Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1879-12-04


will not, however, be approved by the coun-
try, while the citizens of Utah, in very con-
siderable numbers, uphold a practice which
is condemned as a crime by the laws of all
civilized communities throughout the world.
He mentions that as the law for the suppress.
sion of polygamy has now been decided by
the Supreme Court to be within the legisla-
tive power of Congress and binding as rule
of action for all who reside within the Terri
tories, there is no longer any reason for delay
or hesitation in its enforcement. 1t should be
firmly and effectively executed. If not suf-
fciently strong in its provisions it should be
amended, and in aid of the purpose in view
he recommends that more comprehensive and
more searching methods for preventing, as
we'll as Furnishing, this crime be provided. If
necessary to secure obedience to the law, the
enjoyment and exercise of the rights and
privileges of citizenship in the Territories of
the United States may be withheld or with
drawn from those who violate or oppose the
enforcement of the law on this subject, :
The President Makes 8 plea for the election
laws. He says the elections of the past year,
although held only for State officers, have not
failed to elicit in the political discussions
which attended them all over the country,
new and decisive evidence of the deep inter-
est which the great body of citizens take in
the progress of the country toward more
general and complete establishment, at what
ever cost, of universal security and freedom,
in the exercise of the elective franchise.
While many topics of political concern de,
mand great attention from our people, both
in the sphere of National and State authori-
ty, find no reason to qualify the opinion |
expressed in my last annual message, that no
temporary or administrative interests Of gov
ernment, however urgent or weighty, will ever
displace the zeal of our people in defence of
the primary rights of citizenship, and that
the power of public opinion will override all
political prejudices and all sectional and State
attachments in demanding that all over our
wide territory the name and character of citi'
zen of the United States shall remain one and
the same thing and carry with them unchal'
lenged security and respect. | earnestly ap
peal to the intelligence and patriotism of all
good citizens of every part of the country
however much they may be divided in opin'
ions on other political subjects, to unite in
compelling obedience to existing laws aimed
at the protection of the right of suffrage
respectfully urge upon Congress to supply
any defects in these laws which experience
has shown, and which it is within its power
to remedy. again invoke the cooperation
Of the executive and legislative authorities
of the States in this purpose. l am fully
convinced that if the public mind can be SET
at rest on this paramount question of popular
rights, no serious obstacle will thwart or delay
the complete paci6cation of the country, OF
retard the general diffusion of prosperity.
The subject of civil service reform is treat
ed at length. Under this head, he says a
large and responsible part Of the duty of re-
storing the civil service to the desired purity
and efficiency, rests upon the President, and
it has been his purpose to do what is within
his power to advance such prudent and grad
ual measures of reform as will most surely
and rapidly bring about the radical changes
of system essential to make our administers
tive methods satisfactory to free and intel
ligent people. By a proper exercise of au'
thority, it is in the power of the Executive to
do much to promote such reform, but it
cannot be too clearly understood that nothing
adequate can be accomplished without co.
operation on the part of Congress, and con-
siderate and intelligent support among the
people.
He refers to the work of the civil service
commission and the failure of Congress to
appropriate money for the resumption of the
work of the commission. He advocates com
petitive examinations for officers, and says
the economy, purity and efficiency of the
public service would be greatly promoted by
their systematic introduction, wherever prac
ticable, throughout the entire civil service Of
the government. In this connection he also
uses the following language in reference to
contributions from public officers for political
purposes: "It may not be easy, and it may
never perhaps be necessary, to define with
precision the proper limit of political action
on the part of Federal officers, but while their
right to hold and freely express their opinions
cannot be questioned, it is very plain that
they should neither be allowed to devote to
other subjects the time needed for the proper
discharge of the official duties, nor to use
the authority of their office to enfore their
own opinions, or to coerce the political action
of those who hold different opinions. Rea-
sons of justice and public policy quite anala'
gous to those which forbid the use of official
power for the oppression Of the private citi'
zen, impose upon the government the duty Of
protecting its officers and agents from arbi,
trary exaction. In whatever aspect considered
the practice of making levies for party pur-
poses upon the salaries Of officers is highly de-
moralizing to the public service and discred.
table to the country. Although an officer
should be as free as any other citizen to give
his money in aid of opinion or his party, he
should also be as free as any other citizen to
refuse to make such gifts. Their salaries are
but fair compensation for the time and
labor of the officers, and it is a gross injus.
tice to levy tax upon them. If they are
made excessive in order that they may bear
the tax, the excess is an indirect robbery Of