Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-01-28
CONFIRMED,
Forty-First Congress Second Session
WASHINGTON, Jan. q, 1871.
SENATE

SENATE.
The senate, after the morning business, voted
to adjourn from to-day until Monday Mr.
Schurz then took the floor to deliver his speech
on civil service. He quoted from the investiga-
lions of the retrenchment committee into the
New York custom house affairs, to show the
looseness of the system of political appointments
there. The old apple woman at the corner
whose name appeared for several months on the
pay rolls, as stated by Mr.. Patterson, had a
cousin, whose political influence was propi-
tiated in this manner Referring to the an
pointment by the president of friends and ac-
quaintances to office, he mentioned a case of
western applicant, who, failing to secure a local
and unimportant office, was recommended by
the delegation from his state for pension agent,
and, after failing in that, undertook his own
case and being a man who must be provided
for, was appointed by the president minister
resident in a South American republic. That
Office not being high enough, the gentleman
succeeded in getting himself nominated minis
ter plenipotentiary, but was defeated in the
senate. He was then made governor of ter
ritory, and all this within seven days.
Mr., Schurz went on to comment upon the
practice, under the present system, of manufac-
turing places for office holders and the practice
of congressman threatening heads of depart
ments to vote against appropriations unless
their favoliteS were appointed to office. He
corroborated the statement of ex-Secretarv Cox
d. W tuS uuuDlC uSttilllS VI GJuSTGSSlUGn IN
strongly recommending TO office persons in their
company, and subsequently intimating, private
ly, to heads of departments diStruSt of the COM
potency of the applicants and their actual feel
ings of indifference concerning the appoint
mentS The atmosphere OF flattery which sur
rounded the president, and the terrorism of
party discipline alike operated to prevent an
exposition of abuses. 1t was only the other day
that a senator, for an allusion to corrupt prac-
tees in the New York custom house, had been
taken to task for an attack upon the republican
party.
Mr.. Schurz then offered, as a substitute, the
bill introduced by him at the last session, for a
radical reform in the civil service, by a system
of competitive examinations. He explained and
advocated the proposition as one demanded by
earnest, thinking men, who had at heart the
true interests of the country.
Mr.. Howard opposed the bill, as destitute of
any practical value in eradicating the evils com
planned of, and regarded Mr.. Schurz's substitute
as an empty vision. He would say to that sem
ator that the millennium, when the people would
not hunt for office, would never come. The
American people were sOveregns in this conn
try, and had a right to ask for and to hold any
Office. The tendency of these propositions was
to build up privileged class, a sort of Office
holding aristocracy, in the country, and they
should not be permitted to remain on the statute
book, even as experiments.
Mr.. Harlan moved an executive session.
pending subject would be summarily laid on the
table.
Mr.. Trumbull, as chairman of the executive
committee, gave notice that he would, on Mon
day, call up the Georgia question.
Mr.. Ramsay gave a similar notice respecting
steamship subsidies.
Without reaching vote on the bill, the SEN
ate, after a short executive session, adjourned
till Monday.
HOUSE.
Mr.. Hooper offered as a question of privi-
lege, resolution, which was adopted without
division, under asuspension of the rules, return
ing to the senate theincome tax repeal bill, with
a respectful suggestion by the house that the
constitution of the United States vests in the
house of representatives the sole power to origi-
nate such measure.
The house then took a recess, the evening ses-
sion and thai of tomorrow to be for general de-
bate only.
There was but a slight attendance at the eve
ming session, and the debate was of little inn
portance.
Adjourned.