The National tribune., 1882-12-28
THE WORK OF CONGRESS
A Futile Attempt to Do Business in
the Holidays.
CIVIL SERVICE REFORM.
The Debate Still Raging in
the Senate.

| In the Senate, on Thursday, the goth inst,
| among the petitions presented were the follow
ing by Mr.. Mitchell pa: 4 petition of 109
| citizens of IOwauda, Bradford county, Pa; a
! petition of Post No I39 q. A. r. of Scranton
! Pa. petition of forty-one citizens of Canton
Bradford county Pa; petition of 102 citi-
! Zens OF Erie county, Pa; petition of thirty
! four citizens of Bradford county, Pa. peti-
| tion of 100 citizens of Bucks and Montgomery
counties, Pa. a petition of fOrty-two citizens
of Union county, Pa. a petition of Stark
weather Post, No. 90, G. A. r., Munongahela
City, Pa; petition of nineteen citizens of
Allegheny county, Pa; petition of ninety
seven citizens of Mount Pleasant, Westmore-
land county, Pa; petition of lO6 citizens Of
Marietta, Lancaster county, Pa; a petition of
300 citizens of Harrisburgh, Pa; and peti-
ton of nineteen members of G. A. r. Post No.
197, of Centre county, Pa. all praying for the
passage of the bill IL. r. 14l0) to amend the
pension laws by increasing the pensions of sol
dierS and sailors who have lost an arm or a leg
in the service; which were referred to the
Committee on Pensions
Mr. Bayard (Del.), from the Committee on
Finance, reported the following substitute for
the resolution offered by Mr.. Mcpherson IN.
j. in relation to the reduction of the tobacco
tax:
"ReSOired, That whenever the internal revenue
tax on tobacco, snuff, and cigars is reduced
moved, n proportionate rebate of the tax paid
the stocks on hand should be allowed"
Bills were introduced as follews
BY Mr.. Rollins tNt) to punish larceny from
the person in the District Of Columbia.
BY Mr.. Logan (lll.) fixing and defining the
duties of the Signal Service.
At the close of the morning hour Mr.. Hale
(Me.) called up the resolution for a holiday
recess
Mr.. Garland (Ark) offered an amendment
giving the consent of the Senate to the House
taking the proposed recess.
The Garland amendment was lost-ayes Il
noes 45.
The question then recurred on the resolution
reported from the committee to take a recess
from December @ to January 3. On this the
vote resulted-ayes %, noes Stand the resO-
luton was declared lost.
The civil service bill was then taken up
Mr.. Call (Fla.) made an argument against
the bill, and, at the conclusion of his remarks,
Mr. Davis CIV. Va moved to lay it aside in
order to take up the agricultural appropriation
bill.
Mr.. Pendleton (O.) reluctantly consented,
and the latter bill WAS taken up, slightly
amended, and passed. when the Senate again
resumed consideration Of the civil service bill
Mr.. Williams Ky opposing it as impracticabIe
and worthless. He argued that the only way
to reform is to elect an honest President in
1854 turn on the hose, give him big hickory
broom, and tell him TO sweep the platter clean
The amendment proposed by Mr.. Pendle;on
striking out the provision that entrance to the
service shall be at the lowest grade, and substi-
tuting one that appointments shall be appor-
toned as nearly as possible among the States
and Territories and the District of Columbia
upon the basis OF population was agreed to-
fridays PROCEEDTNGs
In the Senate on Friday, the 22d inst, the
following resolution in regard to the tobacco
tax was adopted. after debates participated in
by Messrs. Bayard (Del.l, Beck (ky.), Morrill,
(Vt,), and others:
ReSoIred, That it is the sense of the Senate that
whenever the internal-revenue tax on tobacco.
snuff, or cigars is reduced or removed, unless
ample previous notice of the time when the act is
to take effect shall be given, proportonate rebate
of the taxes paid on the stock on hand should be
allowed.
At o'clock the civil service bill came up as
unfinished business.
Mr. Van Wyci1 (Neb.) moved to amend sec
ton 2 so as to require absolutely an aDpOrtiou-
ment of the Offices among the States and Terri
tories on the basis OF population, and spoke in
favor of his amendment.
Senator Malone made n speech on Readuster
political assessments in Virginia.
The question was then taken on Mr.. Browns
amendment, making the term OF the first com
miSSiOnrrS one two and three years, respect
lively, and that of their successors SIX years.
Lost-ayes 23, nays q
Mr.. salisbury lDel.) offered an amendment
which was adopted requiring the commission
erS to take an 0at TO perform their duties i'm
partially and without political bias.
On motion of Mr.. Plumb KAN the salaries
Of the commissioners were reduced from 5i,500 !
to $500
Mr.. Logan Il) gave notice that later he
would move to make it $1,000.
SATURDAYS PROCEEDINGS.
In the Senate on Saturday, the 2Sd inst, the /
consideration Of the civil service reform bill .
was resumed. An amendment, offered by lir. /
Pugh, providing that the present employees in |
the Departments, except soldiers, shall be sub /
iected to competitive examination like persons .
outside, led to a long dCbalc participated i'll by /
Senators Jones' Morgan Garland, Logan, Bay /
ard, Brown and others.
An amendment of Mr.. MorgaG's was adopted, |
reducing the number of commissioners from
five To three, and requiring that none OF them .
shall hold any other place under the United
States Government.
The session was a prOt"aCtcd one. At ten
O'Clock, p. m the Senate got back to the old
talk abaut forced assessments. the prOvocation
being MIR. Hawiey's amendment absolutely
prohibiting the solicitation or receipt of contri-
buttons by officers of the Government from
each other for political purposes.
Finally, at ll:35, the Senate adjourned to
Wednesday.
WEDNESDAYS PROCEEDINGS.
In the Senate, on Wednesday, the 27th inst
on motion of Mr.. Met all Fla a resolution was
adopted, directing the Secretary of the Interior
to inform the Senate how many eases of con-
tested homestead entries are now pending in
the Department, and how long each case has
been pending, and whether any legislation is
necessary to expedite the decision OF such CON
tested cases.
Al the close Of the morning business the Pen
1eton civil service bill was taken up, according
10 the eunderstandngwhe the 5enatead djourned
Oh Saturday night last. The pending question
was on the amendment offered by Mr.. Hawley,
TO add as additional sections the bill reported
~ him from the Committee on Civil Service
Reform to prohibit the solicitation or collection
If political contributions by officers of the Gov
ernmcnt from other Government officers or
employees.
HOUSE.
THURSDAYS PROCEEDINGS.
In the House, on Thursday, the 21st inst,
Mr.. McCoid la;), by unanimous consent intro
luccd bill III. Il. 1850 giving legislative con-
tructOn of section 41l1 of the Revised Statutes,
,Xempting pension money from execution