The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-02-05
PRESIDENT CLEVELAND
WILL NOT CHANGE HIS CIVIL.
SERVICE POLICY.
His Convictions and Purposes Posi-.
lively Expressed TO a Newspaper
Correspondent.

Washington correspondent Of the
Boston Herald: When | told him be
had many friends and we'll wishers in
Boston, he said, with emphasis: 81
know tina, well. No city in the eoun-
try has been kinder, more considersts
and just to me than hss Boston. i
feel very sensibly how much owe
t. the people for their good will" l
then said TO him that this was not
confined to his own party and 10 the
mugwumps-tbat he had macy
friends in the Republican Iarty, and
that some of the latter had gone 80
far as to suggest inst the Republicans
rally in support Of his policy and take
him away from the Democrats. He
smiled st this, and eaid he was not
aware that things had gone 30 far a9
hat. Then, with 3 twinkle in his
eye, he added: II suppose you Re-
publiCaps did not believe that DEM
orat could possibly be good Presi-
dent. How strapge Men actually
seemed TO be 30 deluded as 10 think
that this great Democratic party could
not be trusted to govern the country
that 1t hada't man whom it could
elect who would administer the gov
eminent honestly and faithfully.
Well, that SHOWS how far ra-ty spirit
will carry men ~
He next spoke of his position toward
the Senate in the matter OF contiIma-
tions to office. He said It gave him
some anxiety, for the Senate had been
a good while in disclosing what It
meant 10 90. "fney seem TO distTust
me" said he, "if l am 70 accept what
hear from others. But hear nothil q
from them They have not called upon
me for information or for documents.
| have tried to deal no ably and
fairly by them. My purpose WIS an
nounCed 1T the beginning OF roy adj
minlstration. ! meant t1en to adhere
TO II. l have never changed it. do
not mean to change it in the future.
II seems to me unjl aud ungenerous
in them to suspect that ! do. IL had
not meant to adhere 10 my policy, it
would have been foolish in me 10 be-.
gin in it. ! should have escaped much
in refusing to begin IL 1t is not at al
pleasant for me 10 dasappoint, and
fear sometimes to offend, my party
friends Nothing but Il sense of duty
has bought me 10 this step Why run
all this risk, and incur all this hard
feeling, only in the end to retreat? 1t
seeme to me il would have been as
impolitic as it is wJong No, l have
tried to be true 30 my own pledges
aud the pledges Of my pSrtv We both
promised to divorce the offices OF the
country from beng used for party
service. l have held 10 my promise,
and mean to hold to it," l said TO
him; 81 suppose, Mr.. President,
that pledge was not rttfosctive?'
"No," was his reply, 81 did
not propose to hold pats service in
the past in the DsmociaCc ranks ss
against q man. On the contrary, it
gave him strong, equitable claim to
office He had been excluded for
~ eniy-four years because he was a
Democrat. He should be remembered
for the same reason when Democrat
&c Manifestation came into power,
provided he was a competent n an for
the position to be fill d. VIVA 1 I'M
deTstand by civil service reform, as
am carrying it out, is that the Office
holders shall be divorced from politics
while they fill their post ols under
this government That rule | have
meant to stand by" l asked him If
he was aware Of any deviation from il
among his appoint ,eH. ''Ii there has
been any" taid he, ''it has not been
called to my attention" l suggested
that some such charge had bsen made
in New York. He said ne did not be
lieve that there WAS foundation for it,
and that it was well known there that
his wishes were that the ofiice.holders
should attend 20 the duties Of their |
positions, and interfere neither
with candidates nor election con-
tetts. "My removals from Of
ice, such Ra are made"
said he, "are made for cause. 1t |
would be absurd for me to undertake
to give the country my reasons in all |
cases, because it would be impracti-
icable. When have removed q Re-
publican for political reasons or for
any other reaeons, would apply the
same rale to my own party. think
the Republican Senators should be
just enough to believe this OF me.
They ought to appreciate that I am
trying to do my duty. Why they
should continue to distrust me / do
not see. They do not come to me
either personally or by committee to
get an understanding of my attitude,
or to obtain explanst ons on points OF
action to which they object They
stand off and question the sincerity Of
my purpo e."