Year: 1877

While the press of New-Y York, without dis
tinct0n of politics, cOmmcnds the order OF the
President scDardting the Convention from the
Custom-hcuse as the Inauguration of a grand
reform, a great many Of The Republican country
papers regard it with indignation and alarm.
They predict The ruin of the party, and they
ask, Who is going to take the u0uble To make
and manage tho organization if the Office
holders are not to do it, and upon wholn the
EXPENSES of the campaign ought 30 be assessed
if not upon those who have received the Offices
in compensation for their past labois, and VINO
have direct pecuniary interest i'll the success
of the cause Civil service reform was all
very well while it was merely sentiment ;
but sach a severe and practical application
OF it's principles appears to the President ;
critics demOraliZng and QuiXOtic III the last
degree. Beyond doubt Mr.. Hayes is very far
in advance of the public senument-nOt Of the
countIy for that il with him-but Of the work
ING politicians and average journalists OF the
Republican party. IL is refreshing 20 find a
Chief Executive who aspires 70 lead opinion,
and is not content to follow il; but he Is
making himself trouble


To the objection that the Republican party
cannot live without ofce-holders 70 manage
its campaigns and the Government Treasury
to furnish funds, it may be answered ;hat the
Democratic party cOntrives to keep itself
pretty lively without these advantages, and it
il not clear why one side should have the
privilege of laying the country under cOnluhu-
ton and not the other. Plain people who do
not understand the mysteries OF partisan poll
ties open their eyes when they are told that
the Republican party, which they supposed to
be firmly seated iii the confidence and ailec-
t0ns of the people, could not maintain itself
for Is single campaign if it were not proppod
up 10y the Federal patronage and Literally snp-
piled with spending money, LEVIED upon the
salaries OF the Federal appointces And they
ask with some uncasincss what kind OF party
it can be that has such "a profound distrust Of
its own voters. But i'll fact there is not the
least danger that the organization will be
broken up when the system Of paying men
out Of the public purse for running il is aban-
doned. Party government is vigorous enough
in England without the aid of the cxtraor-
dinary official influences that seem to be
thought necessary over here; and neither Lib
erals nor Tories have any reason to complain
of "A lack of "organization," or of the luke
warmness Of n public which will not support
the party without being paid for it.


What the Presidents order threatens 10
break up is not the Republican organization.
but the disorganizing and dishonorable system
which consists in making the direction of a
great party matter Of personal and strictly
pecnniary interest TO n few professional place
holders. This is the system which has driven
so many of our best citizens out of political
life, 2 ven over the caucuses and conventions
to the control Of persons whom no prudent
business man would trust with his private
affairs, and thrown the doors wide open for
the admission vi fraud and theft. 1t has made