should be done. l
am not unmirdful of the fact to which
you refer, tina: many of our citizens fear
that the recent party change in the
National Executive may demonstrate
that abuses which have grown up in
civil service are ineradicable. l know
that they are deeply rooted and that the
spoils system has been supposed to be
intimately related to success in the main.
tenance of party organization, and I am
not sure that all those who profess to be
friends of this reform, will stand firmly
among its advocates when they find it
obstructing their way to patronage and
place. But fully appreciating the trust
committed to my charge, no such consid..
GRAFTON shall cause a relaxation on my
part of an earnest effort to enforce this
law. There is class of Government
positions which are not within the letter
of the Civil Service Statute, but which
are so disconn ected with the policy of an
administration, that the removal there.
from of the present incumbents, in my
opinion, should not be made during the
terms for which they we're appointed,
solely on partisan grounds and for the
purpose of putting in their places those
who were in political accord with the
appointing power. But many now hold
ing such positions have forfeited all just
claims to retention, because they have
used their places for party purposes in
disregard of their duly to the people,
and because, instead of being decent
public servants, they have proved them
selves offensive partisans and unscrupu-
lous manipulators of local party man.
agement. The lessons of the past should
be unlearned, and such officers, as we'll
as their successors, should be taught that
efficiency, fitness and devotion to duty,
are conditions of their continuance in
public place, ind that the quiet and un-
obtrusive exercise of individual political
rights, is reasonable measure of their
party service. If I were addressing
none but party friends, should deem it
entirely proper to remind them, that
though the coming administration is to
be Democratic, due regard for the peo.
ple's interest does not permit faithful
party work to be always rewarded by
appointment to office, and to say to them.
that while Democrats may expect all
proper consideration, selections for office,
not embraced within the civil service
rules, will be based upon sufficient in.
quiry as to fitness, instituted by those
charged with that duty, rather than upon
persistent importuDity or self.solicitation
and recommendations on behalf of can.
didates for appointment.
Yours very truly,
GROVER CLEVELAND.