tion for the time being subjects him to influences hostile to new mints. He naturally seeks to amplify his jurisdiction, and to keep the tide of gold secure so that it shall not ebb from his marble building. Perhaps I do not use too strong language, if I say that he is under inducements to play the pedant for his own mint, and to quote it against every other mint. At all events, I think the Senate will be satisfied that on the present occasion he ought to be overruled.

The amendment creating the Branch Mint was adopted, — Yeas 23, Nays 16, and the bill passed.

REFORM IN THE CIVIL SERVICE.

BILL IN THE SENATE, APRIL 30, 1864.

APRIL 30, 1864, Mr. Sumner asked, and by unanimous consent obtained, leave to bring in the following bill, which was read twice, and ordered to lie on the table and be printed.

This was a first effort for Civil Service Reform.

A BILL to provide for the greater Efficiency of the Civil Service of the United States.

BE

E it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the President be, and he hereby is, authorized to appoint, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, a Board of Examiners, consisting of three Commissioners, at salaries of dollars a year. And the Commissioners may appoint a clerk to the Board, with an annual compensation of two thousand dollars. And these sums, and the necessary expenses of the Board, including rent and the travelling expenses of the Commissioners and clerk, shall be paid from any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated.

SECTION 2. And be it further enacted, That no person shall be appointed, after the date of this Act, to any civil office under the United States, whether by way of original appointment or promotion, unless re

commended by a certificate of the Board: Provided, That this shall not apply to offices the appointing power to which is by the Constitution vested in the President by and with the advice and consent of the Senate but applicants for such offices shall be examined by the Board, if they present themselves, and shall receive certificates in the same manner as other appli

cants.

SECTION 3. And be it further enacted, That the Board shall hold examinations of applicants for civil office under the United States at such places as they may designate, and at times to be determined by consideration of, the needs of the service, and the number of vacancies to be filled, after consultation with the President, courts, or heads of departments, as the case may be, and after public notice of the time, place, and regulations of the proposed examination.

SECTION 4. And be it further enacted, That applicants for examination shall be citizens of the United States, (including all persons born in the United States, and not owing allegiance elsewhere,) between the ages of eighteen and twenty-five, and shall furnish such testimonials of personal character and take such oath of allegiance as the Board shall prescribe: Provided, That, if the examination is for any office the duties of which are to be performed in any particular State, then the applicant, in addition to the above requirements, shall have resided in such State one year before the time of. examination, and in such case the Board shall designate a place of examination within such State: Provided, however, That the President may suspend the operation of the preceding proviso as to any States or parts of States where he may deem it expedient so to do.

SECTION 5. And be it further enacted, That the Board shall determine, after consultation with the President, courts, or heads of departments, as the case may be, upon the subjects of examination, and also whether the examination shall be oral, written, or both, and shall have full discretion as to the regulation of the examinations, and may employ such learned and honorable men as they may see fit to assist in the examinations, or to superintend examinations in their absence, and shall report their doings annually to Congress.

SECTION 6. And be it further enacted, That the Board, .after the examination, shall assign the rank of the applicants, according to the degree of merit and fitness shown; and he who stands at the head of the list shall have the choice of vacancies in the particular department or branch for which he was examined, and so on down the list to the minimum of merit fixed by the Board, beyond which no certificate shall be given. The Board may, if they see fit, assign the right of seniority as a result of the first examination, or may require a further examination, the result of which shall determine seniority.

SECTION 7. And be it further enacted, That, after the appointment of a candidate recommended by the Board, he shall not be removed except for good cause, and promotions shall be according to seniority, which shall be determined in all cases by the dates of the recommendations of the Board and the rank therein assigned; but it shall be allowable to make one fifth of the promotions on account of merit irrespective of seniority.

This bill found an unexpected response from the public press. The National Intelligencer, at Washington, welcomed it.

"The object of this bill commands our entire approval, and we hope it

may equally receive the approval of Congress. Its passage, more than any other single decision that could be taken by Congress in the way of needed reforms, would tend to correct abuses which threaten our whole political system with wreck and ruin."

The Evening Post, of New York, was equally explicit.

"This bill, if passed, would do away with what has become one of the most serious vices in our political life, the 'Spoils system,' as it has been appropriately called. Congress should, as soon as possible, provide some rules for the reformation of this universal evil. The patronage of the President and his Cabinet officers has increased, is increasing, and ought to be diminished; it has become, by the extension of the country, the increase of population and wealth, and especially through the circumstances of the present war, so vast as to be dangerous to the nation, if it should chance to fall into the hands of unscrupulous and wicked men. But, besides this, it is manifestly impossible to carry on the immense business of the Government without extraordinary and ruinous loss and waste, under the old system of turning out the occupants of civil offices every four years. The Government thus virtually refuses the services of trained men, familiar with the office routine. If we desire public affairs to be administered honestly and economically, Congress must provide for the numerous servants of the Government regular grades of promotion, retention of office during good behavior, and, if possible, a small retiring pension, which might be arranged in the shape of an annuity and life insurance combined."

The New York Times noticed it at length, beginning,

"Mr. Sumner has introduced a bill into the Senate, which, owing to the general absorption of the public attention in the great events which are taking place in the field, will probably not attract much notice; but it nevertheless attempts to deal with a matter which is of more importance, we venture to say, to the stability of this Government than any other one thing except the extinction of the Rebellion. It is neither more nor less than a sweeping measure of administrative reform, obliging all candidates for situations in the public service to pass an examination before a board appointed for the purpose, giving them their offices during good behavior, and with promotion through the various grades in the order of seniority, and a retiring pension after a certain term of service."

The New Nation, of New York, said :—

"Mr. Sumner has recently brought a bill in the Senate to regulate the conditions of admission to public offices of the highest importance to the country. This bill is based upon the most equitable, the most sincerely republican, and the most progressive principles as yet adopted in any country. We have not sufficient space to review this project at present. At the first glance we find it deficient only in one respect, namely, in carrying respect