Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1872-03-08
FOrty-SscOnd conureas
IL. .WAaHrNeroN. March !
SECOND sEssIoN.

public buildings at St.Louis and Little
Rock.
Senator Wright gave notice thal
after the pending appropriation bill
was disposed of he would call up the
Chicago relief bill.
Senator Chandler from the com.
mite on commerce, reported q reso
luton directing the committee on
commerce to make thorough en-
quiry into the subject OF immigration
andI the treatment of immigrants
after arrival in this country, and also
into the quarantine and health regu-
lations at the chief ports in the United
States.
Senator Coles added that an inquiry
had better be extended also to the
trea tment Of immigrants by the rail-
road companies.
Senator Chandler accepted the
amendment.
Senator. TrumbuIl thought il would
be unnecessary and expensive for the
committee to visit all the chief ports.
Senator COnkling suggested that
they should go only to New York,
Philadelphia and Baltimore.
Senator Chandler accepted this
amendment also, and the resolution
as amended was passed.
The senate resumed the considera-
tien OF the legislative appropriation
bill, the bill having been reported
yesterday from the committee of the
whole. All amendments made in the
committee were cOncurred in except
those that were reserved to be voted
| on seDarately.
Senator Scott presented a petition of
the citizens of Allegheny county,
Pennsylvania, asking congress to re-
| imburse them in the amount of S31, :.
$50, paid by them to the Baltimore
and Ohio railroad to secure an addi-
ti0nal width between the channel
piers of the bridge over the Ohio riv-
er at Parkersburg, so as to prevent
the obstruction OF river commerce,
which was referred to the committee
on commerce.
Senator Ames, from the committee
on military affairs, reported bill to
provide for the disposition OF that
portion OF the military reservation at
Fort Riley lying east of the Missis
sippi, which was passed.
Senator Chandler presented a me-
mortal of the National Board Of
Trade, asking the passage of a law
authorizing American citizens to pur-
chase fOreign-built ships and register
them for service under the American
flag in our foreign commerce, and
that all articles of foreign product,
intended for subsistence on vessels
engaged in foreign trade, or in build
ing, or in the repairing OF steamships
or sailing vessels, may be withdrawn
free of duty from bonded warehouses,
and to provide for the return to the
American registry Of all tonnage
alienated during the war to foreign
flags, as the owners may desire. Re-
ferred to the committee on commerce.
The consideration of the legislative
appropriation bill was resumed.
The amendment authorizing the
employment of forty additional clerks
laid on the table.
The question being on the amend
ment apprOpriating fifty Thousand
dollars to be expended by the Presi-
dent in putting in force the civil ser
vice reform acquisitions,
Senator Carpenter moved to strike
it oat and substitute the following:
All laws or parts OF laws under which
the present civil service reform commits
sion was appointed by the President of
the United States, ars hereby repealed.
Senator TrumbuIl moved to lay the
substitute on the table. Carried
yeas 40, nays 10.
The Republicans who voted against
laying Senator Carpenters substitute
on the table were Senators Caldwell,
Cameron, Carpenter, Chandler, Clay
ton, Hitchcock, Hamilton of Texas,
Kellogg, Logan, Osborn, Pomeroy,
Poole, Ramsey Of West Virginia and
Window. &.
The only Democrats who voted
against it were Senators Blair, Cooper
and Salisbury.
The question then recurred on the
original amendment, appropriating
$50, 600 for this purpose.
Senator Sherman said he hoped the
operation of the scheme recommended
by the civil service commission would
be confined to Washington, New York
and some of the large cities, where
reform was most needed, because If
the President attempted to extend it
over the whole country it would evil
IDENTIFY break down by Its own weight,
While he was in favor of reform in
the civil service, he was not confident
that it could be effected on this plan,
but congress being already committed
to 1t an appropriation ought to be
made so as to give it fair trial, if
only to demonstrate its failure.
Senator Logan said that the system
proposed by the civil service COM
mission was humbug. Two or three
days ago there was an examination
in one of the departments when twen-
ty-thfee persons competed for Office,
and one of the clerks in the depart
ment told him before the examination
the name of the man who would get
the appointment. He Logan1 didn't
know how it was done, but he knew
the fact, as an illustration of folly OF
selecting public officers by competi-
tive examination. He GLogan1 WIS
as much in favor OF reform as anybody,
but not reform of this kind.
Senator Edmunds inquired what
kind of reform he wanted.
Senator Logan said he had not fully
considered the subject, but would state |
some kinds he would make, If he had |
the power. Whenever man per-
formed his duties well, he would let |
him alone, and whenever a man did |
not, he would turn him out; he would |
also make the term of office of public |
officials coextensive with that of the
president, unless where removals were |
made for MISCONDUCT further, if an
. % 80. ,,o-foruood aio dT1kioo Il, oyroh q /
way as to make his neighbors gen.
orally believe he was dishonest, he |
would turn him out.
Senator Edmunds thought it very |
remarkable that the wisdom of the
country was supposed to be Ooneen-
trated in congress, having last year
deliberately passed law authorizing
the President to make this expert |
ment in the civil service reform,
should now threaten to abandon the |
effort and repeal the law just as soon !
as an attempt was made to put it into |
practical operation. He fully agreed |
with those who denounced this civil |
service reform as humbug and an |
on the rights of the |
people, for his own rights had been |
unWarrantably infringed upon. In the
good old times when he went to de-
Dartment and asked to have Smith or
Jones appointed to an Office because
he was friend Of his, or because he |
had worked hard to make him sena- |
tor, or for some other equally good |
reason, the matter was generally |
arranged satisfactorily, without any
impertinent questions as to the fitness |
of the applicant for the place; but |
now, when he approached the head Of |
a department on the same errand, he |
was told that his recommendation |
was no longer sufficient to secure the