The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1880-12-10
RESIDENTS MESSAGE.
CONGRATULATIONS.

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congratulate VOC on the continued
and increasing prosperity Of our country
By the favor OF Divine Providence We
have been blessed during the past year
with health, with abundant harvests,
with profitable employment for al our
people, and with contentment at home
and with peace and friendship with
other nations. The occurrence OF the
twenty fourth election Of chief mag
istrate has afforded another opportunity
10 the people OF the United States 10 ex-
hIbit 70 the world a significant example
of the peaceful and safe transmission of
the power and authority of the govern
ment from the public servants, whose
terms Office are about 10 expire TO new
ly chosen SUCCESSORS.
This example cannot possibly fail 10
impress the profoundly thougtIful peo-
pie OF other countries with the advanta-
ges which Republican institutions af-
ford. The immediate, general and cheer
full acquiescence of all good citizens in
the result of the election, gives crafty
ing assurance to ourcountry, and to it It's
friends throughout the world. that gov
ernment based on the free consent of an
Intelligent and patriotic people, pos
sesses elements of strength, stability and
permanency not found In any other form
Of government
CIVIL. RIoHTs.
The continued opposition to the full
and free enjoyment of the rights of citi-
zenship conferred upon the colored peo-
pie by the recent amendments to the con-
stitution still prevails in several of the
late slave-holdIng states. 1t has per-
haps not been manifested in the recent
election to any large extent in acts of
violence or intimidation. 1t has, how
ever. by fraudulent practice in connec-
tion with the ballots and with the regu-
lations as 10 the places and manner of
voting, and with the counting, returning
and canvassing the votes cast, been sue
cessful in defeating the exercise of the
right preventative of all rights, and the
right of suffrage which the constitution
expressively confers upon our enfran-
chised citizens II is the desire of the
good people of the whole country that
secti0nalism as factor in our politics
should disappear. They prefer that no
section of the country should be united
in solid opposition TO any other section.
The disposition to refuse prompt and
hearty obedience to the equal rights
amendments 10 the constitution is all that
now stands in the way of complete OBJ
liberation of sectional lines in our politi
cal contests. As long as either of these
amendments Is flagrantly violated or dis
regarded, il is safe TO assume that the
people who placed them in the constitu-
tion as embodying the legitimate results
of the war for the Union, and who be-
live them TO be wise and necessary, will
continue TO act together and to insist
that they shall be Obeyed.
The president discusses this subject at
still further length, and urges congress
to investigate the matter and closes un-
der this head with the following. Firm
ly convinced that the subject of
POPULAR EDUCATION
deserves the earnest attention of the peO-
pie of the whole country, and with
view 10 wise and comprehensive action
by the government of the United States,
/ respectfully recommend that congress,
by suitable legislation and with proper
safe guards, supplement the local educa-
tional funds in the several states where
grave duties and responsibilities of citi-
Zenship has been devoived on unedu-
Gated people, by devoting to the pur-
pose grants of public land, and if neces-
sary by appropriations from the treasury
of the United States. Whatever the
government can possibly do to promote
free education ought to he done. Wher-
ever education is found, peace, virtue
and social order prevail, and civil and re-
ligiOus liberty are secure.
CIVIL SERVICE.
The president devotes considerable
space TO this subject. Thinks some re- |
forms have been made during his term.
The reasons are imperative for fixed
rules for the regulation of appointments.
The danger Of the old system threatens
the permanency of the government it
self; urges competitive examinations
In the city of New York, over 1000
persons in the civil service have been
subject in their appointment and tenure
of place to the operation of published
rules to this purpose during the past two
years. The results of these practical
rules have been very satisfactory, and
have confirmed my opinion in favor of
this system of selection =
The examinations in the custom houses
and postoffices have been held under |
many embarrassments and without pro-
vision for compensation for the extra la |
bor performed by the officers who have !
conducted them, and whose commend |
able interest in the improvement Of the |
public service has induced this devotion
of time and labor without pecuniary re- |
ward. A continuance OF these Ia |
bors gratuitiously ought not 10 be ex-
pected, and without an appropriation
by congress for compensation, it |
Is not practicable to extending
the system of examinations generally
throughout the civil service 1t is also
highly important that all such cxamina-
ton should be conducted upon a plat
form system, and under the general SUI
pervision of section 1853 of the revised
statutes, which authorizes the president
to prescribe the regulations for admis-
sion to the civil service of the United
States, and for this purpose to employ
suitable persons to conduct the requisite
inquiries with reference to the fitness of
each candidate, in respect of age, health,
character, knowledge and ability. for the
branch of the service into which he
seeks to enter. But the law is practi- |
ally imperative, for want of the re-
q uisite appropriation. / therefore re
commend an appropriation of $4,000
per annum to meet the expensus of q
commission to be appointed by the pres
ident in accordance with the terms of
this section, whose duty it shall be to