Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1872-03-07
FOVty-SsCOnd Congress
.wAsH1EeroN, March 9.
SECOND SESSION.

Join in the movement, and make con-
tributions to aid it. The circular
gives list Of the railroad presidents
who, it says, have already entered
into the arrangement, among them
VIM. n. Vanderbilt, Thomas A.
Scott and Jay Gould.
Senator Morrill, said that Smith, the
signer of the circular, was formerly a
distinguished officer in the army, and
afterWard an officer in the postof1ce
department, and that he appeared to
have resigned to go into this business
He MORRILL, hoped that the gentle
men charged with having entered
into this arrangement would be able
to explain the matter.
Senator Cameron said he was conf
dent that the statements OF the circu-
lar so far as they related to Thomas A.
Scott were false in every particular,
because Mr.. Scott had too much sense
and too much integrity to enter any
such combination the railroads wish
ed to have their rates increased and
the author of the circular had prOba-
bly, attempted to take advantage Of 1t
to make money for himself.
Senator Wilson said that one OF the
greatest evils OF this nation was the
practice of persons who have been in
congress or in the departments, after
wards setting themselves up In Wash
ington as ''shysters" and using the
knowledge acquired In public life to
cheat the government, and that the
abolition of this evil would be one Of
the most necessary and important re-
forms.
Senator Cameron moved to lay the
circular on the table.
Senator Morrill, concurred In the
motion, having, as he said, accom-
plished his object by bringing the
matter before the senate and public.
Senator Baysrd gave notice that at
an early day he would move to take
up the resolution asking the President
to transmit the instructions given to
the United States district attorney in
New York In relation to the prosecu-
ton OF persons who have given gratu-
tiles to customhouse officials.
Senator Conkling said he had no
objection whatever to It's adoption.
His desire was to show that the in
structiens given to the United States
district attorney in New York were
given in obedience to the imperative
mandate Of the statute, and their form
was determined by statute.
Senator Logan called up the bill to
authorize the appointment of certain
officers In the quartermaster's depart
ment.
On motion OF Senator Thurman, 1t
was amended so as to apply also to
the inspectOr-general's department,
and then passed.
A petition from the members OF the
Philosophical Society OF Phiadelphia,
was presented, asking congress to
make an appropriation to enable
American astronomers to Join those of
other nations in observing the transit
of the planet Venus across the suns
disc in December, 1874, and was re-
ferred to the library committee.
The senate then resumed the con-
sideratiOn Of the legislative appropri-
alton bill. The pending amendment
was to increase the salary of the SUPER
vising architect the treasury depart
ment to five thousand dollars. Lost.
Senator Pomeroy moved an amend
ment to give the land officer forty ad-
ditional clerks of class one. Adopted.
Senator Sawyer, from the commit
tee on education and labor, reported
an amendment increasing the appro.
priatiOn for the bureau OF education
from $26, 800 to $50, $50.
Senator Carpenter said he thought
that neither the bureau of education
nor the bureau of agriculture had any
warrant under the constitution. We
had no more authority to establish
bureaus Of education and agriculture
than to establish q bureau of
boots and shoes, or of any other in
dustry in the country. He never had
and never would vote for an appropri-
stion for either Of these bureaus.
Senator Thurman said the central
government was gradually encrOaeh-
Ing on the powers OF the States. The
next thing would probably be that
the head of the agricultural bureau
would be made a cabinet officer. So,
too, with the bureau Of education.
Unless the people put a stop to this
centraliZing movement 1t would never
end until it had absorbed every power
Of the States, and assumed the right
to regulate every industry in the
country. This Federal education
scheme had another phase. The peo-
pie OF this country were altogether
more heavily taxed by the States for
educational purposes than any other
people In the world, but If the Federal
government should levy q tax on
them for the same purpose then they
would be doubly and unsupportabIy
taxed for education. Further, even
II the Federal government had the
constitutional right to take charge Of
the subject it would be unwise for
It to do so, because it would place the
whole education of the country upon
one uniform, dead level, which would
be q great mistake.
Senator Frelinghuysen thought
there was authority In the constitu-
ton for establishing bureau OF agri-
culture.
After some further discussion on
this subject by Senators Carpenter,
Edmunds and Frelinghuysen, the
amendment was rejected-nays II,
nays q.
Senator Frelinghuysen offered an
amendment increasing the salaries In
the agricultural department. Lost
yeas %, nays IL.
To the item appropriating fifty
thousand dollars to enable the Presi-
dent to carry out the civil service re-
form, Senator Frellnghuysen offered
an amendment, authorizing the Fresi-
dent to make suitable compensation
to such members of the civil service
commission IS are otherwise in the
service OF the United States. He said
that three members Of the commits.
sion were also employees OF the de-
partment, and that this amendment
was designed to enable them to re-
ceive pay for their extra service on
the commission.
Senator Sherman-That's the best
commentary on the civil service re.
form we have had yet. Laughter
Senator Carpenter also thought il a
striking illustration of reform as it
was being carried out, and said that
with an appropriation Of fifty thou
sand dollars for this purpose, to be
spent at the pleasure OF the President
and with precedent get for its ex-
penditure by allowing each Of these
three reformeFs to draw two salaries
from the government for the same
time the present was very good; that
the people would be delighted with
civil service reform. Laughter.
Senator Frelinghuysen said that
these gentlemen had had to do three
or four hours extra work daily while
on the commission, and argued that
they ought to be paid for 1t.
TIE amendment was declared out
of order, and was withdrawn.
Senator Logan gave notice that
when the bill should get out OF the
committee and before the house he