Stephens City star. (Stephens City, Va.) 1881-1883, 1882-12-23
The resolution and the substitute were re-.

Ine reSoluUion ana tne SUBSTITUTE were re-
ferred to the judiciary committee.
On motion of Mr.. Butler (Dem., s. C.), a
resolution was adopted instructing the sec
rotary of war to inform the Senate of the
progress of the work of improving Charleston
harbor.
The consideration of the Pendleton bill
was then resumed, and Mr.. HawIer (Rep.,
Ct.) addressed the Senate. Mr.. Hawley dis
cussed at length the main points of the PEN
whole ground of civil service reform, and
people should not be too sanguine in their
expectations as to its effects but it was
based upon practical experience, and would
undoubtedly greatly improve the service.
Mr.. Allison (Rep., Iowa. explained that the
object of his amendment offered as SUBJ
stituto for the first section of the Pendleton
BILL was to provide that there shall be three
commissioners instead of five, and that
the commission shall be composed of per-
sons not connected with the department.
Pending the consideration of the amend
ment the Senate, on motion of Mr.. Plumb,
at $3.50 went into executive session, and
when the doors were reopened, adjourned.
Dec. 15.-In the Serate, Mr.. Ferry, from
the committee on postof1ices and postroads,
repo-ted favorsbly the House bill making it
an offense punishable by fine and inprison-
ment to personate a postofice Inspector,
when was placed on the calendar.
The consideration of the French sponition
bill was resumed.
The bill as amended was passed.
The Senate resumed the consideration of
the Pendleton civil-service bill.
Mr. George thought the passage OF this
bill would inaugurate most important and
necessary reform, for the evils which it
sought to remedy were of the most moment
Gus character, affecting deeply the purity of
4 .,,,,r4 ,att. Il
threatening the stability of our institutions.
On motion of Mr.. Pendleton, the first sec
ton of the bill was amended so as to redllr
the civil service commissioners 10 be con-
trmed by the Senate.
The question was on Mr.. Allison's amend
ment providing that there shall be three
commissioners instead of five, and that they
shall not be connected with any of the de-
partments.
Mr.. Bayard spoke of the importance of re-
forming the civil service and the demoraliz-
ing effects upon public men of the "spoils''
system.
Dec. 15.-Mr. Kasson, from the committee
on ways and means, reported back the bill
amending the act to repeal discriminating
duties on goods produced east of the Cape of
Good Hope, and it was passed.
Mr. Mclean, elected to fill the unexpired
tenn of Mr.. Allen, from Missouri, was
sworn in.
The House then went in committee of the
whole on the postoffice appropriation bill.
Mr.. Townsend spoke in favor of an amend
ment which he proposed to offer to the bill
abolishing postage.
Mr.. Reagan opposed the proposed postal
reduction, holding that its effect would be to
remove small tax from the persons best
able to bear it.
Mr.. Hill thought that the time had come
when postage could be safely reduced The
question was one in which the people of the
whole country were interested.
Mr. Robson closed the discussion. The
bhl proposed to reduce the postage tax on
individual people 331S per cent It was re-
duction which the experience of the world
had shown to be in the interest of the spread
OF intelligence and the dissemination of
knowledge.
The bill was then read by sections for
amendments.