Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1871-01-13
CONGRESSIONAL.
Yesterday Proceedings,
Civil Service Reform.
our report closed

SENATE-After our report closed
The Senate proceeded with the consideration
of Dir. Trumbulls bill to relieve Congressman
from importantly, and to preserve The indie
pendence of the several departments Of The gov
eminent.
Mr.. Morton said the reform contemplated by
the bill was OF the spurious kind; that much
cheap popularity had been made upon what
was called civil service reform-many writers
and speakers on the subject scarcely under
standing what was meant BY it. The abuses of
the civil service had been grossly exaggerated.
particularly in the speech of the Chairman of
the Judiciary Committee, (Mr. Trumbuii) He
was surprised 10 hear the fashionable charge
OF corruption among Congressman reiterated by
that Senator, when the fact was well known
that cases OF corruption in high places, if any
lsted, were the exceptions, not The general rule.
erDTert could be run better without the . Dill
tclrs, but hts system was an innpoSsibilty, as
requiring the perfect ON Of human nature. 1t
bad been alleged by Mr.. Trumbull that there
were in the departments more than twice as
many clerks as were needed 10 do the business
Sir. Morton submitted that ii was not true: that
in no event eonld the assertion be substantiated
as to mere than five per cent. of tue alleged
number. He said he was aware that TIE iate
S6eretafy of the Interior had acq rired consider
able reputation in this matter of cISil-seryice
reform. and referred to an article in the North
American Review as substantiating HIS assertion
that that gentleman had set up for him
sell superior morality on this point. He
had Claimed TO insugurate reform in
~
MS letter OF resignation by the polit-
icians. The inference was that during his
ofhci2l tenure he acted mp TO his convictions
and did not allow Congressman TO dictate an
appointment. Now, the facts las shown from
the records) were, that mon that gentleman :
assumption Of his Office there were { . clerks in
the Interior Department, and when he left there
were 6ss, one man perhaps having died. There
fore, according TO Mr.. Trumbull. there were
| twice as many clerks there as were needed and
but one less than the number when the Secre-
let mis- kaA Jr IA
without any special pretensions to civil-seryice
/ reform, had reduced the force under him in the
same time some four or five hundred.
| MI Morton proceeded further In viudication
/ or the Department clerks from what he called
\ the grossly unjust charge of Mr.. Trumbull, that
| large portion OF them were useless and ucom-
petent. he claimed this was not the case as "A
rule, and no system could provide against the
! exceptions. He said that Senator also advocates
| life tenure of civil service, and points to Eng
land as an example We have all read Dickens
/ account of the circum,ocuticn Office, and the
! iIsOlence OF Office displayed by those who baye
life tenure. We do not want any such system
in this country. We do not want a privileged
! class built up here on principles which would
| undermine the foundations OF our governm snt
| We have life tenure now in one OF our depart
| ments-the supreme Court-and how has II
been found to work? Not as was expected
And Ii We had TO do it nov, no life tenure would
! De created The Senator also talks of a compe.
tittve examination. There has been a law in
| existence Tor years which provides for a CONNIE
/ tltivc examination. and vet under it ineon DE-
tent Northumberland always be avoidsi
! The senate, then, without further action
went into executive session, and then adjourned
| HoUSE.-After our report closed
The House, in Committee of the Whole pro.
! ceeded with the consideration Of the legislative
| executive, and judicial bull.
| Discussion took place on prOviso reported in
the bill, directing that hereafter no laws or trea
| ties shall be published in newspapers except
| those which are OF general nature, and which
laws or parts OF laws shall be selected by the
| Secretary OF State.
Mr.. Benjamin offered substitute for the
| whole paragraph, "a fouows:-"FOr publishing
| the laws In pamphlet form. $4,000. And al
| laws requiring laws to be published in newspa
| pers are hereby repealed" The substitute wa,
| agreed to-69 20 e..
| After proceeding in the bill as far as the 3Ttt
page the committee rose, and the House, at q
| adjourned.