The Aberdeen examiner. [volume] (Aberdeen, Miss.) 1866-current, 1883-01-11

lay nave Deen WfnnS from the SOUP
bling women and drawn from the daily
laborers. But these people are not
reached by the provisions of this bill.
They require no examination. But when
l find the Office holders in the Depart
ments organized into New York societies,
into Pennsylvania societies, into Ohio
societies, into Maine societies, into
Indiana and Illinois political clubs for
the purpose Of aiding their party both
by going home to the elections and by
raising contributions among themselves
for political uses, | see that there is
great political machine which requires
investigation and change; and this bill
80 far from giving relief, in my opinion,
perpetuates this machine organization,
fastens it upon the country, makes of its
members a privileged class, and believe
will take away the power from an incom-
ing administration, even to cleanse aud
weed it ont. For this reason shall be
compelled to vote against the i'll,
although there are some of its features
which would gladly vote for separately.
Mr.. VOORHEES,. Mr.. President,
there are many features, some at least,
voted into this bill by way of amendment
which l concur in. / have voted for
them for the purpose of lettering this
bill, so that, if 1t is to become n law, it
will have as much good and as little evil
in it as possible. l regard that as the
appropriate course to pursue in legisla.
tion. But with all the improvement
which has been made to it, especially in
the matter of political assessments it has
not been freed from that insurmountable
objection to my mind which has been so
fully stated by the Senator from Louisi
ana Mr.. JONAS, and which have in n
| SO forcible manner therefore, stated my
self. [ do not propose to restate those
objections.
should have been glad to have seen
the amendment OF the Senator from
Alabama Mr.. PUGHl adopted. The mind
OF the dominant party IN this Senate,
however, was notably illustrated this
afternoon upon the subject of retaining |
all the political advantages which they |
now have in the distribution of the
Federal patronage. When the. Senator
from Georgia Mr.. Brown introduced
measure which l thought extremely far,
looking the question of an equal divi,
sion of the patronage of this government
square in the face, it was voted down,
and with that departed my last hope of
being able to support this bill
desire to say that if there was sep
arate vote upon some measures that are
in this bill, and they came forward ms
separate legislation, 1 should support
them, but as they do not cure the other
evils / shall vote against the bill.
Mr.. EDMUNDS. Could the Secretary
conveniently read the bill at length, with
the numerous amendments which have
the same time
The PRESIDENT pro tempore. 1t
will take very long time to read it in
full
Mr.. EDMUNDS. yield to the judg
ment of the Chair as | always do, and
simply then wish to say that l shall vote
for this bill cheerfully and gladly, not
withstanding what the Senator from
Indiana and the Senator from Louisiana
have said; but am little afraid that
it is not adequate to the abuses we have
in view, but it is one step in advance.
should like to have the yeas and nays on
its passage.
Mr.. VOORHEES,. AS the Senator i
from Vermont has alluded to me. / I
will say that / never had the slightest ,
idea of his voting for the bill, or any other
Senator on that side,
Mr.. BROWN. Before the vote is taken :
on the passage of the bill, desire to i
submit very few remarks
| have not expected from the COM $
seeing rs l did the united
and tenacious support that the Rcpubli, l
cans rs body gave the bill, that we I
should be likely to get it in shape that {
we could vote for it. I had, however, ,
hoped that we might get it in shape !
that it would be less Objectionable than
it now is, but as it stands | desire to {
make this protest againstit. t
have submitted proposition that / j
thought was fair honest, and Just, that
would look to the division of the patron-
age of tie Government among those who
bear the burdens Of the Government I
with some sort of equality; that looked /,
to an approximation of division of it {
before the service should go into effect {
on strictly non partisan principle. My I
provided after that approx !
imation had been reached that it should
go into effect on a non>partizan princi-
pie. That was voted down by vote
strictly party, with the exception of one S
single Democrat. That seemed to me to
be fair proposition, and the result APP ,
peared to show very clearly that the Re t
pubicans do not intend that there shall
be any fair or equitable distribution of
this patronage. They intend still to hold
it in their hands as they have held it for
many years, and they a minority of the
tax >payers and people of the United
States. They have notified the country ,,
by this vote that they intend to hold on
to this advantage by q legislative enact
ment, SO that if any misfortune should
attend them in the future elections they ,
will be prepared for it,
For that reason, Mr.. President, | can
not vote for the bill for that reason |
do not see how the Democratic party of
this Union can yield it their support or
in any way give it their assent.
Then, as | stated when I offered my
last amendment, while we have stricken
out that provision which regulated pro-
motion by grades, combining it to insiders,
we have left the bill entirely silent on
that question, with power in the hands
of the commissioners to establish such
rules, with the consent Of the President,
as they may think proper. They can
very easily establish rules which coniine
the competitive examination entirely to
those who are inside. 1t seemed to me
If the professions be correct that the Re
publican party are willing to have the
i'll the examination extend
to outsiders as we'll. MS insiders they
ought to have sustained it, they ought
TO have supported it. They did not,
however. That amendment was rejected
by, l think, strict party vote. I believe
every Democrat in the Chamber who
voted, voted in favor OF the amendment,
and every Republican present and voting
voted against the amendment. There
fore it seems to me to be very clear that
it is not the purpose of the Republican
party to permit this bill to be put into
u shape that the Democracy shall have
any fair chance, though they take their
share of the burdens of the Government,
in enjoying the patronage or the benefits !
Of the Government.
For these reasons-I do not care to
elaborate them, while l could assign