Huntsville gazette., 1885-10-31
RESIGNED.

tlOHs ACtOy IL 1uOmdnS heSlHn8t1On rs
Civil Service Commissioner Accepted BY
the President - An Interesting Letter
From Mr. Thoman-The Presidents Re.
ply.
WASHINGTON, D. c., October 27.-
The following is the correspondence be.
tween Hon. Leroy d. Thoman, of the
Civil Service Commission, and President
Cleveland, respecting The formers resig.
nation, which the President has ac-
cepted, to take effect November 1st,
next.
WASHINGTON, D. c., October 20, 1885.
SIRs-Respectfully referring to a conversa-
tioa FAD with You as early as March 10th, in
wile II expressed the wi sh to he relieved of
~ ss.fities as member of the United States
Civil Service Commission, and also to the
apparent fact that it was not then your pleas
ure to cons der my request, now have the
honor to tender formally my resignation,
and earnestly to beg an early con-
sideraton of the same and it's accept
ance. While thus asking srelease from
so honorable trust, desire
to record my qualification over the prove d
practicability and remedial effectiveness
OF the reform procedure. Tried veterans
in political warfare view with amazement
the facile though radical departure from the
familiar m ethods of the spolS system of
distributing patronage. strenuous and sim
cere argument. and also deliberate perver-
sion, mark the opposition OF different
groups of antagonists. And yet it must be
concluded that majority Of the political
leaders in either party is in accord with the
Pendleton law. its original enactment, and
emphatic Endorsement by subseque ent
Congress, were honest legislative expires
slons, and not the coercion of moral cow
ardice by popular sentiment, nor partisan
legerdeman.
In the great task of administrative re-
form, which you have undertaken in accord
ance with personal and party pledges, the
people will give aid. 1t has been my pleas
ure within the last two months to visit quite
a number OF the States and Territories OF
this Union, and ft was my good fortune to
meet with many OF their citizens. 1t is
gratifying to know that the people coniide
in the unequivocal intention Of the
President to sustain the mer-
it system in the civil service.
They had condemned the evils Of the former
methods. Long experience had made their
knowledge accurate. They welcomed the
Inauguration of the new The distinctive
features of the present reform appealed to
a typically American sentiment, which COM
mands and advances merit. With the pre-
else details of the new procedure their ac-
quintance was not so intimate. To this they
are fast succeeding, and the result Will be
cordial approval.
The inception and maintenance of great
reforms are with the people. | believe that
the fundamental idea of civil service reform
is charac. erssic of American thought. Pop
ular hesitation over the acceptance OF stat
utory details, suggests merely a safe con-
servatism. In the initial stages of this re-
form there was a response throughout the
Nation. Political contests assumed new
tone. Old time methods of corruption were
discouraged, and bossism was grappled
with fresh vigor. The Improvement is yet
marked. If vicious elements still seek OBJ
trusion into elections, the chances of their
success have been leSsene1.
The reform spirit is militant, and advances
toward complete success. Corruption by
official patronage has been removed. With
the impartins OF purer life to Official cir
cles, the power of the private purse to pur :
chase noltical hOnors will be less danger
Public appreciation of the fact that
this reform does not trench upon star dy
partizan ship came late. 1t was sedulOusly
maintained that the civil service was
to be composed of men who should
abjure certain rights of citizenship. With
the gradual, but inevitable, refutation of
this false view, the outlines of the reform at
last stood forth in ciearnesS 1t is reform
which views the civil service as a vast busi-
ness agency; its search is for the best at
tainable merit. In business, which is not
political, it enforces no tests OF party. With
confident trust in the success of your admin
istration, am
Your obcdient servant,
LEROY d. THOMAN
To the President