Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1884-07-20


gives In all cases OF equal c,npstens "
the preference to soldiers who risksd
their lives in defence Of the Union.
entered Congress in 1863. and in a
somewhat prolonged service I never
found It expedient to request or recon
mend the removal of civil officer. ex
cspt IN four instances, ana this for non
political reasons, which were instantly
Conclusive with the appointing power.
he officers in my district appointed by
Mr.. Lincoln in 1861, upon the recon-
meHdation of my predecessor, served as
rule until death or resignation.
adopted at the beginning Of my service
the test OF competitive examination for
appointments to West Point. and main
taIned 1t so, as / lad tn. right by Law to
nominate cadet. In the case of MANY
officers | found that the present law,
which arbitrarily limits the term OF the
commission, offered constant tempta-
ton TO changes for mere political rea-
sons 1 have publicly expressed the be
lief that the essential modification Of
that law would be IN many respects ad-
vantageous. My obseFv ttion IN the
Department of State confirmed the
conclusion Of my legislative expert
snce, and impressed me with the con-
victIon that the rule of impartial ap
polntment might G with adyant 90
carried beyond any existing provisions
OF the civil service Law. IL should be
applied To appointments IN the consu
lar service. Consuls should be com
merciai sentinels encireliug the globe
With watchfnlness for ia -ir country =
interest. Their Intelligence an. com
potency being therefore matters of great
public concern. no man should be ap-
pointed to an American consulate who
IN not we'll instTuctei IN the history an
RESOURCES OF his own country and the
re ,uirements and language OF com
merce in the country to which he ~
sent. The same rule should lee applied.
even more rlgIdly. to secretaries If le-
CATION IN our diplomatic service. The
people have right 10 the most efficient
agents in tue discharge Of public busi-
ness, and the appointing poEer should
regard this As the prior and Interior
consideration.
Religious liberty is the right of every
citizen in the k@public. Congress ID
forbidden 10y the Constitution to make
any law respecting the est tblishmeng of
religion or prohibiting the free exer.
cise thereof. For ~ century under this
guarantee Prot, slant and Catholic, Jew
and Gentle have worshipped God &C
cordln9 TO the dictates Of their own
conscience. Bot religious liberty must
not be perverted TO justification of
offensss against the law. A religious
scot, strongly Intrenched IN ons of the
Territories, and spreading rapidly into
four other Territories, claims the right
to destroy the great safeguard and
monument IF social order aud TO prac-
tlce as 4 religi IA privilege that which
IL a crime punished with severe pen
atty liz every State of the Union. rhe
sacredness and unity of the family
must be preserved AZ the foundation of
all civil government, as the source of
orderly administration, as the surest
guarantee of moral parity. The claim
of Mormons that they are divlnely au-
thorlZed to practice pDlygamy should no
more be admitted than the claim of
certain heathen tribes. II they should
come among us, to continue the rite of
human sacrifice. The law does not in-
terfere with what man believes. Ii
takes coRnizanoe of what he does. Az
citizens the Mormons are entitled to
the same civil rights as Others, and to
these they must be confined. Poiygamy
can never receive sanction or toierat on
by admitting the community that up
holds II as State IN the Union like
others. Tae Mormons must learn that
the liberty of the individual ceases
where the rights of society begin.
The people of the United States.
though often urged and tempted, have
never seriously contemplated the recog.
milton of any other money than gold
and silver, and currency directly con.
vertible into them They have not
done SO, and they will not do so under
any necessity less pressing than that of
desperate war. The special requisite
for the completion of oar monetary sys
ten IA tue fixing of the relative values
OF silver AID gold. The large use of
silver As the money OF account among
Asiatic nations, taken in connection
with The increasing commerce of the
world, gives the wsishtle,t reasons for
au nternAtional agreement In the prem
Uses. Oar Government should not cease
To urge the measure until a common
standard of value shall bo reached and
established. a standard that shall en-
able the United States To u.s. the silver
from it. mines ~ an auxiliary To gold
in settling the balances of commercial
exchange.
The strength of the Republic is in
creased by the multiplication of land
owners. Our laws should look to the
iudicious encouragement OF aotu ii set
tiers on the public domain, while II
should henceforth be used AS q sacred
trust for the benefit of those seeking
homes. The tendency To consolidate
large tracts of land IN the ownership of
individuals or corporations, should, with
proper regard to vested rights, be dis
oouraged. One hundred thou sand acres
Of land in the hands of one man IL far
less profitable To tue nation In every
way than when its ownership Is divided
an. oag 100 meu. The evil of pei init
ting large tracts OF tho public dotnai"
To be consolidated and controlled by the
few AZ inst the many Is enhanced when
persons controlling II are aliens. Ii 10
out fair that she public land should be
disposed of only ~ actual settlers, and
to those who are oitl2eus of the Repub
lic. or willing to become so.
Among national Interests one Ian
guishes-the foreign carrying trade. IL
WAS seriously crippled IN our owl war,
and another blow WAS given to IL In the
" neral substitution of steam for sail In
ocean traits. With frvilhta2e larger
lhan that of any other nation, We have
every indaoemsnt TO restore our navl-
CATION, vet the Government has hitherto
refused its help. A small share of the
encouragement given by the Govern
ment 10 railways and To manufacturer,
and a snail share of tue capital and the
zeal given by oar oittzsns 10 those en-
tsrprises, would have carried our ships
to every sea and to every port. A Law
| lust enacted removes sotDe OF the bar
dens upon our navigation, and inspires
| hope that this great interest may at
| last receive It's due share of attention.
| All efforts in this direction should re
| oeivs encouragement.
! This survey of our condition as a ma
tion reminds Us that material prosper
| ity Is bat a mockery IL It does not tend
to preserve the liberty OF the people. A
| free ballot is the sfe0utri of repobli-
can institutions. without which no ma
tional welfare ~ assured. popular
election, honestly conducted, eIabodies
the very majesty OF true government.
/ len millions of voters desire TO take
part in the pending contest The safe
~ of the Republic rests upon the IN
| tegrity of the ballot; on the security OF
suffrage 10 the citizen. To deposit
fraudulent vote 10 no worse crime