Year: 1867

Ii the Committee on Rerenchment had
done nothing else, they would deserve the
thanks of a country tired to the point of dis
gust of the scramble for Office, for the bill re-
ported at the last session of Congress by Mr.
Jenckes of Rhode Island and called up again by
the same excellent legislator at the presentses-
sion. The bill requires that hereafter all civil
officers of the government, except postmasters
and such officers as are nominated by the
President himself, shall be made from those
persons found to be best qualified for their
prospective duties, by an open and competi-
tive examination. Promotions in the civil
service are to be made, three-fourths in the
of merit to be ascertained by an examination.
Misconduct and inefficiency are to be suffici-
ent grounds, when established by due enqui-
ry, for suspension or removal aam


This is only the rudest outline of the sys-
tenn proposed, but it is sufficient to show what
IS the nature of the contemplated reform.-
There are excellent officers no doubt in every
department of the public service; but there
is also great swarm OF useless drones in ev,
cry department. The pay rolls of the public
offices have become to too great extent mere
pension lists. We want men in those Offices
to do the work of the offices. 1t is notorious
that men utterly incapable, men who cannot
even write fair copy, are employed to do
work which requires at least a respectable ed
ucation and fair natural abilities. The best





that can be hoped of these men IS that they
will do no mischief, and they generally avoid
that error by doing nothing. But they draw
their salaries with great regularity. They
keep their places by the influence of some un-
Gle or aunt or on account of their own real or
imaginary influence in the local politics of
their districts. 70 ai-nE z.iliift Ht-


The people of the United States cannot af-
ford to hire servants on these terms There is
the work to be done. We want, and are will
ling to pay, good men to do it. We are not
willing to pay good-for-nothins men not to do
it. Wear not willing to pay men for their
exertions in political campaigns. The minor
ity as well as the majority are taxed to sup
port the government, and the minority is un-
der no especial obligation to the men who de-
mand these offices as their due for party SER
vices. Neither the minority nor the majority
stands in need Of such services bought with a
price. We do not need the help of these men
to enable us to make up our minds. The
American people have mind to govern
themselves, and do not expect or intend to be
governed by professional politicians. Il -- ds


Let the public service be purified OF these
men. Let the public servants understand
that they are servants of whole people and
not of party. Let them learn to respect
themselves, to hold their own opinions, to
to vote in accordance with those opinions, to
abstain from the attempt to control public
opinion, and so secure to themselves the re-
spect which their qualifications ought to COM
mand We see Mr.. Seward insulting our Min
lister to Austria, because an exaggerated ru-
NOR Of Mr.. Motley's disapproval OF the Presi-
dents policy had reached the State Depart
ment. We see Congress cutting off the salary
of our Minister to Portugal, because Mr.. Har-
vey wrote letter disappearing the Congress
slonal policy. This is all wrong. The politi-
cal opinions of an officer should not be con-
stiued as an Official misdemeanor.


Congress itself has direct interest in the
passage of Mr.. Jenckes's bill. Applicants for
all sorts of places, and on all sorts of preten.
ces except capacity, infest the lodgings Of
Congressman and the lobbies Of the Capitol
| in swarms. The prospect of strict examina-
ton would warn off at least nine-tenths OF
these pests. On grounds of economy, for the
furtherance of the public business, for the
restriction of the evil of ofice-seeking, for the
relief of Congress from most onerous and
thankless burden, this bill ought to pass
With the bill restricting the Presidents pow
er Of removal, it would be of incalculabie ben
eft in correcting the political immortality
which has long been regarded as one of the
worst blemishes upon our system of govern
| mpnt -tt