Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1882-01-14
BEN HILL ON CIVIL SERVICE Re-
FORM.

EURM.
We present below q portion of the
singing speech made by Hon. Ben H.
Hill. OF Georgia. in the senate when
the question of civil service reform
was under discussion. Mr.. Hill was,
as he always is, stroug and lncisive,
aud if he was not senator, aud safe
in his immunity from arrest. we
should try to h,ve him arrested aud
puniehed for "crueity to auilnsls."
For his own serenity and peace OF
mind, it is to be hoped that President
Arthur does not read the congress
sl0nal Record, for surely the remin-
der by Senator Hill Of his recent ac-
tion in promoting civii service re-
form when viewed iu contrast with
the -high-sounoiug aud resonant SELL
tences in his message on that subject,
are not calculated to make quiet
mind, or to tend to the promotion of
good digestion.
Here ia what Senator Hill says of
civil service reform, as carried out
by the gentleman who was dismissed
from the New York custom-house In
the interest of that much-talked of
measure:
"The senator from Ohio took occa-
sion to remind US that the late presi-
dent of the United States was the
victim OF corrupt civil service in
this country. That everybody saws
is SO, and therefore it is not necessary
for me to discuss it. But, sir. the
president was scarcely laid away in
his final resting-pla e, the people Of
the United States everywhere were
still weeping for his departure, When
in the midst of their very sobs fed
eral judge was soiling his ermine by
inditing letter to the successor of
| that very president who succeeded
by reaton of that very corrupt civil
service appealing to him to make
appointments for the express purpose
OF aiding coalition to control q state
election, and the choice language of
that judge was that the president
should make the appointment Ito
cement our coalition" For what
purpose was the coalition? Simply
to secure republican officers in the
state. The senator read that much,
but be stopped there. He did not
tell tho senate, as he might have
done, that that very president to
| whom the letter was addressed, with
the weeds of mourning all around
him, with the sobs Of the country
still echoiDg from every nook and
corner of the land, sat down and
made the very appointment that thai
judge designated for the purpose OF
"cemeDting our coalition" and that
president, as soon as he made that
appointment for the express purpose
of "cementiDg our coalition" turned
right around before the lux on the
commission was dry aud used The
very same pen, dipped in the very
same ink. to write learned disqui
sition or homily upon civil service
reform to be inserted in his message
to congress. That is the way We
treat civil service reform in thil
country.
Do you blame the president fol
that3 Has he not right from hil
own experience to assume that every
body in this country who talks abou
civil service reform is simply playing
with tue people? Why, sir, ar,
there not scores Of men now listening
10 me who sat in their seats in thil
very chamber and heard read from
that very desk official communica
lions from fn..'mer president anc
bis secretary OF the treasury, insist
ing upon the removal of this very
president from the custom-house il
New York, upon the ground that Ii
had made it the headquarters of ,
political party, and that his remova
was absolutely necessary to secur.
an honest administration of affairs II
that public Office? Did you not al
hear that read from the desk? Wa
1t not publicly given to the country
And yet that very man who was re
moved from the custOm-house il
New York, upon the ground that tn,
honest administration OF the civi
service required his removal, tina
very man the next year was nominal
ell by that very party for the secon(
office in the gift of the people, ant
the very men who asked for his re
moval supported his election. tool
the stump for him. And that is civi
service reform! Aud sll the crow,
OF civil service reformers at tn
north, with homilies upon civil ser
vice reform, and who have been at i
for years, voted for that very MAJ
fer vice-president. What do yel
think of that2
Well, is anybody surprised tha
when that president made his nomi
nation to tho senate for the purpos
of "cementlng our COALITION" in Vir
ginia his party friends should all hav
supported that nomination whel
every Que of them holds all offic
here due to that very coalition D,
not half this senate absolutely hult
Office in this body which they never
could have obtained except for tha
coalition
Do we not all know that five year
ago immense clamOr was raised j,
this country about certain fraud
upon the ballot, upon the popula
will, in different states of the Uniol
I-returniug-board frauds-py whlcl
the charge was made) the presiden
cy itself was secured !? And does no
Everybody know that every man
high and low, black aud white, wht
was charged with connection will
those frauds, received all Office from
that very administration which OBJ
tanned the presidency by those frauds
Did l not hear, did not other mem
bers or the senate hear, witneese
come before committee of thi
body, and the testimony was printed
and spread before the body, IN which
the witnesses testified aud admitted
under oath that they had committed
deliberate perjury for the expres
purpose Of securing offices aud help
ing their party? And does no
everybody know that men who die
that did secure the offices, and, 81
far as | know, hold those Offices t,
this day, hold them now? hav,
not heard of their removal yet; the!
certainly held them up To tho end o
the last administration"
The elections committee in tn
lower house OF congress stands eleye,
republicans to four democrats, ant
notice TO quit has DracticalI,