New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-12-05

ing the Civil Service concerns the higher grade OF
officials who appointed by the President anu
confirmed by the Senate.
PRESIDENT ARTHURs APPOINTMENTS.
feel bound to correct prevalent misapprehen-
sion rs to the frequency with which the present
Executive has displaced The incumbent of an office
and appointed another IN his stead. 1t has been
Repeatedly alleged that he has I'm this particular
signallv departed from the course which has been
pursued under recent admins rations OK the Gov
eminent. The facts rs follows: Inc whole
number of Executive appointments during me iour
years Immediately preceding Mr.. Garirlps accf 0s
sion to the Presidency was 26oo. vi
involved the removal of previous incumbenrs.
The ratio OF removals TO the whole number oi ap-
pontments was much the same during each OF
those four years. In the first year, with 100 ap-
utments, there were ~ removals, or e3 per
cent; il the second. with 017 appointments, there
were 10 removals or So per con-; in the third,
with $50 appointments. there w"Te 4S removals, or
10 per cent? in the fourth with 429 appointments
there were 81 removals. OF So per cent In the
four months OF President Garields admlnlstri,
ton there were 800 appointments aud
SO removals, or 22.7 per cent. Precisely
the same number OF removals ~ mas
taken place III the fourteen mouths which have
since elapsed but they constitute only, seven.
eight OF one per cent If the whole number OF ops
rom menis 11Sl W thin that period, or less than
two-sxths of the entire list OF officials 3459l ex-
elusive of he Army AMI Navy, which are filled by
Presidential appointments
POLITICAL ASSESSMENTS
declare my approval OF such legislation as may
he found necessary for experimenting tine existing
provisions of law in relation 10 political as'ess-
ments In July last authorized public announce
ment that employees OF the Government should re-
gard themselves as at hhery 10 eH-
ercSe Their pleasure IL m KING or re-
fusing TO make political contributions, and that
th IT action in that regard would IN no manner al,
feet their official sta u.s.. IT. this aDn0uncement
acted upon the view which had always mllh-
tanned and still maintain, that puzzle ofncrr
should be rs absO ucly free rs any DINER ctzen 10
give or TO withhold n con rbuton for the aid OF the
political party Of his choice. IL has. however been
urged, ana d ub less not Wi bout foundation In
fact that by sOncitatiOn OF superiors and by othr
tanned from persons whose only motive ior giving
has been the fear of what might befall them
If they refused: 1t goes without saying
that such contributions are not voluntary and IN
my Judgment their collection should be prohibited
by law. A bill which will effectually suppress
them will receive my cordial approval
The DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.
| hope that however numerous and urgent may
be the demands upon your attention, the interests
of this District will not be forgotten. The denial
to its residents of the great right of suffrage in all
its relation to National, State and municipal action
imposes on Congress the duty of aif0rlng them the
| best administration which it's wisdom can devise.
The report of the District Commissioners indicates
| certain measures whose adoption would seem TO De
very desirable ] instance in particular those
which relate to arrears OF taxes TO steam ralroaus
| and assessments of real property
| PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION AND SUCCESSION.
Among the questions which have been the topic
of recent de bate in the halls of Congress- none are
of greater gravity than those relating to the ascer
| tanment of the vote for Presidential electors ahd
the intendment of the Constitution in itsprovisons
| for devolving executive functions upon the Vice
President when the President suffers from laDlhty
to discharge the powers and duties OF his ONCE,
| trust that no emh9rrassments may result from q
failure to determine these questions before another
| National election.
The closing year has been replete with blessings
for which we owe to the Giver OF ALI good our rev,
| erent Acknowledgement. For the uninterrupted
harmony of our foreign relations, for the decay ol
sectional annositieS for the eXuberance Of ouI
| harvests and the triumphs of our mining and manu-
featuring industries, for the prevalence of health
the spread IF intelligence and the conservation n
the public credit, for the growth of the country IN
! all elements of National greatness--f these ana
countless other blessingswe should rel ice and be
glad. trust that, under the inspiration OF tins
great prosperity, our counsels may be harmonious
and that the dictates of prudence, patriotism
Justice and economy may lead to the adoption o.
measures in which the Congress and the Executive
may heartily unite. CHESTER A. ARTHUR,
| Washington, d. g., Dec. 4, 1882.