The Project Gutenberg ebook of History of the United States, Volume 4, by

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Although it had no logical connection with the "spoils" system, the assassination of President Garfield called the attention of the whole country to the crying need of reform in the civil service. Ever since the days of President Jackson, in 1829, appoint­ments to the minor federal offices had been used for the payment of party debts and to keep up partisan interest. This practice incurred the deep condemnation of Web­ster, Clay, Calhoun, and others, but no practical steps toward reform were taken till 1871.

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The abuses of the spoils system had then become so flagrant that Congress created a civil service commission, which instituted competitive examinations to test the merits of candidates for office in the departments at Washington. President Grant reported that the new methods "had given persons of superior capacity to the service'" But Congress, always niggardly in its appropriations for the work of the commission, after 1875 cut them off altogether, and the rules were suspended.

Under President Hayes civil service reform made considerable progress in an irregular way. Secretary Schurz enforced competitive examinations in the Interior department. They were also applied by Mr. James to the New York Post-office, and, as the result, one-third more work was done with less cost. Similar good results followed the enforcement of the "merit system" in the New York custom-house after 1879. President Hayes also strongly condemned political assessments upon office-holders, but with small practical effect.

1874] POLITICAL HISTORY 223
The alarming increase of corruption in political circles generally, after the war, helped to create popular sentiment for reform. Corrupt "rings" sprang up in every city. The "whiskey ring," com­posed of distillers and government em­ployees, assumed national proportions in 1874, cheating the Government out of a large part of its revenue from spirits. Lib­eral appropriations for building a navy were squandered.

During the campaign of 1872, the Demo­crats charged several prominent Congressmen with having taken bribes, in 1867-68, to vote for legislation desired by the Union Pacific Railroad. At the request of the accused, an examination was had by a House committee. The committee's re­port in 1873 recommended the expulsion of Representatives Oakes Ames and James Brooks. Mr. Ames was accused of selling to Congressmen at reduced rates, with intent to influence their votes, shares of stock in the "Credit Mobilier," a corpora­tion for the construction of the Union Pacific Railroad.

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Mr. Brooks, who was a government director in the railroad, was charged with receiving such shares. The House did not expel the two members, but severely condemned them. Shadows of varying density fell upon many promi­nent politicians and darkened their subse­quent careers.

The tragic fate of President Garfield, following these and other revelations of political corruption, brought public senti­ment on civil service reform to a head. A bill prepared by the Civil Service Reform League, and introduced by Senator Pendle­ton, of Ohio, passed Congress in January, 1883, and on the 16th received the signa­ture of the President.

James G. Blaine.