Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1872-01-19
CO.v'GRESSIO.v.fL.

NJ. Willard of Vermont, last week intro
duced a civil service reform bill into the
House being in its main features an enact
ment into statute of the rules adopted by
the recent civil service commission and
now in actual operation. There are, how
ever, two important additions, one section
providing for the tenure of office, during
good behavior, and the other that election
eering by federal otlice-holders shall be
sufficient cause for dismissal The advi-
sorry board is to consist of five members
whose terms of Office will be five years and
salary $4,000, with clerk and messenger at
tached. a resolution, the tendency of
which is decidedly against civil service re-
FORM soon after passed the House, appar-
emily unnoticed, directing the civil service
committee TO report bill assigning the APP
pointmcnts among the different states in
proportion to their population, and giving
preference to the honorably discharged
soldiers and sailors.
The bill prepared by the State Depart
ment, introduced in the House by General
Banks and referred to the Committee ON
Foreign Relations, of which he is chair
man, making the holding of slaves in for
oign countries criminal misdemeanor,
met the warm approval of the republican
press, as Il measure intrinsically right, and
a step that our government should take.
We regret learn that it meets with strong
opposition in Congress, and that the com
mittee, if called upon to report, will not re-
commend the passage Of the bill. The OBJ
jections urged are, that it is unconstiuti0n-
al, being in effect bill Of attainder as Il
violation of its provisions effects a forfeit
ule of citizenship; and that it will work "A
great hardship to our citizens in Cuba. II
the proposed law is unconstitutional. If
course it should not be passed. But no
question of expediency, no hazard of pecu-
MARY loss should prevent the adoption of a
measure so essential to the honor of the
government, which is disgraced by allow
ing its citizens to do abroad what it prohib-
its at home.
In the Senate, on Wednesday of last
week, Mr.. Morrill,, of Vermont, presented
the petition of Rev. j. ID. Bceman, and fifty
others, of Milton, VT, asking that bounty
ue paid to soldiers who were disabled early
serve long enough to receive any bounty
whatever; also that one hundred and sixty
acres of land DO given to them so that they
can dispose of it, they not being in condi-
ton, being disabled, to avail themselves of
the ordinary homestead law; that abounty
be paid of 500 to all those who enlisted
prior to the 23d of September, 1868, or their
widows, heirs, or legal representatives, de-
Quoting any bounty that they may have
already reeeiye also that bounty of
eight and one-third dollars month be paid
to the soldiers who served during tho war,
| doducting any amount Of bounty that may
have been already received. The petition
was referred to The ComLldtee on Military
A fairs.
On Wednesday Of last week, Senator
Carpenter gave voice to the disgust that the
average congressman feels toward the presi-
dents civil service reform, and Thursday,
Senator Conkling made n set speech against
Mr.. Summers one-term proposition, and
incidentally entered into a minute defence
OF the present administration. The House
refused on Monday, by a decisive vote, to
repeal the income tax, and there was tho
usual offering OF new bills and resolutions.
The remaining sessions OF the week in the
lower branch have been mostly devoted to
discussing the mint and coinage bin, and
disposing of contested election cases
Among the new propositions offered in tho
house was resolution for 4 new article &c
the constitution making naturalized cti-
zens eligible to the presidency, but it was
defeated by party vote.