Weekly Chillicothe crisis. (Chillicothe, Livingston Co., Mo.) 1878-19??, 1882-12-14

and the people of the country, apparently
without distinction OF party, have in various
ways and upon frequent occasions given eX-
preston TO their earnest wish for prompt and
definite action. In my judgment such action
should no longer te postponed. | may add
that my own sense of its
PRESSING IMPORTANCE
has been quickened by observation in n practi-
cal phase of the latter, to which attention has
more than once been called 10y my predcccs-
sOrs. The civil list now comprises about lOOt-
900 persons, the largest part Of whom must,
under the terms Of the constitution, be Sc
lected by the president, either directly or
through his own appointecs
In the early years Of the administration Of
government the personal direction OF appoint
ments to the civil service may not have been
an irksome task for the executive, but now
that the burden has increased fully one hun
dred fold, 1t has become greater than he
ought to bear, and II necessarily detracts his
time and attention from the proper discharge
Of other duties, no less delicate and respon-
sibe, and which, In the very nature Of things,
cannot be delegated to other hands.
In the judgment Of not few who have
given
STUDY AND REFLECTION
TO this matter, the nation has outgrown the
provisions which the constitution has cstab-
lishcd for filling the minor offices IN the pub
lie service, But whatever may be thought Of
| the wisdom or eypCdCnCy Of changing the
| fundamental law in this regard, II is certain
much relief may be afforded, not only to the
| presideIt and to the heads of the departments,
| but to senator's and representatives in con
gress. By discreet legislation they would be
| protected in great measure by the bill now
| pending before the senate, or by any other
which should cmbody its important features,
| from the pressure Of personal importantly
and from the labor of examining conflicting
claims and prCtcntiOns Of candidates.
We trust before the close of the present
session some decisive action may be taken for
the correction Of the evils which are In the
present methods Of appointment, and assure
you of my hearty cooperation in any meas
ures which are likely to COnduCC to that end
As to tile most appropriate term and tenure
Of the official life of the subordinate employees
| OF the government, 1t seems to he generally
agreed that whatever their extent or char
| acter, the one should he definite and the
| other stable, and that neither should be rcgu-
| lated by zeal in the
SERVICE or IARTY
or fidelity ~ the fortunes Of an Individual
1t matters little to the people at large what
competent person is at the head of this de
partmcnt or Of that bureau, if they feel as
,urcd that the removal of one and the aCcCs-
sion of another will not involve the retire
ment of honest and faithful subOrdmatCs
whose duties are purely administrative and
have no legitimate connection with the
triumph Of any political principles, or the
success of any political party or faction,
1t is to this latter class Of offices that the
senate bill to which | have already referred
exclusively applies. While neither that bill
nor any other prudent scheme for improving
the civil service concerns the highest grade Of
officials who are appointed by the president
and confirmed by the senate, feel bound TO
correct
PREVALENT T,nsAPPREHENsIoN
as 10 the frequency with which the present
executive has displaced the incumbent Of all
office and appointed another in his stead. 1t
has been repeatedly alleged that he has In
this particular signally departed from the
course which has been pursued under recent
administrations Of the government. The
facts are as follows:
The whole number Of executive appoint
ments during the years Immediately preceding
Mr.. Garfleld's accession to the presidency was
1866. OF this number 244, or Q per cent, in
volyed the removal OF pension incumbents
The rates OF removal to the whole number Of
appointments were much the same during
each Of those four years. In the firstyear, with
40 appointments, there were seyenty-four re-
mOvals, or Q 40 per cent; in the second |
with 9l1 appointments, there were cighty.fvc |
removals, or $40 per cent in the third, with |
lS0 appointments, there were forty |
eight removals, or 10 per cent in the fourth |
with i29 appointments, there were 81 remov-
ais, 5 $40 per cent. In the four months of |
President Gariield's administration there |
were 800 appointments and 80 removals, or |
% 30 per cent. Precisely the same number
Of removals $50 has taken place in the four
teen months which have elapsed, but they
fttt Of f1.N
Der of appointments: i within that period
and less than twOpcT cent Of the entire list of
officials, 3,459 exclusive Of the army and
navy, which is filled by presidential ap-
pOintments
declare my approval Of such legislation as
may be found necessary for suppementing
the existing provisions Of law in relation to
political assessments.
In July last authorized public announce
mcnt that the employees Of The government
should regard themselves MS at liberty to cX-
ercise their pleasure in making or refusing to
make policcal contributions, and that their
actions in that regard would In no manner
affect their official status.
In this announcement ! acted upon the
view which had always maintained, and still
maintain, that public officer should be as
absolutely free as any other citizen to give or
withhold contribution for aid Of the pollti-
urged, and doubtless not without foundation
In fact, that by
SOLICITATION OF sUPERIoRs
and by other modes such contributions have
at times been obtained from persons whose
only motive for giving has been fear Of what
might befall them II they refused to give.
Without saying that such contributions are
not voluntary, and in my ju igment their col.
lection should be prohibited by law, n bill ,
which will effectually suppress them will re-
ceive my cordial approval, hope that how
ever numerous or urgent may be the demands :
upon your attention the interests Of this Dis i
trict will not be forgotten. The denial to its .
residents of the great right of suffrage in all
It's relation to national, state and municipal s
action, imposes on congress the duty OF afford '
ing them the best administration which Its
wisdom can devise.
The report of the district commissioners in I
dicates certain measures whose adoption '
would seem to be very desirable, an instance ,
In particular those which relate to arrears of 3,
taxes to steam railroads and to assessments OF
real property. Among the questions which I
have been the topic Of
RECENT DEBATE
In the halls Of congress, none arc Of greater J,
gravity than those relating to the ascertain
ment Of the vote for presidential electors and [
the intendment of the constitution in its pro- I
visions for developing the executive functions ,
upon the vice president, when the president ,,
suffers from inability to discharge the powers
and duties OF his office.
trust that no embarrassment may result
from failure TO determine these questions !.
before another national election. l
THE CLOSING YEAR I
has been replete with blessings, for which we c
owe the Giyer Of all good our reyorentacknowl- |;
edgement. For the uninterrupted harmony
II our foreign relations; for the decay Of Sec !
iional anim0sities; for the exuberance Of our /
larvests and the triumphs of our mining and 6
industries; for the prevalence :,
II health, the spread Of intelligence and the |
conservatives Of the public credit; for the u
,rowth of the country In all elements Of ma @
ional greatness; for these and countless "
'ther blessings, we should rejoice and be
,lad.
trust that under the inspiration Of this fl
'reat prosperity our counsels may be harmo- n
lious, and that the dictates of prudence, pa .
riotism, justice and economy may be the y
doption Of measures in which the congress u
md the executive may heartily unite. A
CHESTER A. ARTHUR. n
Al
A High opinion. u
Capt. John j. Dawson, late of the D
British Army, residing on Love street, 4
a