The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1882-06-25
Curtis Us. HubbeI.

New York, 23.-Curtis in replying to
Hubbel's letter through reporter, said
! that the law was not quoted in the
circular, reference only beng made to it.
II the law is misststed, continued Curtis,
it is due to an error of transcription, and
it is only q matter for correction.
| Whether representative in Congress is
an Office holder. is q question which
neither nor Hubbel can decide. ANY
discussion as to the soundness Of the law
in question between Hubbel and myself
would be frnitless. 1t isl not for him or
me to determine the matter but for the
opinion OF counsel and q decision of the
courts. We propose to bring the matter
to the attention of the sttorney-peneral
and his opinion is more important than
Hubbel's or mine. Ee may interpret the
law one way and I may interpret it an
other way.
Washington, 2S.-The large number
of government employees in Washington
makes every new development in regard
to the assessment of employees for politi-
cal purposes peculiar of interest here,
The circular sent by George William
Curtis, as president of the Civil Service
Reform Association of New York, to
clerks and others in the civil service of
the United States. warning them of the
penalties attaching to voluntary contri-
buttons for political purposes, under the
law OF 1876. was the sensation for day
or two and has just been succeeded az the
ruling topic by the letter of Hon. jaw 81, |
Hubbell, chairman of the republican |
congressional committee, TO Mr.. Curtis, in
which he asks the latter to unite with |
him in requesting the President to OBJ
tain an opinion from the attorney.gen-
eral on the subject.
The general verdict On the Hubbell |
letter is that it gives evidence that Curtis |
circular has hurt and that the committee
breads . falling off in contributions nm
less it is Offset in some manner.
There is q point about letter, however,
which is also exciting comment. It
that Rubbell asks Curtis to appeal for a
settlement Of the question of Law to the
attorney general through the President.
after be had in his circular to government
employees stated in advance the opinion
OF the executive authority that contribu-
lions would not be objected 10 in any
official quarter. This looks like an appeal
to jury whose opinions are already
known to the plaintiff The technicsIit7
behind which the congressional COM
mlttee hide themselves is that they are
not officers or employees of the govern
ment. This is true, according to deci-
slon OF Congress itself. In 1877, VIM.
Blount, who had been delegate to the
Continental Congress and governor of
he territory south of Ohio. and was then
senator from Tennessee, was arraiRned
before the bar Of the Senate, the senate
sitting as 9 court Of impeachment, on tSe
charge of having melted the Creek and
Cherokee Indians to aid the British in
heir war Of conquest against Spanish
possession in South America. He plead
hat he was not an officer of the govern
nent and not subject to impeachment,
nd the Senate so decided. This decision
viii stand in this case, and, consequently,
he civil service reform association ap-
ear to have based their letter on a mis-
apprehension of the status of member of
congress. The interesting question now
whether employees Of government will
axe the chances and contribute rs usual.