Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1869-12-17
CO.7'GH ESsEO.,.sL.

Both Houses of Congress assembled nj
tho Capitol at Washington, on Monday,
Dec. 9th, organized without delay and pro-
ceodcd at once to business. Tho Pros-
dents message was read in tho afternoon,
telegraphod 70 the principal city papers,
and TO Europe, was Immediately printed
and soon reached all parts of the country,
and was read the next day by thousands
on both sides Of the Atlantic. The mes
sage gives very general satisfaction Is ev-
erywhere regarded as a sensible, practical,
judicious document, worthy the chief mag
istrato Of great nation. Some Of the DEM
ocratic papers have carping criticisms Of it,
which would have been the case whatever
the message might have been. As we pub
lished the documant last week, and it has
been read by all interested in public affairs
there is no need of repetition or cxplana-
ton Of its contents. 1t is concise and di-
rect in its statements and all can easily I'M
derstand it.
Congress has commenced work in earn
est, and we trust it will not waste time on
unmportant and doubtful matters, but di-
rect its attention to subjects of present and
urgent importance TO the country. The
Census bill is already under consideration
and should be speedily disposed of. The
finances and the revenue demand attention
at once, reconstruction should receive its
finishing touch as soon as practicable, the
civil service bill of Mr. Jenckes should be
considered and its provisions adopted at an
early day. The necessity of such bill in
order to secure competent and suitable men
to transact our public business, and to SUI
persede the present vicious mode of ap-
pointments to office may be in part learned
from the following extract of a speech by
Senator Trumbull of Illinois in the Senate
Dec. eth.
Every Senator and Representative knew
that appointments were dictated by them.
and that the President and the heads of de-
partments were not left free to make selec-
tlons with an eye single to the public good
AS general rule, no man could be APP
pointed to any Federal office, local to the
district, unless he had the recommends
ton Of persons who happened to represent
the district for the time being in Congress,
If he be friend of the administration. Sc
arbitrary was this rule, said the speak err,
that he knew of instances of faithful pub
lie officers, friends of the administration,
being removed to make place for a friend
OF the Representative from the district
and at subsequent period during the same
administration, the new appointee had been
removed to give the place either TO the for
mer incumbent or some other friend of a
new representative, who at a subsequent
election, had succeeded in supplantinp the
former one. When the nomination came
before the Senate, the action upon it was a
mere form and in many cases no other
question was asked than whether the NOM
inee was acceptable to the member of Con-
gress concerned.
In some instances, influences were
brought to bear to secure the election of
members OF Congress, with the understand
ing that in case of success the candidate
wonld use his influence in favor of a GER
tain party. This practice has even led to
the creation Of offices to provide places for
friends of members. Then how could
members of legislative departments of the
government expect to preserve their indie
pendence as legislators, when continually
asking personal favors in this matter of APP
pointments from heads OF departments {?
This pressure by Congressman for official
iavors was not less demoraizing to the APP
pointing power than 10 themselves. The
President and heads of departments, being
dependent upon Congress for legislative
support could not afford to diSreoard tho
wishes of members. In some of the de-
partmcnts, the speaker had been informed.
debit and credit account was actually
kept with congressman, creditng them
with certain number of appointments,
and charging them with those made for
them, as if the appointments actually be-
longed to members of Congress.