much loftier and more honorable impulse—­the aspiration to share in the conduct of their own government, the unwillingness to be ignored or excluded in the administration of what is universally denominated a common trust.  That they enjoy, if they do not covet, such pecuniary advantage as their places bring is reasonable, but it is true, to their credit, that they do appreciate more than this the honor that attaches to the public station and the pleasure which may be experienced in the discharge of its conspicuous duties.

Let us presume that even this imperfect study of the political activities of a single State may present some conception of the tremendous force and energy that go to the making, year by year, of the various branches of our government.  Certainly, any student of this field may accept with respect the admonition that there is no languor, no fatigue, no feeling of genteel disgust with politics, in what has thus been presented him.  If, then, his plan of reorganization for the civil service is intended to be set up without consulting the popular inclination, or possibly even in opposition to it, he may well stand hesitant as to his likelihood of success.  The question may confront him at once:  Is the organization of a permanent official class in the administration of the general government likely to accord with the desires of the people?  And we may add, Is it consistent with the general character of our form of government?  Is it not attended by conclusive objections?

It is not the purpose of this article to attempt answering these questions fully.  We do not propose to throw ourselves across the path of those undoubtedly sincere, and probably wise, students of this subject who have arrived at the positive conclusion that to establish a permanent tenure for the great body of the national office-holders, and to appoint to vacancies among them upon the tests of a competitive or other examination, is the panacea for all our public disorders, the regenerative process which will lift our whole system into a higher and purer atmosphere.  We do not say that these gentlemen may not be right, but we are willing to examine the subject.

Upon viewing, then, the tremendous popular activity in local and State affairs—­and we must reflect that there is “more politics to the square foot” in some of the newer States than there is in Pennsylvania—­the inquiry is natural whether this stops short of all national politics.  Certainly it does not.  The offices in the general government, though their importance and their influence are usually overestimated, are a great object of attention with the whole country.  The vehement democratic movement toward them that marked the time of Jackson is still apparent, though it proceeds with diminished force and is regulated and tempered by the strong protest which has been made against the scandals of the “spoils system,” and against the theory that government by parties must be a continual struggle