The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1879-12-01
ARGUS--SUPPLEMENT.

Q1lTe 1tS ADVANCE from the Lerr1lOrldl IOrD
of government to the responsibilities and
privileges of a State. This important
change will not, however, be approved by
the country while the citizens of Utah in
very considerable number uphold practice
which is condemned as a crime by the
laws of all civilized communities through
out the world.
The law for the suppression of this of,
| fence was enacted with great unanimity by
| Congress more than seventeen years ago,
| but has remained until recently a dead let
| ter in the Territory of Utah, because of the
peculiar difficulties attending its enforce
ment. The opinion widely prevailed
among the citizens of Utah that the law
| was in contravention of the Constitutional
| guarantee of religious freedom. This
| objection is now removed The Supreme
| Court of the United States has decided the
| law to be within the legislative
| power of Congress, and binding as
| a rule of action for all who reside within
| the Territories. There is no longer any
reason for delay or hesitation in It's enforce
ment. 1t should be firmly and effectively
executed. If not sufficiently stringent in
| its provisions it should be amended, and,
| in aid of the purpose in view, recon-
| mend that more comprehensive and more
searching methods for preventing as well
| as Furnishing this crime be provided. 1t
necessary to secure obedience to the law
| the enjoyment and exercise of the rights
and privileges of citizenship in the Terri
tories of the United States may be with
| held or Withdrawn from those who violate
or oppose the enforcement of the law on
this subject.
EQUAL RIGHTS AND A FREE BALLOT.
The elections of tbs past year, though
occupied only with State offices, have not
failed to elicit in the political discussions
which attended them all over the country,
of 40
interest which the great body of citizens
take IN the progress of the country to wards
more general and complete establishment,
at whatever cost, of universal security and
freedom in the exercise of the elective fran
chise. While many topics of political
concern demand great attention from our
people both in the sphere of National and
State authority. l find no reason TO qualify
the opinion / expressed in my last annual
message, that no temporary or administra-
tive Interests of government, however ur-
gent 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 at
tachments, in demanding that all over our
wide territory the name and character of
citizen of the United States shall mean one
and the same thing, and carry with them
unchallenged security and respect. l ear
ACStly appeal ~ lDt IultIIJQGuCS anu pa
triotlsm of all good citizens of every part
of the country, however much they be di'
vided in opinions on other political sub |
jects, to unite in compelling obedience to |
existing laws aimed az the protection of the |
right of suffrage. l respectfully urge upon |
Congress to supply any defects in these |
laws which experience has shown and |
which it is within its power to remedy. l |
again invoke the cooperation of the execu- |
tive and legislative authorities of the States |
in this great purpose. | am fully convinc |
ed 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 paciication of the /
country, or retard the general diffusion of
prosperity.
CIVIL SERVICE REFORM.
In former message invited the atten-
ton OF Congress TO the subject of the refoI-
nation OF the civil service of the Govern
ment, and expressed the intention o. trans |
hitting to Congress as early as practical
BILE report upon this subject by the chair
man of the Civil Service Commission
In view of the facts that. during a con-
siderable period, the Government of Great
Britain has been dealing with admlnistra-
tive problems and abuses, IN various par |
hculars analogous TO those presented in
this country, and that IN recent years the
measures adopted were understood TO have |
satisfactory, thought it desirable to have |
fuller information upon the subject, and |
accordingly requested the chairman of the
Civil Service Commission to make a |
thorough investigation for this purpose.
The result has been an elaborate and com
prehensive report.
The report sets forth the history of the !
partisan spoils system in Great Britain, | ,
and of the rise and fall of the parliamentary ,
patronage, and of official interference with | .
the freedom of elections. 1t shows that |
after long trials of various kinds of exami- | +
those which are com petitive and {
open on equal terms to all, and which are {
carried On under the superintendent of a | ,
single commission, have, with great ad- {
vantage, been established as conditions of | t
admission to almost every official place IN (
The subordinate administration of that !
country and of British India. The COM I
pIetlon of the report, owing to the extent of {
he labor involved in its preparation, and +
he omission of Congress to make any pro- r
vision either for the compensation or the t
expenses of the Commission, has been a
postponed until the present time. 1t is v
herewith transmitted to Congress +,
While the reform measures of another n
government are of no authority for US, | d
hey are entitled to influence, to the extent ! I,
o which their intrinsic wisdom, and their | il
adaptation to our institutions and social II
life may commend them TO our considera- Il
ion. q
The views l have heretofore expressed Ii
concerning the defects and abuses in our il
ivil administration remain unchanged. v
kept in so far as an enlarged experience n
las deepened my sense of the duty both of O
Ulcers and of the people themselves 10 CO. il
perate for their removal. The grave evils CT
nd perils of partisan spois system of il
ppointment to Office and of office tenure, cl
re now generally recognized. In the
esolutions of the great parties, in the re- m
orts of Departments, in the debates and d
roceedings of Congress, in the messages ee
f Executives, the gravity of these evils has oil
cen pointed out and the need of their re- al
)rm has been admitted. =.
To command the necessary support, fiji
very measure of reform must be based on er
right and Justice, and must be al
ompatible with the healthy existence of pl
reat parties, which are inevitable and III
ssential in a free State. his
When the people have approved of
policy at a National election, con. in
dence on the mart of the Officers thev have | @