The Portland daily press., 1869-01-14
THE PR E SIS.
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The extraordinary conduct of the House OF
Representatives in repeating by very heavy
majority the tenure OF Office act is indicative
of the fate of Mr. Jenckes' civil service bill. 1t
is gratifying to see that Messrs. Perham ana
Pike voted against the repeal. Mr.. Lynch
does not appear to have voted at all. Peters
and Blaine voted with the majority. Ii the
Senate acts with the House in this matter
Gen. Grant will be badgered and tormented by
ofice-hunters SO as to be able to give attention
to tile else during the earlier months of his
administration. Especially will this be the
case if the civil service bill is defeated which
embraces the great bulk of minor offices not
included in the tenure of Office act. The
House was in an extremely complasant MOOD
the other day when Gen. Logan attacked 1t.
They could discern the cogency OF his reasons
without the slightest difficulty. yes indeed
this nefarious project of the malignant Jenckes.
if successful, would create an ''aristocracy.
a bureaucracy" and other unimagined and
unimaginable horrors. The House found in
Logan's oratory charm never found before.
Every word carried conviction to the souls of
honorable members with friends to reward.
Every sentence was an unassailable syllogism
as seen through the medium of honorable
members personal and private interest. And
when the mischief making Jenckes-Apollo,
what name!--a name inflicted by heaven in
contemplation of his agency in bringing
forward this very bill-what mean ap-
pearance he made by the side of Logan the
magnificent, with his long black hair, dignified
bearing and elegant attitudes and gesticula-
toni Probably the House made up its mind
to put its foot on this Mr.. Jenckes, for his re-
marks seemed to meet with no favor.
But, Messrs. Congressman, you may be as
sured of one thing: The people desire the pas
sage of that bill. In fact there is no division
Of sentiment on that point. They will run the
risk of an aristocracy, if they are assured that
personal merit and competency are to have
some weight in filling public offices, especially
when provision is made for wholesome compe-
tition by permitting every American citizen TO
have assurance of success in his efforts for of
fetal preferment il he can show better Qualif-
cations than others. Be sure of another thing
the people know why you are so easily con-
WINGED By the plausible Logan. They know
Just as well as you do that nothing but your
own selfshness and your disinolinaton to re-
lnquish any part OF your much loved patron
age lead you to oppose reform that makes
economy and honesty in the management of
our public affairs possible. When the time
comes for vote on this billiard it never will
come so long as the people forbear to force
their Representatives to act upon 1.-THE name
of every member who votes against it will be
marked by his constituents, and he will surely
ha oil a1 toa olr l,1a
better reasons for his vote than Logan or any
other open opponent Of the bill has yet given.
The tenure of office act, just repealed by the
House, embraces only about a fourth of our
sixty thousand officers who are appointed by
the President and confirmed by the Senate;
the civil service bill embraces all the rest. 1t
il neither good policy nor able craftsmanship
to repeal thu former, brt the defeat of the lat
Ter would be almost crime. 1t is unneces-
sary to state thrt every Democrat in the
House voted to repeal the tenure of Office bill.