Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1879-03-28
CIVIL SERVICE REFORM.

evidently hoped to remove the en-
ployes of that body as quietly as
possible, and did not expect any OPP
position on the part of the Repub-
licans, but in this they were greatly
mistaken, and right at the beginning
of Bourbon ascendency in the Sen
ate the majority were put on the de-
fensive by Messrs. Anthony, Blaine
and Conkling, who showed up the
Democratic civil service reformers
in their true light. The Washing
ton correspondent of the Cincin-
natl Gazette says "The debate was
one of the most important and sig
nifcant that has occurred for many
a day in the Senate, and was but a
precursor Of similar great debates
to come. Mr.. Wallace, chairman of
the Democratic caucus, furnished a
text for debate, and the presenta>
ton Of the caucus resolution that
the Senate should proceed to the
election of officers. To the surprise
of the Democrats at first, and to
their dismay af.erward, Senator
Anthony rose to protest against a
change. Then, in speech which
exhibited great research and a mi
mute knowledge Of the early history
of the Senate, he traced the
records Of Senate officers from
the foundation of the Government,
and showed that it had been left to
Bourbons of to-day to disregard the
history of the Senate, to violate its
traditions, and to remove faithful
officers without cause. The speech
was delivered like one Of those euIo-
gies for which the Senator is noted,
and while it was the obituary Of Re
publican office holding IN the Senate,
it was a severe arraignment Of the
Democracy for their hypocrisy and
Inconsistency. Going back twenty
years, to the time when Mr.. An
thony first entered the Senate
Chamber, he drew a sketch OF the
officers of the Senate he found there,
who had even then been twenty
years in their places, and who, al
though Democrats, the Republicans
have continued for their knowledge
and efficiency to this day. To the
surprise Of the Democrats in the
Senate, he presented a list of thirty
such officers, al Democrats, and
many of them pronounced aud ag-
gressive Democrats, who have been
permitted to retain their places
through all the days Of Republican
rule"
Mr.. Conkling also gave Mr. Bay
ard some heavy hits, as the pro
fessed civil service reformer, who
now appears as an apologist Of the
greatest violation of the civil service |
rules that has been witnessed in this
generation of American politics.
But it is natural for Democrats to
blunder, and VIC ought to be salts
fed for all such mistakes will tell in
1850.
The Washington correspondent Of
the Cincinnati Commercial tells of
four men now in the employ of the
United States Senate who were
appointed when the Democrats had
control before 1861, and have been
retained by the Republicans ever
since, because of their efficiency,
One Of these is Isaac Bassett, the
venerable, white>haired AID wills
kered Assistant .Sergeant-at-Arms,
who sits at the left of the Vice
President during the sessions of the
Senate. He was appointed a page
in 1927, and was the second page
ever employed by the Senate. He
has been promoted gradually for the
last ffty-two years, until now, at
the age of sixty-nine, he holds the
next Office in honor to that of the
Sergeant-at-Arms. He is the
custodian of the Senate chamber,