Year: 1872

Among the most prominent purposes aVoWed
in tbe call for the Cincinnati convention was the
reform of the civil service, and this was one of
the main things which the really honest attend
ants upon that convention hoped from the
movement The platform adopted has declara-
tion on this subject, and, Judging from the lib
eral use made of General Grants alleged def-
ciences in this matter to stimulate disaffecton
against him, and to prepare the way for an op-
posing nomination, we might have expected
that the ''liberal" orators would have made civil
service reform leading issue in this campaign.
As matter of fact, however, they let the sub
ject severely alone, MIR. Schurz attempted to
do something with it in his speech at St. Louis,
but it was impossible to make much impression
in the face of Greeley's vague and eyasive letter
which he was compelled to read. So notable
has been the absence of any discussion of this
reform in the 'liberar' speeches and newspapers,
that one of the latter finds it necessary to say
that it is in danger of being left out of sight al
together.


That Mr. Greeley's friends will say as little
about it as possible is very likely, for several
reasons. In the first place, TO associate reform
with a candidate or party represented by such
managers as Cochrane, Fenton, Ashley, Doolit-
tie, and Others that might be mentioned, is
little too absurd for the public to bear it with
gravity. Everybody knows that these persons
are not disinterested patriots, who support
Greeley because they think his election would
promote the welfare of the country. 1t would
be impo ssible to persuade any one, who has been
moderately observant of the character of public
men Jas displayed in their actions and Speech
that the leading motive which induces Cochrane
and Fenton to work for Greeley's election is their
belief that the personal interests of Cochranc
and Fenton respectively would in some way be
advanced thereby, and it is equally apparent to
every such observer that in civil service con-
ducted on rational principles neither Cochrane
nor Fenton could have any place That they
will have places or something equivalent in the
way of presidential patronage or influence in
the event of Mr. Greeley's election they are, no
doubt, firmly persuaded, and have probably re-
ceved assurances to that effect, not explicit
perhaps, but none the less satisfactory Re-
form and these men do not go together, and the
chief speakers of the party understand that this
is too obvious for reform to be safe subject.


Moreover, il is probable that the leaders in
the Greeley movement, aside from such notori-
ously corrupt men as we have mentioned, do
not think much of civil service reform, either as
a desirable thing in itself, or as a popular
measure the promise of which would help to
carry an election. The democrats, as a general
thing, OF course do not. They believe that
among their party Mr.. Greeley will gain more
adherents by holding out the impression that
bv
promising a reform that will let the present in
cumbents retain their places until they are |
proved to be unfit Having this belief, they |
cannot afford to preach any other reform of the
civil service than the old-fashioned kind, long
practced with more of less thoroughness by
both parties which consists in turning out the |
ins 40 make places for the outs. They can, |
therefore, declaim earnestly against the enormi-
ties of Grants office holders, but are silent on
the subject Of an improved system of making
appointments TO office. Mr.. Greeley is also ST
lent upon that subject, partly from the same
motives, and partly because he has no faith in
reform of that character. Even Schurz's ur
gency could not persuade him to declare in
favor of ii, except in a general and vague way,
which would not commit him to any distinct
measure.


Civil service reform, even as a profession, is
therefore pretty distinctly abandoned by the
Greeley party. They do not believe in it them
selves, and they think that to proclaim it as
principle, in the sense in which the Cincinnati
reformers understood it, would alienate rather
than attract followers, besides making themselves
ridiculous. There is nothing to hope for in this
direction from Greeley or his party. President
Grant however has done something IN the mat.
ter Of this reform which has been attempted by
no other president. He may not have accom-
plished all that was hoped and desired but he
has made beginning, and what he has done is
practical and aimed directly at some Of the
worst evils in the old system. The republican
party promises to sustain him in these efforts.
Any one who regards the defects in the ciyil
service as one Of the greatest dangers menacing
ourpoiities and society, and many profess so to
regard them, ought not to be in doubt between
the two candidafes.