The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1872-03-14
CONGR ESSIONAL.
SENATE,

his hands which he felt bound to bring
to the attention of the Senate. He sent
up and had read circular signed "GiIes
A. Smith" and addressed "To the leading
railroad men throughout the country"
stating that movement was on foot to
secure the passage Of an act to increase
the rate paid to railroads for the carrying
Of mails fifty per cent. without reference
to existing contracts, and proposes that
| they should join in the movement and
make contributions to aid it. The circu.
lar gives a list of railroad presidents who,
it says, have already entered into arrange
ments, among them VIM. FL Vanderbilt,
Thomas A. Scott, and Jay Gould.
| Mr.. Morrill, said that Smith, the signer
Iofthn circular, was formerly distinguish
ed officer in the army, and afterwards an
officer of the Post Office D apartment, and
that he appeared to have resigned to go
into this business. He (MorrlD hoped
that the gentlemen charged with having
entered into this arrangement would be
able to explain the matter.
| Mr. Cameron said he was confident that
the statement of the circulars so far as
! they related to Thomas A. Scott, were
false in every particular, because Scott
had too much sense and integrity to enter
into any such combination. The railroads
wished to have the rates Increased, and
the author of the circular had probably
attempted to take advantage ofa report
to make money for himself The motion
was finally tabled.
The consideration of the Legislative
Appropriation bill was resumed on
Thursday when the question being on an
amendment appropriating $4,000 to be
expended by the President in putting in
force the Civil Service reform acquisitions,
Mr. Carpenter moved to strike it out,and
substitute the following:
"All laws or parts of laws under which
the Civil Service Reform Commission was
appointed by the President of the United
States are hereby repealed"
On motion Of Mr.. Trumbull the substi-
tute was laid on the table by 40 to 10.
II The question then fecurred on the
original amendment, appropriating $50
600 for this purpose.
Mr.. Logan said that the system pro
posed by the Civil Service Commission
was humbug. Two or three days ago
there was an examination in one of the
Departments, where twenty three persons
competed for the office, and one Of the
clerks in the Department told him before
the examination the name of the man
who would get the appointment, He
(Logan) did not know how it was done,
but he knew the fact, as an illustration
of the folly of the selection of public
officers by competitive examination. He
| (Logan) was as much Ill favor of reform
as anybody, but not reform of this kind.
After some discussion the Senate adj
journed without reaching vote.
At o'clock, on Friday the statues Of
Jonathan Trumbull and Roger Sherman
were formally presented to the United
States, in the name of the people of Con
necticnt, to be placed in the old ball of
| the House of Representatives In making
the presentation Mr. Buckingham and
Mr.. Ferry made appropriate addresses.
| Mr.. Anthony offered resolution &C.
cepting the statues, and returning the
thanks of Congress to the people of Con
necticut for presenting them, and briefly
addressed the Senate on the subject.
| The resolution was unanimously adopt.
ed.
Mr.. Chandler presented several remon
strances on Monday against the Chicago
relief bill. He also stated that com
mittee of nine, representing the lumber
interests of the Saginaw Valley, were on
the way to Washington to protest against
the bill, and moved that it be referred
back to give the committee an oppnrtuni-
ty to be heard, but, Messrs. Logan and
Trumbull being absent, he did not press
the motion.
Twelve thousand additional copies of
the census report were ordered printed.
Mr.. Cole introduced bill to provide
for mail service between San Francisco,
Tahiti and the Marquesas Islands.
The pending question m the appropria-
tion bill was an amendment appropriating
$4,000, to be expended by the President
for the promotion of the civil service.
Mr.. Trumbull addressed the senate On
civil reform, in reply to the re-
marks made by Mr.. Howe on Friday He |
denied that he had ever uttered political |
anathemas against the President, or
spoken unexpectedly of him. He had
neither abused the President, nor fawned
upon him. He then spoke in general
terms of the corrupt condition of the civil |
service, and argued that the billlntroduced
by him last year, prohibiting recommen-
dations to Office by members of Congress,
would be one important measure of re-
form. &o 144 |s4
Mr.. Trumbull then discussed the ques-
ton how the civil service could be re-
formed, and advocated the election Of
postmasters by the people, the prohibition
of interference with appointments by
members Of Congress, and the prohibit
ton of interference in politics by govern
ment officers and employees The Presi-
dent had power to introduce any reform
in the civil service be pleased, the power