The weekly Oskaloosa herald. [volume] (Oskaloosa, Iowa) 1855-1885, 1876-09-21

j
erroneous. 1t is just and W sc to
bury resentments and animositics. II
is erroneous in this, that parties have
an organic life and spirit of their own
AN individuality and cha ..actel
which outlive the men who compose
them and the spirit and traditions
should be considered in determining
their fitness for managing the affairs
OF nation. For this purpose have
reviewed the history of the Demo,
cratic party.
L have no disposition nor would it be
just to shield the republican party from
fair and searching criticism. 1t has been
called to meet questions novel and most
difficult. 1t has made many mistakes 1t
has stumbled and blundered; has had
some bad men in it: has suffered from
the corruptions incident to the period fol-
lowing great war; and it has suffered
rebuke and partial defeat in consequence
But has it been singular and alone in
these respects? With all its faults, |
fearlessly challenge gentlemen to com
pare it with any party known to our
politics. Has the gentleman shown
that the democratic party is its superior
either in virtue or intelligence? Gentle.
men, the country has been testing your
qualities during the last eight months.
The people gave you probationary trial
by putting you in control of this House.
When you came here, in December last,
the same distinguished gentleman to whom
| am replying, addressed you on the eve
ming of your first caucus in these words:
There has been fer some time in the
! pubic mind n conviction profor cd and all
pervading that the civil service OF the
country has not been directed from CON
siderations OF public good, but from those
OF party prof and for corrupt, selfish,
and Uupatrio designs. The people
demand at on, hands sweeping and
thorough refo =, which shall be conduct
ed in spirit at will secure tie appoint
ment to places of trust ard responsibility
of the honest the experienced, and the
| capable.
That is sound doctrine; and | have
advocated it here and elsewhere during
the last eight years. / remind him
that the pernicious doctrine that 'to the
victors belong the spoiIs, is of democrat
ic origin; that nearly half century of
democratic tradition and practice has fas-
tened it upon the country We found it,
and have been cursed by it ever since; and
though some efforts have been made to
reform it, the good work is hardly begun.
When, therefore, the gentleman from
Mississippi, Mr.. LAMAR, as chairman
OF the democratic caucus, at the opening
of the session, announced the doctrine |
have quoted, we had reason to hope that
a new era of civil serN ice had dawned up
on the Capitol. But what performance
has followed his Understanding proclama-
ton? No sooner did this reforming party
take possession of this House, than it
began the most wholesale sweeping
changes of officials from the highest to
the humblest employees of the House,
that has been known in our history
Many of these officers had come to us
from our democratic predecessors; but
they were almost all dismissed to give
place to hungry partisans Sixty-seven
Union soldiers, who were faithfully doing
their duties here, were turned out, and
among those who filled their places were
forty -seven rebel soldiers.
Mr.. WILLIS. May | inquire of the
gentleman how many Union soldiers were
put in Office?
Mr.. GARFIELD. / know not the
precise number.
Mr.. WILLIS. If the gentleman will
institute comparison he will find that il
is decidedly favorable to the democratic
party so far as patriotism and favoritism tC
Union soldiers is concerned.
Mr.. GARFIELD. The facts do not
bear the gentleman out in his statement
This is the practice which followed you,
professions of civil-service reform.
Mr.. HOLMAN As a matter of jus
tice and fair play the gentleman from
Ohio certainly knows and should admit
that large number of disabled soldiers
who are republicans are still holding
offices in this House.
Mr.. CONGER. | object to the gentle
man from Indiana interrupting the gentle
man from Ohio. Let the gentlemen OPP
posite give our side an opportunity to bt
heard at once.
Mr.. GARFIELD. | am almost
through and will soon yield the floor.
In answer to the the gentleman from
Indiana, | understand that a seven
democratic Union soldiers were APP
pointed; but [ was discussing civil
service reform and the declaration Of tht
gentleman from Mississippi, Mr. LAMAR
that appoint, ,nts to office should not
be used as party reward.
! | desire to glance for moment now al
the career of this House and at what they
have done and omitted to do. Passing
by their treatment Of contested election
cases, their appointment Of officers, EN-
; ployes, committee-clerks who have reflected
no credit upon the House, | desire to ash
what valuable work of general Legislation
has this House accomplished.
We had hardly been here month
when, among the first things demanded
was that in disregard OF the deep feeling;
OF the northern people, it was proposed
to crown Jefferson Davis with full anC
free amnesty, notwithstanding he haC
contemptuously declared he never would
ask for it; and this was to be done, or ne
amnesty was to be granted to any ONE
And when we objected because he was
the author of the unuttererable atrocities
of Libby and Andcrsonvile prisons, The
debate which followed disclosed the spiri
and temper of the dominant party.
We were hardly in our seats when thu
gentleman from Virginia Mr. TUCKER
brought in bill to repeal statute OF
1866 which no democrat had before thai
proposed to disturb, so far as [ know;
statute which provided that no man wht
voluntarily went into the rebellion gains
the Union should ever hold a commission
in our Army or navy. And democra
from my own State, Mr.. BANNING, th'
chairman of the Committee on Military
Affairs, came the champion of that bill
and this House passed it.
Again, we had passed a law to pro
tect the sanctiry and safety of tn
ballot in national elections, so tina
the horrors of the Ku .Klux and tn,
white liners should not run riot at tn
polls, and among the earliest acts o
this house was clause added to on
of the appropriation bills to repea
the election law; and to effect that re
peal they kept up the struggle latel,
under the fierce rays of the dog-stal
They have been compelled by a Re
publican Senate to abandon the at
tempt.
Again, what have they neglected
Early in the session, indeed in tn,
first days of it, proposition wa
made, introduced by the gentleman
from Maine, Mr. Blaine SO to amend
the Constitution as to remove forev
er from the party politics of the coun