Year: 1872

u


IF we could suppose the Renominationlsts at
Washington capable of blushing, we should
picture them reddening with shame at the Pc
rusal of the two letters from resigned oihce-
holders which we published yesterday A Col
lector of Internal Revenue and Deputy Ma
val Officer in this State, wishing TO vote 1or
Mr.. Greeley rather than for Gen. Grant,
feel obliged as preliminary to resign their
offices. In the Washington code, no man Is
Judged capable of holding any place under
Government who will not wear the Admins
tration livery; no man, be he ever so
faithful and efficient, and valuable to
the public service, can discharge any
official function who will not pledge HIM
self TO Speak, work, and vote for Grant
and Wilson. We do not suppose that Messfs.
Rockwell and Haggerty had any undue eager
ness to be relieved Of the tolls of public sta
ton. They saw no impropriety in holding
Office and voting against Grant, and would
doubtless have been ready to keep their places
while they exercised the right of all American
citizens to freely express their preferences In
the coming election. But they had seen
enough of the tactics of the Renominationists
to know that this would never be allowed,
never had been allowed since Grant began to
make arrangements for his second term. They
knew something of the history of the New
York Custom-hOuse. They had read the
Spencer letter. They understood the COM
pacts by which the President had bargained to
barter away his patronage for the "control"
of various States; and they knew they might
as well initiate the example of Capt. Scotts
coon.


1t is admitted, then, that the offices are only
for the Presidents personal followers. Those
that have not been given to the family must
be used for campaign purposes; and incum-
bents with minds of their own will be re-
moved if they do not resign. Patronage is
too valuable to be wasted on those who will
not pay for it. Meanwhile Mr.. George Will
liam Curtis who has kept his eyes so closely
fixed since December upon the new Rules and
Regulations of the Civil Service that he can
not see what takes place all around HIM, is
perpetually cOngratulating everybody on the
abolition of patronage, and assuring
us that offices are never given any more ex-
cept to the most competent and never taken
away except from the undeserving. "See,"
he exclaims, "what beautiful system Any
"body may come and be examined. We ask
"no mans politics. We care for no mans in
" fuence in the party. We demand no partisan
"service. We punish every chief who makes
" a political assessment. We always recon-
"mend the best competitor; the President
"always appoints him; and while be is honest
"and does his duty he is never removed.
"Dear friends, this is the political millennium"
At the same time the RenOminatiOnists go on
with their prescriptions and sales of Offices
just as before the beautiful new rules were
made. Like the fishes which were edited by
St. Anthony's sermon.


Much delighted they,


But preferred the old way.


The rules are suspendedn whenever the
President wants to make vacancy, and for
gotten altogether when he wants to make an
appointment. Gen. Grant agrees to let SEN
ator Spencer control the patronage of Ala
bama, on condition that the Senator will de-
fend the Presidents administration and get
for him the control OF the State in November.
COnkling, Murphy, and Arthur divide
the plunder of NeW-York ON the same
principle. An Administration Congress
man from Indiana writes to certain
party man, " i have succeeded in getting you
appointed mail agent for the State of Indi-
(" ana. This will afford you fine opportunity
l." to operate during the pending canvass in the
southern part of the State among the Ger
" MANS" The Collector of Chicago is removed
against the protests of the merchants, and
friend of Senator Logan (recent and red-hot
convert to the secOnd-term party) is put
in his place. And finally, officers who
want to vote for the opposition candidate are
made to understand that if they do not resign
they will be turned out. Now, will somebody
tell us wherein the new and reformed Civil
Service is any better than the old onei