interfere with the discharge of
their official duties. No assessments for political purposes should be
allowed." In a public order dated June 22 he made this rule applicable
to all departments of the civil service. "It should be understood by
every officer of the government that he is expected to conform his
conduct to its requirements."[1563] To show his sincerity the
President also appointed a new Civil Service Commission, with Dorman
B. Eaton at its head, who adopted the rules formulated under Curtis
during the Grant administration, and which were applied with a measure
of thoroughness, especially in the Interior Department under Carl
Schurz, and in the New York post-office, then in charge of Thomas L.
James.

[Footnote 1562: The first step towards a change in the manner of
appointments and removals was a bill introduced in Congress on
December 20, 1865, by Thomas A. Jenckes of Rhode Island "to regulate
the civil service of the United States." A few months later Senator B.
Gratz Brown of Missouri submitted a resolution for "such change in the
civil service as shall secure appointments to the same after previous
examinations by proper Boards, and as shall provide for promotions on
the score of merit or seniority." On March 3, 1871, Congress appended
a section to an appropriation bill, authorising the President to
"prescribe such regulations for the admission of persons into the
civil service as may best promote efficiency therein and ascertain the
fitness of each candidate in respect to age, health, character,
knowledge and ability for the branch of service in which he seeks to
enter; and for this purpose he may employ suitable persons to conduct
such inquiries, prescribe their duties, and establish regulations for
the conduct of persons who may receive appointments." Under this
authority President Grant organised a commission composed of George
William Curtis, Joseph Medill, Alexander C. Cattell, Davidson A.
Walker, E.B. Ellicott, Joseph H. Blackfan, and David C. Cox. This
commission soon found that Congress was indisposed to clothe them with
the requisite power, and although in the three years from 1872 to
1875, they had established the entire soundness of the reform, an
appropriation to continue the work was refused and the labours of the
commission came to an end.]

[Footnote 1563: New York _Tribune_, June 25, 1877.]

This firm and aggressive stand against the so-called spoils system
very naturally aroused th