PLANS AND PROJECTS-1838-1905 493 



having as its object the preparation of young men for the 

 civil and diplomatic service. Especially was I struck by 

 the thorough equipment for the diplomatic and consular 

 services given at the newly established Ecole Libre des 

 Sciences Politiques at Paris ; consequently my report as 

 commissioner was devoted to this general subject. On 

 my return this was published under the title of &quot;The 

 Provision for Higher Instruction in Subjects bearing 

 directly on Public Affairs,&quot; and a portion of my mate 

 rial was thrown, at a later day, into an appeal for the 

 establishment of proper courses in history and political 

 science, which took the final form of a commencement 

 address at Johns Hopkins University. It is a great 

 satisfaction to me that this publication, acting with other 

 forces in the same direction, has been evidently useful. 

 Nothing in the great development of our universities 

 during the last quarter of a century has been more 

 gratifying and full of promise for the country than the 

 increased provision for instruction bearing on public 

 questions, and the increased interest in such instruction 

 shown by students, and, indeed, by the community at large. 

 I may add that of all the kindnesses shown me by the trus 

 tees of Cornell University at my resignation of its presi 

 dency, there was none which pleased me more than the 

 attachment of my name to their newly established College 

 of History and Political Science. 



During this same period another immediately practical 

 subject which interested me was the reform of the civil 

 service; and, having spoken upon this at various public 

 meetings as well as written private letters to various pub 

 lic men in order to keep them thinking upon it, I pub 

 lished in 1882, in the &quot;North American Keview,&quot; an ar 

 ticle giving historical facts regarding the origin, evolu 

 tion, and results of the spoils system, entitled, &quot;Bo the 

 Spoils Belong to the Victor? 7 This brought upon me 

 a bitter personal attack from my old friend Mr. Thur- 

 low Weed, who, far-sighted and shrewd as he was, could 

 never see how republican institutions could be made to 



