The New York herald., 1871-12-10
Delegate Hooper Wants the Mormon
Trials Concluded at the Capital.
Writs of Error In Criminal Cases
in the Territories.
A Fight Anticipated Over the Pro-
posed Civil Service Reforms.


WA6HIEGTON, Dec y, lbI1s
Excitement over tho Threatened Impeach-
mont Of the President.
The exposure In to-day HERALD or the plain afoot
to effect the impeachment OF the President. is as
might be expected, the sensation OF the night In
Washipt0n. There was at first but little belief In
the story or the movement, but the active inquiry
that has gone on all the evening, and the careful
canvassing OF the situation that has followed the
second reading Of the article. has led to admissions
cheerful or reluctant as the party feeling OF
the readers dictated, that there might be some
thing in it after all, ana that neither the matter
was as baseless or the movement as Qu'xottc as at
first appeared. While none OF the politicians
suspected, or regarded as likely ia be concerned
IN the plot. confess to any personal part In It,
some OF them 60 so lar as TO own that
they have heard something or the sort
from other parties, but mad not 'as
yet paid much attention to 1t. The democratic
Congressman who nave been seen tonight raise no
doubts OF the ability OF any well prepared schedule
OF charges against the President to command over
ITO votes. but they fear that party pressure win be
almost too strong to gam the twenty-five or thirty
republican votes necessary to carry the articles OF
impeachment Before the Senate.
Civil Service Rciorm-The Fight TOR Once
Under the Now Regime.
Considerable anxiety Is manifested In a quiet
way, especially among representatives from close
republican districts, with regard 10 the promised
report OF the Civil Service Commission. Stringent
restrictions have been laid upon the members Of the
Commission not to hint In any way the nature OF
the recommendations they will submit yet enough
has got out in the mysterious way such eakagcs
occur to make 1t quite certain that the plat
they propose does not, In The estimation OF tho
frameIs require any additional legislation to put 1t
into effect The President expects ito go 1t alone'
under the advice Of Mr.. George William Curtis and
his own belief In the popularity OF the reform.
majority OF members OF Congress, IN both bodies
are greatly discouraged at the prospect Of losing
their patronage and at the same time having
no crsdit for producing result apparently
desired by the public at large. Some
are 80 dissatisfied at the idea OF the Executive act
ing for himself in this matter that while claiming
to pc heartily in favor Of reform in the civil SER
vice, they declare It cannot be put in operation
without legislation. and to attempt 1t would be an
act Of sheer usurpaton on the Presidents part
question bearing directly Oh this Is now before
the administration. The recent death or che pro-
spective retirement OF the Firth Auditor OF
the Treasury has set the usual machinery OF anxious
applicants in motion. The Missouri republican
congressman have been for year or 10 past en-
deavoring to get certain OF their brethren slaugh.
tered at nome by the Schurz-Gratz-BrOwn coup
d'efat taken care OF by the administration. The
Member OF Congress, have been especially
anxious, and as the first AUDITORS
Major Snlths, demise occurred, they renewed their
opportunities The President replied that he should
be pleased to appoint Mr. Slower II Secretary Hour.
well made the Recommendation. That Official, 1t Is
understood designs the position for some one of his
favorilc clerks, and proposes to recommend the
chief clerk OF bureau for the other vacahcy-when
1t occurs. Such disapnointments as these help to
in fnfA a,fiv
Irritation. The chief points IN the report on
the civil Service, now being finished by
Mr. Curtis are as follows:-Al o1ices below that OF
Secretary and Assistant Secretary will be Included
In the plan proposed. The tenure OF office IL to be
during good behavior. provisional or probation
ary appointment il TO be first given, and then,
capacity being proven, regular one 10 20 he
made out. All appointees are to be brss sub
iected to some general examination Us to
educational qualifications, &c. This 1t Is not
proposed to make very exacting In charac-
ter All promotions are to be male on merit
alone In arriving al which competitive examina-
tion will be enforced relating not 30 much TO
general qualifications as to special fitness for the
duties to be performed and thorough acquaintance
with those on which the oflcial has been engaged.
These are the outlines or an elaborate
plan, which It is declared the administration
accepts Among the details Is proposition
for recording the recommendations made BY Con-
rressnen &C. In behalf Of clerical or other oncals
and for providing that II the person recommended
shall prove Incompetent or worthless the one re-
commencing him shalt be held responsible, In 50
far that future recommendations will not be re-
garied by any department.
General John Coburn, OF Indiana, proposes to
seeure a vote, II POSSIBLE. or joint resolution lie
offered las, session, embodying sixteenth arnend-
,nent by which postmaster aud revenue officials
should be elected by the people OF the muncipah-
t,es district or section In which they are to serve.
This is one OF the many sixteenth amendments, but
II will not have very good fortune a. II s the object
OF most of the politicians To talk about civ service
reform without any Intention OF really supporting
spy measure to that END.
Writs of ErrOr In CRIMINAL Cases from United
states Courts in the Territories.
Mr. Eoorey the irrepressibe Mormon delegste,
has been actively canvassng the House in favor OF
obtaining action on Monday, upon bill introduced
on Thursday By Mr.. Amber, OF Ohio, which allows
vrits of erros IN CRIMINAL cases to be taken
TO the supreme Court rom United States
Conrts In the territories. This Is not al.
lowed. ani tue polygamists who are being.
or are 10 be, tried IN Judge McKeans
courts are naturally anxious 10 change the venue to
the camer atmosphere OF the Capitol. IL Is pro
posed, after the morning hour, to move to suspend
the rules and put this bill on its passage. Mr.
Hooper Is quite hopeful Of success; bus there VIII
be an interesting skirmisn over the motion anu tho
result Is doubtful.
The British. Amcricau Claims Con'ns'sssou.
The British. American Claims Commission met
today. when IL was expected that counse. on either
s,oe would be ready To close their arguments up1n
questions affecting the relations OF British subjects
who were domicned in this country during the
rebellion TO ths terms OF the Treaty under which the
Commission was organized. Final arguments were
postponed, however, until wednesday next The
decisions OF the British foreign once during tue
Franco .Prussian war upon the appeals OF BritisG
subjects for protection aud intervention are re-
garded rs particularly applicable 10 sucn sur
iects residing In the United States, ahd decision
Of the Commissioners 1t Is expected will be made,