New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-01-24
XLIsT CONGRESS-3D SESSION.
SENATE. WASHINGTON, Jan. %, 1871
THE NEW SENATOR FROM MINNESOTA

Minnesota for uneXpired term OF the Hon d. b. Nor
tom deceased ending March 1871. After the reading
of the credentials, MIR. Searns presented himself, and
took the oath of office.
Joint resolutions Of the Indiana Legislature nsructing
The senators from that State to vote against the annex-
Mr. MORTON (iep. Ind.l reminded the Senate that
the resolutions were passed by the DemOcrac majority
The joint resolutions ordered to be printed and
laid on the table
Recommendations were also presented from the Illinois
and Indiana Legislatures asking an appropriation Tor
the Improvement Of the navigation OF the wabash River
Mr. JEwETT Rep., MOI presented resolutions OF the
St. Louis Board of Trade for the deepening OF the chan
mel at the mouth Of the Mississippi River lie sald the
pie of the United States, and asked for II the prompt
attention of the Committee on Commerce, to whom the
Mr.. TRUMBULL (Rep. Ill, from the Judiciary Com
ms made report upon s 6e1re Joshua
Hill To have been elected. minority report was also
the onms Of the T yarcns senatoa applicants and
Guiding with resolution to admit Messrs farrow ana
Whitley. -
The reports were ordered to be printed, Mr. TRUn
BULL giving notice that he would ask for an early diS
ELLIS were introduced and referred as follows:
Mr. coRRE GE 0TgntfSff , the ' orsS OF WITH ls
view to drainage &c. Referred. ..
Mr.. SPENCER dIep Aa;l-Io regulate the compehSa
'S Mr. 81 PRTT AFTER Rcp n H-Rcgulang the organ
zation and conduct of public schools in the District Oh
Mr. POMEROY CSep KanJ ITO confirm the sales OF
the shawnee Indan lands in Kansas made under the d
rocton and with the approval of the Secretary OF the
Mr.. REyELs Rep,. MissJ introduced bill TO ineor,
porate "The Grand Tabernacle Of Gacan Fislerlntn.'
referred t. the Committee the District OF Columbia
Mr.. MORTON REP, Ind offered resolution whlch
alleged Southern Onrges leave to report from time 10
time suits their convenience, and To slt during the
Mr.. BAYARD dem, DoJ subsequently entered q
motion to reconsider the vote on the resolution.
INCREASING PENSIONS
ON motion of Nh. EDMUNDS (isep, VIII Chairman OF
the Committee on Pensions, the senate look up ana
passed tho hin increasing pension Of disabled soldiers
and sailors and and children OF deceased
soldiers and sailors. The bill Increases all pensions ~
per cont for five years from March ISL It's text Is rs
That the invalid pensions officers soldiers marines and sailors
fcoH Of any Of the .ane gante or granite, nrdr ne
eeasw not IN etcss OF the is RG,s ne sel S p
nt thereof 10 commence March l57l pr0rfei that sail
shall an terminate at the expiration Of he years from said last
During some remarks the bill Mr.. SHERMAN
O}ep Ohio niimated that TIE senate would be com
PEELED 10 take into consideration the increased eXpond
lure under increase of pensions when the ncone-taX
Upon Nj. M0RTON's suggestion with view to its
amendment the bin to reimburse the states for interest
&C. their war loans, was referred To the Finance Co
nttee.
Mr. TRUMBULL's bill TO relieve Consressmen from
importunity and preserve the independence ~ the
Departments OF the Government came up as unfinished
Mr.. MORTON Rep, Ind submitted and had read by
the Secretary communications from the heads OF depart
mens, setting forth that there Is no excess OF clerical
force any of the Departmental that Ia some instances
increase is demanded by the interests OF the pubic
service and that as rule the clerks are attentive ana
MI TRUMBUIL Rep I'D said that instead OF attack,
ing heads of departments as crrOne0sy represented
by Mr. Morton, he had only objected to a system
which had compelled sneh state OF things TO
he believed the heads Of Departments could not have
done better than they had He then quoted from the re-
nstratiTe abuses in the Civil Service, the Committee
alleging that the public service was used as an isrn-
and haF al
the New-York Custom-lIonse probably MAJORITY nal
no special % FER Ero fe bo Paib o ala ana no DE
any work retained solely because Of their political
Mr.. CoNKLING C2ep., ". " remarked that the re-
p0rt referred TO was an old lie satisfied such
abuses existed in the New York Custom House.
Mr. TRUMBULL replied that no doubt that was the
Senator's opinion but he had cited The report OF Com
mttec of Congress and before The debate was oyer te
haps he able to show the Senator C9nkllng mat there
were to-day persons in the Custom House 1t New-York
who were NOT performing any service. Alter quoting
the remarks in debate by Mr. sherman on May 8,
force could be cut of and Yet enough DE left to do the
business, Mr.. Trunbul called upon the senator from
South Carolina Oberso 10 state his knowledge on the
Mr. ROBERTSON Qlep, s. c. stated that business fire.
quenty called Inn to The Departments tlat mos" WIN
Office that in the he visited there were not, on an
average than oncith OF the clerks present acu
ally work. but generally engaged either in con
Tn the Post-CfIice Dcpartrncnt he had Information
Of one clerk who was drawing his pay regularly
without having been at that Department for
twelve months. Upon complaining OF tins to the
head of the Department Mr. Robertson said he
formed that the man was kept in by political influence
though that official admitted the thing he His
ObertsOn reply that If that clerk was not put to
work ne would make effort III the SENATE for an Of
fetal inquiry, so as Ia apply remedy whereby worthy
men willing to work. should longer he deprived OF
Government employment by those no give no equiya
lent for their compensation.
Mr.. YATES Gcp., HlJ argued that the bill was wrong
in theory, implying separate independence the part
each Of the Departments In opposition 10 the doctrine
That the defects Of the present system were inherent In
a representative system of government. lie spoke of
The present system disaseful, burdensOne and OPP
pressive; and. while defending the character Of the De
partnent officers rs a class held that a reform should
not be attempted until better system than that sng
gested by the bill had been proposed. He indicated
amendment giving to States and Congress districts their
ratio of appOntees in civil and military Offices accord
ing to population.
Mr.. WILSON Qsep., MassJ, in advocacy Of the bill,
argued that by preventing senators from committing
themselves in advance TO nominees IL would secure
intelligent and conscientious consideration Of the
merits of Executive nominations. He attributed the
responsibility Of the present system, which rested upon
Democratic party. by whom it had been naugurated in
1929 and spoke OF the necessity Of proper remedy
Tor what had been called by the senator from
Illinois Yates) Odous, disasteful. and intorabe
SYSTEM" The Presidents power Of making appoint
practically monopollzed by Senator. and Representa-
lives. The admirable management OF the Department
and the incomparably superior business qualifications OF
the clerks, were then dwelt upon as also the fact that
any possible reduction should he made Referring to
had been sand about the late Secretary Cox
uccOn with the defects IN tne WILSON
mentioned the peculiar difficulties which had always
pertained to the administration OF the Interior
Department. He believed that that officer
would have made many valuable reforms, but,
as il was, the abuses he found there
still existed when he left the Department BY the
petitye examination system officers would be appointed
Tor number Of years, and the practice VI throwing
man out OF office to make way for another who could
help carry Congress District would be stopped. The
grievances of the Republican party were In the main be
thought due to this practice IL was true, the mistaken
idea that Government officials could make unmake
maiorities was abandoned, and that they taught
Ia mind their business and leave governmental
affairs 10 the people
Mr. NYE Qiep., Nev) said the needed reform TO
he accomplished not by legislation, but by the deter
nnation of members of Congress not to recommend for
nm appointment any incompetent person. In the
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