The true northerner., 1882-12-22
DOINGS OF CONGRESS.


General and Secretary or the treasury were
directed In transmit reports made ON the
administration of the Federal offices In New
York Bills were introduced TO grant a pen
sion 60 the widow of Gen. Revere; TO pay
certain Indian war bonds of Colorado, and
TO prohibit officers and employees OF the
United States from contributing money for
political purposes Mr.. Vest offered reso-
luton instructing the Committee Or rerTi-
tories to report what legislation is nect--sary
to protect public property, preserve the
game and enforce the laws in Yellowstone
Park. Mr. Pendleton explained the provis-
ions of his Civil Service bill, and an e.S-
tended debate took place, participated in
chiefly by MessrS sherman, Allison and PEN
dleton Numerous amendments We're Of
fered but no definite action was taken In
the House the Postoffice, Military and Agri-
cultural Appropriation bills were reported
and referred TO the committee of the whole
Mr.. Randall offered a resolution requesting
the President TO furnish complete state
ment of the expenditure for the improve
ment OF rivers and harbors since the begin
ming of the Government The Congression-
nj Library bill was not taken up. 1t was
agreed that the building shall not cost in
excess of $1,000, coo, and that it shall be
erected on land belonging to the Govern
menu
Numerous petitions to fix the tax on to-
bacco and TO increase the pensions Of sol
diers who lost an arm or leg in the war,
were offered in the Senate on the 18th and
referred Ingalls, introduced bill to com
pei the prosecution of proceedings in bank
ruptcy TO final decree The resolutions
offered by Mr.. Beck and Mr.. Hale TO investi-
gate political assessments were referred
TO the Judiciary Committee Mr.
Pendleton's Civil Service Reform bill
was taken up. Mr.. Logan secured
an amendment providing that examinations
shall be practical in their character, and Mr..
sherman caused the defeat of the perma-
ncnt appropriation for the expenses of u
ciVil-SerVice commission Mr.. Garland in
troduced a bill 70 grant right OF way
through the military reservation at Fort
Scott for the St Louis and San Francisco
road The President sent to the Senate
the name of J. C. Bancroft Davis
TO be Judge of the Court of Claims The
House. on motion of Mr. Springer, passed a
Joint resolution athorizing the payment of
s25, 000 from the Virginius indemnity fund
! TO Mrs Eliza Dunn, of Chicago, the mother
of Gen W. A c. Ryan, who was
slaughtered in Cuba The Congress
ional Library bill was recommitted,
TO provide for the erection of building on
Government land in Washington. The Mill
tary Academy Appropriation bill was passed
A resolution offered by Mr. Randall was
adopted, requesting the Secretary of the
! Treasury 20 report the estimated amount
]
year. Mr. ONei1 presented a petition from
tobacco jebbers, asking a rebate equal TO the
reduction to be made in the tax.
The session of the Senate on the 14th inst
was devoted almost wholly to debate on the
Civil Service bill introduced by Mr. Pendle-
ton Mr.. Hoar expressed belief that the
passage of this bill would mark an import
ant era in American politics, and would be
regarded in the future as almost equal TO
the adoption of a new and better constitu-
ton Mr.. Brown opposed the bill and
did ~ little plain talking to the
Democrats" The object of the bill,
he said, was TO give the Republican
| party permanent tenure OF office, and the
! Republican party was clearly minority of
the people of this country Mr.. George
! thought there was reason in the objection
! that the bill did not permit competition by
oil for offices of every grade, and expressed
! his regret that Mr.. Brown had broken its
! force by coupling it with an argument that
the bill would do the Democratic party in
justice. He was not so confident as Mr..
Brown appeared TO be of Democratic tri-
unph in 1854, and he thought the
reverses of the Republicans this
! year were to be attributed in large meas
ure to that party having occupied the very
position upon this question which Mr. Brown
| now wished the Democrats TO take. He
| agreed with Mr.. Brown that this bill, if
! passed, would not prevent the Democratic
/ President when he did come in. from fol
| lowing Jeflerson's rule In a colloquy be-
/ tween Mr.. Brown and Mr.. George, the latter
admitted that he would have the Democrat
/ ic President turn out every office-holder
who had responded TO political assess
! ments in the last campaign The House
! consumed the day, in Committee of the
! Whole, in considering the Postoffice Appro-
| priation bill After adjournment the Dem
| oCratic Senators held a caucus and resolved
~ mi nm, 70 TTYafnt of
new Territory at the present session of Con
gress.
The Pendleton Civil Service bill again oc-
cupied the attention of the Senate on the
18th inst Mr.. Miller advocated the passage
of the bill, saving that if the evils of the
! present c1vll-service system continue to in
crease in the same proportion as in the past
the Government could not ouUlive another
| century. Mr.. George thought the adoption
OF the measure would inaugurate n most
important and necessary reform Mr. Bay.
ard supported the bill, and spoke Of the
demoralizing effects upon public men of the
"spoils system The bill was amended to
! provide for the confirmation of thu
! Commissioners by the Senate. The French
! Spoliation bill was amended and passed In
/ the House Mr. Reed preSented the memorial
of James H. Mclean, who was elected to the
! present Congress TO succeed the late Thom.
as Allen, or Missouri, and who was refused q
| certiflcaUe because the Second district had
been legislated out of existence. After con
siderable debate it was resolved, by Ia to 10
! 20 swear in Mr.. Mclean, and he took the
oath. The Postoffice bill was taken up, dis
cussed and amended
Mr.. Voorhees, addressed the Senate in OPP
| position TO the Pendleton Civil Service bill
on the 10Th inst He said the bill provided
for admission of competitive examination to
only the lowest grade Of public offices
| Therefore the treatment of the bill in the
! Senate seemed to him TO be "much ado about
! nothing" The zeal of the Republicans for q
reform of the civil service seemed to result
| from deathbed repentance, which was
brought about not by hatred Of their sins,
but by fear that they would not be allowed
! TO indulge in them much longer, and the
Democrats were soothing the suiferings OF
the dcathbcd with the esthetic Cruel OF
politics Who had ever heard of any polite
| al scandals occurring among lower grade
clerksY They were not the public officers
who figured in star-route or hiskv-ring
transactions Yet this bill proposed To ex-
anime and regulate and replace these
poor minor officials leaving the strong
arrogant, corrupt higher officers un-
disturbed The real demand of the
| people was for penal laws TO punish wrong
t,,h hfc.I t,~tx