The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1872-04-20
The French Arms Question.

/
ment submitted report of the majority of the
committee in relation to the sale of arms to the
French government, on Monday of this week
Several weeks ago the House ordered an in.
vestigation of this matter by resolution.
| The report states the Secretary of War was
authorized to sell the arms under the act Of
July 1868 that the money derived from the
sale was paid into the Treasury after deductine
the amount authorized to be paid for necessary
repairs and transportation that no act of the
Secretary of War or any subordinate officer was
in conflict with our duty as a neutral power
and that no officer of the United States was in
terested pecuniarily in the sale of the arms.
This seems to be a candid statement of the
affair that has created so much agitation in
the circles of our national legislation and ex.
cited SO much surprise at Foreign courts.
A curious, prying, mischievous French detec
tive conceives the idea that France was cheated
or in some way imposed upon in the purchase
of the arms and wished to know who did it anG
how it was done. To crafty his curiosity and
accomplish his purpose, he made use of two O.
our most prominent Senators.
They began their noise and fuss in the Senate
So violent became the agitation of the question
| and so heated the debate on it in the Senate
that the attention of the nation and the aston.
ishment of the only power that had right t.
| complain were attracted to the scene of the
conflict. Weeks of the Senate's time were con.
sumed in this farce, while Germany wondered
why the United States should trouble herself
| about this matter unless asked so to do by the
power that was most interested, and who alone
had right to complain.
Germany was quick in her avowal of the fac
that she did not feel any offense az what had
taken place, that the United States had violated
any of the laws of neutrality or any duties she
owed friendly power at war with another
friendly power. And she was puzzled to know
what the fuss meant, when she had made NJ
complaint and asked no investigation.
The whole affair, after it was set af1oat,was run
in the interest of those leading Republicans OPP
| posed to President Grant, but its result has
brought shame and humiliation upon those
who gave it significance and established the
fact conclusively that President Grant had
nothing whatever to do with the transaction
and made nothing by the sale. "Andno govern
nent officer IS implicated IN any 'oay.'
| KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAs.--On Monday of thi:
week the Supreme Lodge of the World, Knights
of Pythias, convened in Baltimore city lat Meals
Hail.
On Tuesday the order turned out en-masse
| In ob 10 d;s
play and presented fine appearance. In
| FURNISHED armor and handsome uniforms, pre-
senting a martial appearance, five of the
subordinate lodges marched early in the morn
ing to the st. Clair Hotel, the headquarters o.
the officers and members fthe Supreme Lodge
and escorted them to the Hall.
The procession formed on Broadway and
marched under the command of Col S. S. Mills
Chief Marshal up Baltimore, Eutaw, Monu
ment, Charles, German and Calvert streets tc
Monument Square, where they were saluted by
the members of the Supreme Lodge and dis
missed.
Helmets, orhammes, flags, notices, en-
signs, full dress uniforms, equipped with al
the beautiful insignia of the Order, graced The
person of each member as he marched in the
line of the procession. Bouquets, wreaths o
flowers and other tokens ofrespect were shower
ed upon different divisions of the procession al
they passed given points. Flags were displayed
from various houses along the line of march,
In the evening grand banquet was given fol
the entertainment of the Supreme Lodge guests
at the Masonic Temple. The bill of fare EN-
braced all the delicacies Of the season anC
every display of taste calculated to render the
affair entertaining. Speeches were made by
Samuel Read of N. j., C. M. Barton of Wash
| ington, j. Frank Lewis, James Whitehouse, S
S. Mills and others of Maryland.
| -~--=sS.s@ -
CIVIL SERVICE REFoRM.-The amount, asked
as an appropriation for the purpose of carrying
into operation the rules of the New Civil Ser
vice Reform Commission, was originally placed
at 600.
On Thursday of last week the matter was
considered in the House of Representatives
and the amount reduced to SIC, 900. This looks
a little more like economy and that they dc
not intend to make farce of the Civil Service
Reform movement.
We are in favor of Civil Service Reform in
the broadest and most comprehensive sense o.
! the term. We think there is abundant neeG
| OF it. We consider that if it is to be had thai
the Republican party must be its executor
Without sterling men to stand at the helm and
guide tee ship with firm hand, there can be
little hope of any real reform in the matter o
Civil Service. 1t is not the specially of the
Democratic party to operate in this line. AND
| if they should curse the country with ad
ministration before the service is fairly in the
harness, we may expect to see many days ex
pire before there is any benefit brought to tn,
nation in this respect.
And we say to the Republican party, "stay
thy hand from making any more appropria
lions in this direction" The reform is not t.
be made success in this way.
CIVIL SERVICE IN THE Pa. CoNvENTIoN.-Tht
| sixth resolution passed by the Pennsylvania