The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1882-12-15

may I've coarse, as the gentleman from Mas
sacbusetts says, but Il Is one which has
been practiced from the beginning OF the
Government, aud II will be practlced until
the funeral-knell Of the Government Is
heard. Some reforms may be made, Of
course, but in the main, the new Executive
coming in, backed by the party which has
long been deprived Of power, will find
way TO give his followers the benefit OF the
offices, or large proportion OF them.
| Mr.. George: II that be true, then how
can this measure prevent Democratic
President, when he comes In, from reward
ing his followers?
| Mr.. Brown: He will not be restrained
from doing so, and that shows the fraud
and the humbuggery OF this measure. In
practice 1t cannot amount to anything.
Mr.. George Then 1t Is not fair to excite
the prejudice Of the Democratic party
against this bill by arguing that It's effect
will be to prevent Democratic President
| from appointing Democrats TO office.
Mr. Brown: / argued that part OF the
proposition on the theory OF the advocates
Of the bill. II they can carry out their
policy, that will be its effect; but say that
you cannot do it, and, therefore, In enact
| ing this bill, you are worse than idle.
Mr.. George II Is the statute, and not
the theory Of it, advocates, that Is OF force
| in this country.
Mr.. Brown: In fact, 1t Is the practice OF
those who execute the statute that is In
force in this country. Mr.. Brown here
read some extracts from letters OF Presi-
dent jefferson, whose doctrine in regard to
removals from Office was often, he said,
misrepresented, and laid special emphasis
Ii
tain office-holders who had opposed HIM
actively "Seek them: mark them; he
sure Of YOUR ground, and leave the rest to
me-"
This. he said, would be the practice OF
anv President elected by the party out OF
power. Leaving the partisan view OF the
matter, Mr.. Brown argued that the pend
| ing bill was unjust. Its object was to give
the Republican party permanent tenure
OF office, and the Republican party was
clearly a minority OF the people Of this
country. That minority had had control
of the Government for twenty-five years.
How long was its divine right to govern
this country to continue? Ii there was to
be real ciyil-seryce reform il ought to
provide-first, that all offices, high or low,
| should be open 10 competitive examine
|
| he given to Democratic competitors until
they bad fair share OF the offices.
lIr. Hawley said there were a good
many old Democratic employees in the
DEPARTMENTS now, and asked Mr.. Brown
whether he would have them turned out.
Mr.. Brown replied he would have them
put on their merits, and would have the
! bill so amended that an outsider might
| toI- ~
competitor whether they were Republicans
or Democrats, II his merits were superior.
Mr.. George charged Mr.. Brown with in
consistency in arguing, first, that this bill
was unjust because it would prevent Dem
ocrats from getting their fair share OF Of
fees. and then that il was nullity because
il would not prevent Democratic Presi-
dent from giving his followers fair share
Of offices.
Mr.. Brown said some OF the advocates OF
the bin took one view and some another,
and therefore he felt ut liberty TO argue the
case from both theories.
Mr.. George thought there was reason in
the objection that the bill did not permit
competition by all for offices OF every
grade. and expressed his regret that Mr..
Brown had broken it, force 10y coupling It
with the argument that the bill would do
the Democratic party injustice. lie was
not so confident as Mr.. Brown appeared to
be OF a Democratic triumph in 1884, and he
thought the reverses Of the Republicans
this year were to be attributed in n large
measure TO that party having occupied the
VERY position upon this question that Mr..
Brown now wished the Democrats TO oc-
emmy. He agreed with Mr.. Brown that
this bill, ii passed, would not prevent a
Democratic President. when he did come
in, from following Jc1erson's rule.
j MIR. Brown: Then what are the merits ol
the bill II ii does not prevent arbitrary
diSmissals!
Mr.. George: Twill not 90 into the merits
OF the I'LL now, but ! will say that ii en-
bodies in the form OF a statute the bcs'
conscience and judgment OF this country
against political prescription, and FOR dong
that il receives my hearty appreciation.
In colloquy between Messrs. Brown
and George the latter admitted that h'
would have a Democratic President turf
out every office-holder who responded L
nolitical assessments IN the last campaign
; laughter q,
Mr.. Brown: That would be little broad
: or than my doctrine.
Mr.. Miller, OF New York, addressed thu
7 Senate, but before concluding the senate
at o'clock, adjourned.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
: Mr.. Upton, OF Texas, offered Il resolu
: ton calling on the POstmaster-Generalt
rcport all failures to carry or comply wit
: contracts Tor carrying the United State
mails since 1st January, 1882, names o
falling contractors, and to furnish infor
= | to, o,, tho .iiiipqt Referred
|, On motion OF Mr.. Caswell the House. q
!, 1910 O'Clock. went into Committee OF tn
y Whole CMr. Calkins in the chair on In
nost-oiiice appropriation bill. Mr.. Ca
= we'll explained in detail the provisions
;, the bill. The total amount appropriated
II s43. g4s. 500, being S2,792,j9l less than tn
u estimates. and S6953s0 less than the apprC
II nriations for the current year. For con
- nensation Of postmasters S9,25O,0O0 is Al
nropriated, or SSsi,000 less than the est
a mates.
4 MIR: Mcmillan, OF Tennessee, called a
- tention TO the fact that the appropriation
- for star service had been cut down to Il
- extent of 81. 900, 900 from the bill OF Ia
:. wear. Either that bill had been reckless
- eytrayagant or the present one reprehens
20 bly parsimonious.
=, Mr. Caswell said the cost OF the Z" star
"a service under existing contracts W;
~ - 75G. 600, while the bill proposed an a
20 preparation OF S5,00O,0OO. =,
y Mr.. Cannon, OF Illinois, defended II
IN action of the Committee on Appropriation
~ in failing to make provision for specl
II ~ facilities. He believed that the annual
~ nropriations for that purpose, IL continue
~ would in the near future amount 10 Ia
u lions. and the immense sum would
y, nIaced in the hands OF the Postmastt
W General TO 6e used at his discretion. !
~ thought that the mails should be CARR
sso under a general law evenly and alike to
N, sections OF the country.
III LONG discussion on this subject ensuC