Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-11-17

WHAT HE DID SAH-0Pp0SED TO THE EVILS OF
THE ENGLISH sYsTEM-DowN OK INITAroRs
OF THE ENGLISH-A SHARP LETTER.
The following letter of Mr.. Blaine explains
itself:
AUGUSTA, Me-, November 10, 1856.
TO the Editor of tie Kcanebec Journal.
THANK you for calling my attention to a cir
cular issued by the so-called Independent com.
mfttee during the recent canvass in Massachu-
sets, touching my position on the question of
civil service reform. Absence from home for
several weeks has prevented my seeing it
sooner.
The circular embod.es a singular perversion
OF what said, still more singular perversion
OF what quoted in speech on the 10Th OF
October, at Huntingdon, Pa. How the error or
misrepresentation originated, IL is not for me
10 say; MY speeches in Pennsylvania Were
oy skilled stenographers. and personally saw
the report in no other paper. l send you here.
WITH the speech OF October 10th, as it appeared
In the Press, and respectfully ask you to repub-
lish 1t In your columns side by side with the cir
cular issued by the Massachusetts independent
committee. thank you further for submitting
to me u public letter of October 26th, from Mr.
Martin Brimmer, of Boston. in which L am
accused OF .repudiating the reform of the civil
inconsiderateIy based his remarks upon the
circular OF the Independent committee, and
mas thus been led into publishing statement
superstition be correct. MIR. Brimmer will,
AS a gentleman, withdraw his language.
II Is scarcely necessary to say that
have never repudiated reform in the
civil service, nor abated my interest therein.
Nor have L ever regarded the sneer as IA forci.
BILE mode OF argument Were l tempted to
resort to 1t should direct 1t, not against the
reform OF the civil service. but against the
hypocrisy of those who wish conditions of that
service to be enforced against their political
opponents, but not against their political
friends The point which sought to establish
IN my speech ut Huntington was entirely con-
FUSED and Obscured in the Independent circu-
lar. In effect, said that the English civil SER
vice, which was held up a model for our gov
eminent by those whOleft The republican party
Two years ago. is now under investigation and
apparent condemnation by the Engiish them.
Selves that the British ministry have instituted
commission to examine into the alleged
abuses, and that Mr.. George w. Smalley, appar-
entity agreeing, hitherto, with the American
admirers of the English service, now declares
the belief i'll England TO be that the civil service
Is worse in all the departments of the govern
ment than 1t was forty years ago. MIR. SmaIley
gives somewhat detailed recital of the defects
and abuses alleged to exist in the English SER
trlouted TO our own civil service, even by Its
most merciless censor. My argument i'm
Piled, and was intended to imply, that
the republican party had been wise in not
adopting the English system, with its life
tenure and its large pension list, and all the at
tendant evils, which have at last demanded in
VeStSatlon by ministerial commission. Nor
would Justice and fair courtesy have been done
TO my speech, even If my remarks on civil SER
vice, torn from their logical connection, had
been correctly quoted by the independent COM
mlttee Those remarks were but part OF an
argument in which L enieavored to illustrate
how truly American, in its best sense, were the
whole policy and history OF the republican
party, and LOW, under the lead OF the so-called
Independents, the democratic party, both in its
revenue system and its civil service rules, was
to be cuniormed u British policies just at the
very time when the British themselves are
hndlng fatal weakness i'll those policies. In
short, though did not say SO in words, l meant
to convey my belief that the very worst leaders
and guides for a continental republic are those
VINO persist ln seeing the perfection OF human
government in an lnsular monarchy, whose
conditions are, in all respects, radically differ
ent from those OF Our own broad land. Inc
Massachusetts independents should learn that
American inspiration ends where imitation OF
England begins. Very respectfully,
JAMES O. ISIAINE