The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1882-12-05

hn H.. a
t", "''.> Oh The departments. hut Ia sc,,,'
~ ana representatives IN Concrcs. i',.
,',c, legislation. They would ho ,ro
ncrI;, '" great measure by the bin now
uh;Dt "c'0rc the Senate, or hy any Other
,ur" =, should embody it, important fc,.
,n,,;,. 'Vu, 'ne pressure OF personal impor.
s ana IRON the labor Of examin;nc
d;a'ng Chains and pretensions Of c,n,
,i' trust that before the close 90
N present session some decisive action
.nSi oe taken for the correction 81 tbo Gil
"ncn inh"re in the present me,bods -,
'Ppoih'incnt, and assure Won OF m, boor,,
,DNvop'iatlon In any measures which ava
"Acly 10 conduce TO that end VIZ
As 10 the most appropriate torn, and
tenure OF the official life Of the snhordt
n"'c employees OF tnc Government, :,
seems 10 be generally agreed that wba,.
/ VSer .hclr extent or character fbc on
should be definite aud the other. stable
III" thl' neither should be reouI,.ci
~ /tai IN The service OF party or
/ m"o',N l" thS fortunes OF an indiyidt,ol
- n'a'.crS iittie TO the people at large what
So"pc'eht person Is at the head ~ tbis
Impairment or OF that bureau il thrv
/ "'' assured that the removal OF ono and
."' ''.'>>lon OF another will moi involve
tuc It1femcnt OF honest and faithful s,ibor.
inmates whose duties are purely admins
uatNe and have no Legitimate connection
WIN the triumph Of any political princi.
PIE OF Inc success Of any political party ar
iacli0n. IL Is 10 this latter class Of officers
thst me senate bin, TO which have already
IS'cIit1' extensively applies. While noi-
>ch'inc Tor improving the civil service CON.
0'."N me hiShcf grade OF officials whoarc ap-
i'in'e0 ny the President and confirmed by
~. senate icel bound 10 correct prevalent
hl>aupfchcn,iOn ~ TO the frequency with
Whlch the present Executive has displaced
the incumbent Of an Office and Amounted
"lo'htr IN ms stead. Ii has been repeatedly
mlestd That he has i'm this u9rticulor
>ignally departed from the course when
mas been pursued under recent admins
uaiion> of the Government. The fact- are
~ follows The whole number Of EXecu-
i've appointment, during the four wears
immediately preceding Mr.. Garfield, ac-
ces>ion TO the presidency was 2.G96. of
thls number pa, or 9 per cent. in
VolYed the removal OF previous in
cumbent>. The ratio OF the removals Ia
the whole number OF appointments
was much the same during each Of those
iour years. In the first year. with 100 au-
pointmeniS there were Il removals. or 9. O3
per cent. In the second. with gl7 apuOint
ments, there were - removals, or ; % pcr
cent. In the third. with $50 appointments.
there were IS removals, or 10 per cent. In
The fourth, with 800 appointments. there
were 81 removals, or SOC per cent. In the
four months OF President Garlicld's Adj
ministratlon there were 800 appointments
and 80 removals. or 22.07 per cent. Pre-
cl>ely the same number OF removals (SM
has taken place in the fourteen months
which have since elapsed, but they
constitute only los per cent. OF the whole
number Of appointments Q.l1S) within that
pe>i0d and les than 2.OG per cent. Of the
entire list Of officials $3.50 exclusive Of
the army and navy. which is filled by pre-
>idcnti1l appointment.
POLITICAL ASSESSMENTS.
/ declare my approval of such lcgi>la-
ton a. may bee found necessary for supple
mcniing the existing provisions II law
i'm relation to political assessments. In
July last ! authorized q public announce
mcnt that employee, Of the Government
should regard themselves a. 40 liberty 10
exercise their pleasure in making or rcius-
in- 90 make political contributions. and
that their action In that regard would i'm
no manner affect their official status. In
This announcement ACTED upon the view
which had AWAY. maintained and still
maintain. that public officer should Doc q,
absolutely free as any other citizen 90 give
or TO withhold q contribution for The aid Of
the political party of his choice. II has.
however, been urged, and doubtless not
without foundation i'm Tact. that by ,0liclta-
ton oi official superior, and 10y oihcrmodcS
such contributions have at times been OBJ
tanned from persons whose only motive Tor
giving has been the fear OF what might be-
fan them ii they refused.
II goes without saying that such cOnirl-
buttons are not voluntary, and. in my
Judgment. their collection should Dee pro-
hibifed by law. \ bin which will effect
uallv suppress them viii receive Ey coy
dial approval
THE DISTRICT or COLUMBIA.
hon, that however numerous and ur-
cent may Doe the demands upon yoW atten-
ton the Interests OF lhi, Ditricl Wiil not
br for.otteu. Tie denial a. TO- residents
nj tbc great right oi Suffrage in an IT, rcla-
ri0n 40 national state. and municipal ac-
tion impo.e~ upon Congress the duty of
afordin- them the best administration
which IL, wisdom can devise.
The rcport Of thcDi,trict Commissioners
indicate, certain measures whose adol tIoh
would seem 10 Doc very desirable. | in
.t4ncc I'm particular those which relate 10
arrears of taxes, to steam railroads. ana L"
the assessment OF real property.
COUNTING THE PRESIDENTIAL yo1E-DuIits
OF THE yICE-PREsIDENT.
Among the question, which have been
,,e tonic NJ recent debate in the halls oil
Cou.,r,.. none are OF greater gravity than
thos. relating to the ascertanment OF the
vote Tor presidential electors and the IN
tcndment Of the Constitution ia ils proNl-
sions Tor deyolyIng executive functions
mon the Nice-President when ine
PRESIDENT suffers from inability TO DIS
charge the powers and duties oil NJ
office. | trust that no embarraS'men'S MAY
ye.ult from failure to determine these
Questions before another national election
pryrRrSr ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.
The closing wear has been replete win
,11esinos for which we owe 10 the GlNer
- an GOOD our reyerent acknowledgment
g.. mo uninterrupted harmony OF our
;,roi1,n relations; for the decay OF Sec
,ional ouimO,itie-; for the eXuberance OF
oUr harvest. and the Ciumphs Of our
mining and manufacturing industries; Tor
The prevalence OF health, the spread OF IN
tjlirence, and the conservation Of the pun
Ne rrcdit: for the growth OF the country
in an the elements Of national creatures
s0r the.e and countless other blessings, we
Should she rejoice and be glad. trust that, thai,
mnder the inspiration OF this great pro-
unr;ty orr co,lnsels may be harmonious
pa hit thc dictates Of prudence, patriot
i.I l" Justice. and economy NAV lead to tine the
adoption Of measures in which the o ON,
re- and the Executive may hGaT.I!
nit CHESTER \. ARTHUR