The Portland daily press., 1872-03-12
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XLIId CONGRESS-.SECOND SESSION.

WASHINGTON, March 11.-Several remon-
strances agains the Chicago relief bill were re-
ceived.
Mr.. Anthony reported resolution printing
1900 census reports, which was adopted.
A bill was reported for. mail between San
Francisco, Tahita and Marquesas Islands.
Mr.. Harlan, from the Committee on Indian
Affairs, reported without amendment, bill for
appointment and sale of the Kansas Indian
| lands in the State of Kansas.
Bills introduced and referred: (By Mr. Sher-
man) to provide for the completing the collec-
ction of the United States direct tax of 1861 :
also to provide for redemption and sale of land
held by the United States under several acts
levying direct taxes. y,
The morning hour was occupied with the
new rule relative to petitions and memorials.
The appropriation bill was taken up.
Mr.. Sherman said he should press the tariff
bill after the appropriation bill was disposed of.
The pending question was on the amendment
appropriating $4,000, to be expended by the
President for the promotion of the civil service
reform N-" ~ a5iT l3Iafais ii 5sT.l .f-sE
Mr. Trumbull addressed the Senate on the
civil service reform. In reply to remark made
by Mr.. Howe on Friday, he denied he had ever
forged political anathemas against the Presi-
dent or spoken disrespectfully of him. He
neither abused the. President nor fawned upon
him. He spoke in general terms of the corrupt
condition of the civil service, and argued that
the bill introduced by him last year prohibiting
recommendations to Office by members of Con-
SreSS would De one OF the most important meas
ures of reform In the course of his remarks
he referred to Mr.. MOrton's statement made
some weeks since, that he (Trumbull) had re-
commended 103 persons for appointment to Of
fee since the beginning of the present admins
tration, having often been complained of by
his constituents for refusing to recommend
worthy persons for appointment and knowing
that since the first year of Lincoln's admins
tration he had seldom interfered in any way in
reference to Office, he had been surprised and
somewhat INDIGNANT ar bQaripC Mr. Morton NJ
that he (Trumbull) was chief among those who
had bee hanging around the departments seek
ing appointments. Even if the statementwe
true, it would be no argument against civil ser
vice reform, but it was not tare. After hearing
Mr.. Morton's statements he had written to each
of the departments asking for copies of all the
recommendations made by him. The replies
showed that his name did not appear at all in
connection with any such number as 103 His
name appeared often in the ost Office Depart
ment than in any other, but even there appear
ed only thirty times, although there were about
1000 postmasters in his State, and most of these
cities he had not recommended the appointment
but merely endorsed them, Respectfully refer
red to the Postmaster General" Respectfully
| referred for favorable consideration"
In reference to appointments, Mr.. Carpenter
said that Mr.. Trumbulfs conduct seemed to
have been Just like his own, and asked whether
wrong or corrupt in it. srli sssa.sss.. Orr.
Mr.. Trumbull--I do not think there is any,
thing wrong in what L did in reference to those
papers, but this is not what referred te. re-
TERED 20 members OF congress going to depart
ments and by Importantly getting persons ap-
pointed to Office. =, f,,l- 4 y - -r -
Mr.. .Carpenter-Did the Senator himself ever
do anything of that kind? sa'as r.iae g.. I'D
Mr.. Trumbull--No Sir. ~ Of l1.l i
Mr.. Carpenter--Nor did /; nor do believe
that any Senator did. ~
Mr.. Trumbull said there was not clerk ap-
pointed at his request in the Treasury Depart
ment, State Department, War Department., or
the Department OF Justice, and there was only
one in the Interior Department, and of those in
the departments with whom dis name was con-
nected in any way, there was no blood relation
of his, though he had many, and no one was re-
lated to him in any way except a pension agent
who was brother to his deceased wife, and 2
cousin of hers in the Agricultural Department
So far from wearying the Departments with
applications for appointments, he had written a
letter more than year and half ago in which
he had given express denial that he never asked
an appointment for personal FRIEND
Mr. Trumbull then discussed the question
how the civil service could be reformed and ad-
vocated the election OF postmasters by the peo-
pie; the prohibition Of the interference in APP
pointments BY members of Congress, and the
prohibition OF interference In politics by gov:
eminent officials and employees The Presi
dent had power to introduce any reform in the
civil service he pleased; the power to elevate
patriotism above party, and purity above plum
der D.. .t.... Es' ~ r---.5 r..-- 49,
Messrs. Scott and Pratt supported the appro-
priation.
Mr. Morton replied to Mr.. Trumbull He
said that in mentioning Mr.. Trumbulps rec
concentrations to Office he had not said or i'm
piled that there was any wrong in making them.
The wrong was not in making recomme ndations
but in first making them and then denouncing
others for doing the same thing. The Senator
had impeached the acts aud motives of his fell
low Senators in relation to appointments; there
f0rn l.DAh
red to- -.Is4.t
The question was then taken on concurring
in the amendment adopted in committee of the
whole approprating $50, 900 for civil service re-
form, and it was agreed to, yeas %, nays 81.
Yeas-Messrs. Ames, Anthony, Blair, Cole,
Cooper, Corbett, Davis of West Virginia, Ed,
,munds, Ferry of Michigan, Flannigan Free
linghuysen, Hamilton of MARYLAND, johnson,
Kellogg, Kelly, Morrill, of Maine, Morton, Nor
wood, Nye, Pratt, Schurz, Sherman, Trumbull,
Nays-Messrs. Alcorn Foreman, Caldwell,
chandler, Claytoe Gilbert, Goldthwaite, Ham
llton OF Texas, Hill Hitchcock Harlan, Howe,
Lewis, Osborne, Pomeroy, Ramsey, Spencer,
Sprague, West, Window, Wright-21.
The question was then taken on concurring
in the amendment repeating the law for the
publication of the laws'in the newspapers.
MIR. Pomeroy moved to lay the amendment
on the table. Lost-yeas q, nays %.
MIR. West moved to adjourn but yielded the
floor to Mr. Sherman, who said the Senate had
spent most of their time in debate, and had
passed no important bill except the apportion-
ment bill, while the House had been earnestly
at work and were now helding resolution fix
ing the day for final adjournment till the SEN
ate finished its debates. -.
Without further voting the Senate adjourned.
HOUSE, l.-,.t.
Bills were introduced for the relief the Off
GERS and crew of the gunboat Wyoming; abolish
ing the grades of Admiral, Vice Admiral and
Rear Admiral in the navy NL
By Rice of Ky.,) taxing incomes exceeding
$1,000; connecting the postal and telegraph
systems, being the Hubbard plan and several
railroad land grants.
Mr.. Hooper's supplementary civil rights bill
was taken up, but there was no action upon it.
Mr.. Blair of Mich, offered resolution pro-
viding for Select Committee to Irregularities
and inquire general into the administration of
affairs in the Navy Department during the in
cumbency of the present Secretary.
MIR. Banks of Mass, presented letter to
himself from Secretary Robson, asking him to
withdraw all objections to the proposed inquiry.
The resolution was adopted without opposition.
Mr.. Brooks of n. Y, moved to suspend the
rules and adopt his resolution in regard to Mex
icO Rejected-72 to 80.
Mr.. Halsey moved to suspend the rules and
pass the Senate bill, limiting the expenditures
for government building at Trenton, n. j., to