Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-12-21
ESTABLISHED MARCH 80, 1885.
CONGRESSIONAL.
SENATE.

SENATE
WASHINGTON, Dec. 20.-The House
Census bill was taken up and referred to
the Committee on Revision of Laws.
Needs IL.
Mr.. Schurz introduced bill to reform
tine civil service, and addressed the Senate
in explanation of its provisions and the
remedies proposed by the bill for exist
ing abuses, are provided for by the crea.
ton of Civil Service Board, whose bus
mess it will be to examine theil
qualification for office with single eye tc
their fitness to discharge the duties of the
place they apply for. ITO determinesmor
fully than the Board could by mere
examination, it is provided that the ap.
pointee shall undergo
A Year of Probation
notice, during which his superior will have
ample time to discover whether he pos
sesses those practical qualifications neces.
sary to make an efficient officer. The
appointing power however, may remove
the officer before the expiration of the
year.
The bill distinguishes between the civil
service.two classes of officials those ap-
pointed by the President by and with
the advice of the Senate; and those
whom an inferior officer make. I'm
der the direction of a former House
bill providing for examination into
the promotion of the latter class has been
introduced in the House, but the present
measure includes the whole of that bill
and goes one step further by applying q
somewhat similar rule to offices to be
filed by the Presidents authority.
In the case of applicants for country
postoffices, ETC., the Civil Service Board
may, by the general rules, determine the
fitness of candidates for certain offices, OF
bymore general inquiries; butinthe general
class of cases the Board is to ascertain by
inquiry or examination, or both combined,
the fitness of applicants for duties of the
place, and the President may make the
selection of officials from among the
whole number recommendedby the Board.
Term of Office.
The bill further provides that all
officers already in service, upon the
creation of the Board, except the
class covered by Mr.. Jenckcs' bill, shall
hold Office for a term of five years from
the date of their commissions; but the
Presidents appointments, made after
ward in pursuance of the bill, shall be for
a term of three years, and no removal ID
the former class shall take place except on
trial and determination of the case by the
board; but any inefficient officer among
these may be removed by the board, and
the vacancy thus created shall be filled,
not for the unexpTed term, but for full
term of five years. Thus the people OF
the nation would be won from the notion
that the civil service of the United States
must be the working machinery of a po-
litical party, thus graduating the spOils
system.
The expiration of the tenure of office
will not occur at one time, thus giving the
civil service board and the appointing
power ample time TO act deliberately in
making selections. Finally the provision
for removals for sufficient cause will
strengthen the hand of.each public officer
by showing the recognition of official
seal and duty well performed, inspiring
their ambition to base further claims upon
their past conduct.
The bill was referred TO Committee on
Retrenchment and ordered printed.
Virginia.
Mr.. Trumbull from the Committee on
the Judiciary, reported as substitute fol
various propositions before them, joint
resolution declaring that the State of Vir-
ginia is entitled to representation in Con
gress.
Information Wanted.
Mr.. Sumner Offered a resolution which
agreed to requesting the President to COM
municate to the Senate any correspond
ence between the United States and Great
Britain concerning the questions pending
between the two countries, since the reieC
ton of the Claims Convention.
Dutch Gable.
4 bill chartering the Dutch Cable Com
pany was offered and referred to the For
eign Committee.
After other unimpOrtant proceeding;
adjourned,