The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1871-12-12

1lr. CHANDLER announced u bill FOR
deepening 81. Clair Flats Canal sixteen
feet, Referred.
MIR, POMEROY announced bill for the
sale of Kansas Indian lands, NC. Re
ierred.
Mr., MORTON presented joint resolu.
ton providing for the adjournment OF
Congress on the third Monday in May,
1872. Laid over.
Mr. TRUMBULL presented bill TO re.
store the records of the United States
Courts in the northern district Of Illinois.
Referred. Also bill Tor the relief OF
the United States Marshal of that Dis.
trict Referred
BY MIR. LOGAN: Joint resolution legal.
izing the issue Of food, blankets, &c, by
the Secretary Of War to the Chicago
sufferers. Tabled.
Mr.. CoKLEN moved the consideration OF
the resolution directing the Military
Committee to inquire into the deIalCatlon
of Paymaster HOge,
Mr., TRUMBULL suggested, rs better,
action on his concurrent resolution ap'
pointing special committee on retrCnCh.
ment and civil service reform.
Mr.. WILSON favored Mr.. TRUMBULI,s
proposition.
Mr.. LOGAN argued that the Committee
on Finance should investigate Mr., Hoge's
case.
Mr.. RAMSEY introduced bill to CsAb-
lish the territory Of Jibway, and provide
temporary government therefor. The
proposed territory lies between As and 40
parallel, extending from Minnesota to
Montana.
Mr.. Howe introduced bill for the re-
funding of taxes on dividends, interest aud
profits earned or added to the surplus
named in Section 10 of the act OF July 4,
1870, during 'hc last 8 five months,
Mr. SCOTT introduced . bill providing
for the punishment Of COntumaCiOus wit.
nesses before the committees of the two
Houses. No witness Is privileged to re.
fuse TO testify or to produce paper on
tho ground that he will Criminate himself;
no testimony of q witness to bU used in
any criminal proceeding against himself,
except prosecution for perjury in such
testimony.
Mr.. TRUMBULL's bill authorizes the
Judges Of tho United States Courts in
Chicago, IN direct such steps to bG taken
as they may deem advisable, to restore the
records and files destroyed by the fire,
and to employ the Clerks Of Courts and
U. s. Attorney Tor said purpose, ut u com.
pensaLiOn not exceeding $4,000 for
clerks, and $4,000 for the attorney.
Mr.. TRUMBuLL moved to substitute his
resolution for Mr.. COMBINES, md read
from the report of the Joint Committee
on RetrcnChmGnt, on the abuses in the
New York Custom House, to show the
necessity for the revival of that commit.
tee; that the salaries of the experimenting
weighers alone, amounted to $4,000 II
year; that by the warehousing system in
use, importers were robbed Oi immense
sums annually, and that q great many
other kind Of plumbers were going on In
the name of the government, and was
generally believed throughout the cOun.
try that the patronage Of the government
was used Tor mere partisan purposes, or
worse in many cases, for personal pur.
poses, and the time had come when 1t wRs
necessary to investigate in every depart.
mcnt Of the government whether these
things were as charged, to expose them II
they were 50, and If not, to set public
opinion at rest by statement Of the truth.
In OldCn times removals from subOrdl.
nate government offices were OF rare
occurrence. There were only nine re.
mOVals' during the eight years Of Wash.
ington's administration. Even Jefferson,
WHO when he came into power found the
offices filled with his political advcrsaries,
removed only thirty.nine persons during
his two terms. Madison removed but five
in Bis eight years, Monroe only nine, and
John Quincy Adams only two. In those
days men were appointed to office for
their fidelity to the Constitution, their
ability and integrity, and not for any mere
partisan reasons. Jackson, however,
made great many removals, and intro.
duCed the spoils doctrine, which has ever
since been poisoning tho purity OF the
civil service. Party organization was
necessary and proper, and when u party
came into power 1t ought, OF course, To
select Tor all offices requiring the exercise
of discretion persons In harmony with
itself; but when 1t come TO filling
subordinate and merely ministerial
offices, the question should not
he about mere party connections,
but about their fitness TO perform the du.
ties of the offices and their integrity. lie
(TRuMBULL) did not believe in using the
patronage and power of the government
for the purpose Of perpetuating party rule,
but Tor the purpose of promoting mems.
ures best for the interests Of the whole
country, and therefore lie wAs In favor Of
filling the subordinate government Offices
with tho most upright and capable men
who could be found to take them, instead
of with mere partisans. 1t was the case
of late years, however, that the appoint
ment TO office Under the government had
become not merely party, but In q great
many instances personal matter. Every
Senator knew that the principal grounds
upon which an office was sought or oh.
tained now were that the applicant was
poor or unwell, or had been unfortunate
in business and wanted the government to
give him an office by which he could re.
lrieve his fortunes, or else upon the ground
that he had been very influential ut some
election. In this connection Mr.. TRUM.
Null read an extract from the testimony
of a witness examined by the Committee
on Retrenchment, who, on being asked on
what influence lie had obtained his
position In tho New York Custom
House, replied that 1t was his own polit.
iCal status.
No, said TRuMBULL; l want this com.
mittee for the purpose Of following the
investigations that have been made In re.
gard to this question of the use Of patron.
age; and I want n reform, and II sub.
stantial reform OF the civil service. ! be.
leve It would be a long step towards a
reform to pass a law disConnecting
tnember Of Congress with appointments
to office; and introduced the bill some
time ago to that effect; and II that there
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