Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1876-02-11
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.

The troubles on the Mexican border
EhaYe become so serious that the Secre-
tary of War has ordered addi tional
troops to the Rio Grsnde, and Gen. Ord
has been summoned by the House Spe
cial Committee for adYice.
The different State Republican associ-
ations have. taken hold of tho matter OF
appointments in the departments, with
the view of ascertaining how many ap-
pointees are falsely accredited to their
respective States. It will be renlem-
bered that the rule established by the
last Congress. apportions the appoint
ments in the civil service among the
States according TO population. 1t seem 5
indisputable that there is wisdom in the
regulation that requires appointments to
the military and naval academies to be
appsrtioned among the States and Con
gressional Districts, and surely every ar
gument in favor of such regulation ap-
plies with equal force to appointments
in the civil service. Ifit be urged that
giving to every Congressman certain
number of appointments to be filed from
his district, is putting a power in his
hands that may be corrupuy used, an.
swer that every such appointee, together
with his fitness or unfitness, and he JUS
tice or Injustice of the selection, would
be known and appreciated in the com
munitY from which the appolntee was
taken, so that members who made bad
recommendations for appointments suf
fered in their most sensitive point-theIr
reputation at home. and this check would
be sufficient TO prevent manifeslly im-
proper appointments. Whereas, under
the old regime, members could easily,
and for a money consideration, recon-
mend and obtain the appointment of per
sons outside of their districts and entire2
ly IN known 20 their constituents. ga
The House Committee on Education
and Labor have agreed TO report Mr..
Wa lker's bill setting apart forever the
net proceeds Of the sale Of public lands
for the education of the people, it
An amusing scene occurred IN the
House during Fridays session. A bill
was under consideration granting pen
sion to VIM. K. Duncan. 1t came out
during the discussion of the bill that tn
said Duncan had at one time entered th he
Confederate service for the purpose of re-
leasing his brother, held by the Confed.
crate authorities as military prisoner,
and that after efecting his release. he re-
turned to the Union service, where he
continued until the close of the war. Mr..
Morrison, Democratic Chairman of Ways
and Means, who had deliberately strick-
en- from bis biographical sketch in the
directory Of this session the record of his
service in the Union army, asked ifit
was true that Duncan had deserted the
Confederate service and gone over to the
other side. Mr.. Rainy. having the Till In !
charge, replied that Duncan entered the
Confederate army only to secure the re.
lease Of his brother Mr.. Morriso said,
then he is s.scouudrel, and did not de-
serve pension. Mr.. Kasson asked If (
this man, who had lett the Confederate
flag and fought under that oFthe Union,
was 10 be called a scoundrel, what was
to be done with all those who had left
the Union flag and fought under that of
treason? This caused Mr.. Morrison's
feathers to droop, and while uncertain
VIII at to say or do, Mr.. Townsend poured
in hot shot by saying that from present
appearances, 1t would soon be necessary
for men who had fought on the Unloa
side to ask for amnesty, and that he
thought It prudent for public men In
giving their biography, to leave ont any
reference to their services m the TTnIay,,
army, This drove Morrison 10 his seat
in discontinue, and the Speaker declar.
ed the bill passed upon otea poos vote |
about ten or dozen voting In the az |
frmatiy Call the rest were laughing too |
heartily TO respond TO the call. = 81
washington, FEB, 5. ls7s.- ..sss 1S's-'D' =