The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-03-12
The $50,O0O Civil Service Reform APP
preparation Passed in the Senate.
IRUMBULL AND HIS PATRONAGE.
A Navy Department Investigation
Ordered by the House.
SAVE THE PUBLIC LANDS.
SENATE.
WASHINGTON, March IL, 1872.
TIE CHICAGO RELIEF BILL.

MI. OHANDLkR Vep.) Ol Mich', Pioscn'ou so'0A"A
circumstances against the Chicago Refer bill. lie
also stated that there was committee OF nine,
representing the lumber interests OF the Saginaw
Valley on the way washington to protest against
the DILL and moved That 1t he referred back TO the
committed to give them an opportunity to be heard;
but Messrs. Logan and TrumbuL being absent he
did not press the motion.
ON Printing reported q. resolution, which was
adopted, to print 1900 additional copies OF the
Mr.. COLE, rep, OF CAL, introduced bill to pro-
vide for mail service between San Francisco, Tahiti
and the Marquesas ISLANDS. co..
on Indian Affairs, reported, with amendment, the
bill for the appralsement and sale OF Kansas Indian
lands In the state OF Kansas
Bill were introduced and referred as foll0ws:-
By Mr.. SHERMAN, Tepl Of 0hio-To provide for
tax Of 1861 Also to provide for the redemption and
sale Of LANDS under the several acts levying direct
BY Mr.. UoLE-Authorizing the establishment Of
mail service between the United States ana Tahiti
and the Marquesas Islands In sailing vessels. 49,.
for q government building in Carson, New.
BY Mr. RICE rep.) OF Ark.-FOr the Improvement
BY By Mr. HAaIAN~For the relief OF Red Bear, a
chief OF the Pembina tribe Of the Chippewa Indians.
by Mr.. KELLOGG, Iep.) OF La.-Amendatory Of the
BY Mr.: EDMUNDs rep! Of v!.-Reating to re-
reported from the Committee on Rules some days
ago providing that hereafter petitions ana
to tine Secretary, and shall be entered on the
journal and referred or laid ON the table, as the
Senator presenting them may request; anu y was
discussed until the expiration OF the morning hour,
THE APPROPRIATION BILL
came up as the unfinished business.
Mr.. SHERMAN reminded the senate that the Tariff
bill had been set down for to-day and said that he
ing bin should be disposed OF.
the pending question on the Appropriation bill
eae b1 s resident for the
CIVIL SERVICE REFORM.
Mr.. TRuMBULI, rep) Of ILL.,, addressed the Senate
by Mr.. Howe OH Friday, he denied that he had ever
forged political anatnenas against the President Of
Ihs oa e
upon him. He then spoke In general terms Of the
fnat the bill introduced by him last year. prohibiting
recommendations to office by members OF Congress,
MIR. CxRrENrER, rep Of wis, asked him to leave
gloomy generalitles aud come down to details
Mr. TRUMBULL replied that there was no lack OF
competent witnesses on the subject. He cited
George William Curtis as an influential friend OF
the administration, and read at length from the
abuses Specifying among other things the appoint
ment OF incompetent and immoral persons through
getting such persons removed and the levylng OF
assessments Tor political purposes.
{ Mr.. P0MER0Y SAID that Secretary Cox protested
to have found great difficulty In removing incOmpe.
tent employees In his department.. but his successor
turned out sixLy.eight In four months.
Mr.. TRUMBULL then replied 10 Mr.. Morton'5
statement made some weeks since, that he (Mr.
Trumbuil) had recommended 1O3 persons Tor ap-
po!ntments to ONCE since the advent Of the present
administration, having often been complained
OF by his constituents for refusing to
sncs s p Mr.
administration he had very seldom interfered In
any way IN reference 70 once he had been s M
Morton say that he lMr. TrumbulD was chief among
those who had been
seeking appointments Even II the statement were
true, Of course 1t would be no argument against
hearing Mr.: Morion's statement he had written to
each or the departments asking copies OF all the
recommendations made by MN, and the replies
neotlon with any such number as JOB. he
name appeared oftener in the Post once De.
peared only thirty times although there were about
two thousand p0stmasters In his state; and In most
cants but had merely endorsed their applications
"Respectiuily referred 10 the Postmaster General"
REFERRED Fos FAVORABLE CONSIDERATIONS
In reference to appointments Mr.. CARPENTER said
that MIR. Trumbulls conduct seemed TO have been
Just li8e his own, and asked whether he Mr. Trum-
bully thought there was anything wrong or corrupt
In IT,
wrong In what did in reference TO those papers,
but tlis Is not wnat referred to. l referred to
members Of Congress going to the departments
olfice.
Mr.. CARPENTER-Did the senator himself ever do
anything OF that KIND 7
Mr.. rKUMBULL-NO, Sir.
Mr.. CARPENTER-Nor did l; nor DO believe any
Mr.. TRUMBULL said that there was not q clerk
appointed at his request In the Treasury Depart
Ment, the State Department. the Var Department,
the Navy Department, OF the Department oil Justice,
aud only one In the Interior Department, and OF
those In the departments with whom his name was
OF his. though he had many, and one related TO
him IN any way except pension agent, who was
In the Agricultural Department So far from
wearying the departments with applications for
appointments ne mad written letter more than
year and nalf ago. III which he had given express
notice that he never asked an appointment as
personal favor.
how the civil service could be reformed, and advo.
Gated the election OF po5tmasters by The people, the
members OF Congress and she prohipition of inter.
ference In poliLlcs by government officers and en-
ployes. The President had power 10 introduce any
elevate patriotism above party and
PURITY ABOVE PLUMBER.
Mr.. PRATT, trep.I OF Ind, said he would vote for
the pending appropriation because the President
asked for II, and because 1t was proper that the
scheme adopted should have a far trial. But ne
doubted the WISDOM OF the scheme aud criticised 1t
in many respects.
Mr.. Soorr, repl Of Pa read from the constltu-
gress has the power TO prescribe the method OF
appointing all officers, except diplomatic and con-
Sular Oflccr6 and the judges OF the Supreme COurt
1t appeared from the Blue Book that there were
about three thousand Officers appointed win tine
consent OF the Senate and 81, 600 appointed abso-
luuey at the pleasure OF the Executive. II would
have been In tae power Of Congress to prescribe
lar officers and judges OF the Supreme Court the
appointment OF all these
FIFTY THOUSAND OFFICERS
should be dependent upon the consent Of the Senate
and House OF Representatives. II they wished 10
control these appointments they could do II better
through their senators than through the Executive.
But this had not been done, and In view of the
limited number OF officers over whose election
Congress had assumed to exercise any power,
1t would appear that the evil was not
so great as had been imagined. LIE
then argued against the idea that men who
take part IN politics are necessarily OF pad cbarac
ter, or unit ~ serve the government IN Official
positions. That was vicious faacy ana the pe0.
pie must be educated up TO the very opposite idea
namely, that It Is not only the right but
the duty OF good citizens 70 take part
IN politics, and that good mans charac.