National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1881-01-15
FORTY-FIVE YEARS AGO.
Civii-SerGice Reform Ia the Earlier Da,
OF the Observation-Disclosures OmeiaIs

OF the Republie-AtfacEzfng OmeinIs.
Those who are fond of locking over musty boo ks
and newspapers antedating half century back
will derive no inconsidersble profit as we'll as in
terest from perusing the political leaders and on
dts in the journals then published in Washington.
Among these are the files of the United States
Telegraph an ultra-Whig daily, published by Duff
Green and edited by c. Cralle about the years
1862, Astounding in violent Trades against Jack
sons memorable administration, and pointedly re-
ferring TO the incoming President Martin Van
Buren, as IAN usurper," elected by fraud and
through the shameful interference of the ExecrIc
tive
President Jackson and his successor, Martin Van
Buren,, are ridiculed without stint, and the latter
denounced &c renal 100, Of corrupt doiRiRistra-
ton"
The same paper also prints in full an able and
exhaustive speech of Mr.. Representative Bell, of
Tennessee, in support of his bill, then recently in
troduced, "tor the protection OF the freedom Of our
elections" in the course of which he said
80 L cannot too forcibly impress upon the House
and the country the solemn fact that this Govern
ment within u few. years has become virtually
changed in its character however It might retain
its form. It's Mr. President, no longer the govern
ment OF the people by their representatives 1t is
the government of one man, of a political chief,
and that chief the head ola party"
After proceeding in similar strain with con-
siderable effect, Mr.. Bell continued:
A totally new character had been given to the
Government, and pOwerwa neverlikeiy to be more
absolute than when claimed and welded in the
name of the people, and one claimed to be, par e.
eeleace, the representative of the people AL the
barriers of the Constitution had been insufficient
to prevent the practical effect of the absorption of
powers of the three coordinate branches of the
Government into one; partial consolidation had
been completed"
Mr.. Bells speech, of which merely brief sec
ton has been quoted, attracted marked attention
throughout the country, and drew from the Boston
Gazette of February, 1887 the following bold attack
on the Executive:
1.-The bill introduced by Mr. Bell, of Tennessee
TO prevent the officers of Government from inter
ference with our elections, opens wide field for
discussion, and If Mr.. Bell could remedy the evil
he would merit the thanks of the Republic. That
there has been the most glaring and gross corrup-
tons practiced from one extremity of the Nation
to the other and by officers of all grades from the
highest TO the lowest, is perfectly clear and well
understood. is notorious that the President of the
United States hGgeled through portion of the country
preaching up one sci Of men and crying dOlga dnOther
the grand object of which was to secure Martin
Yam Buren, for President of the United States"
" Let public officers who endeavor to dictate po-
itical principles to their subOrdinates and ,cho
trdreI around the country political emissGres, be de-
nounced as they deserve and let the great mass of
the people unite and put down an administration
which tolerateS such abuses"