National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-02-13

making such declaration aud providing q
penalty for such an act would be not ply biny
aimed at the commonest rights OF mnnklnu' 10y |
the law as II stands, government Queer Is pro Pro.
collect money for political purposes, and II Is
provided that no mar in the service Oh tue gov |
eminent should be put down or put out Dy reason
purposes. No man had any rightto go into gov
eminent Office and collect sncl moneys -. :,
Mr. Voorhees, remarked, But they DO, thougn.
Mr. Hawley replied that In that case they
should be punished ior II. Everything that could
be done had been done to punish suGn G0nq isn
Indiana was q most extraordinary and unlusuh-
able one, and we ought TO be ashamed 10 place
such law upon our statute books against the
freedom Of action of American citizens. For him
self Mr.. Hawley claimed the right to give MS own
money TO any proper political purpose. some
gentlemen seemed to suppose that everything
political was dishonoreble, Whereas politics. next
to the service Of God, was the most honorable
work In which q man could be engaged. Mr..
Hawley expressed himself in favor Of the utmost
measure Of sensible, energetic, civil service re-
form, but he would have courage enough 10 say
that he would never vote for a bill SUCH as that
now introduced.
Mr.. Beck said this bill was bill such as had
been presented before and voted for by the demo;
Gratis, and the same argument In opposition had
been made then as was made now. Men get
clear Of the decision of the supreme court in the
Curtis case by getting their clerks to do the work
they do not go into public places TO levy their
contributions, but follow poor clerks 70 their
sires 10 know how much they have voluntarily
contributed. 1t was not said 10 them that their
places depended on 1t, but as the President had
said in his message, at goes without saying
Mr.. Beck did not know whether he ought to refer
In the senate to proceedings of committees, put
the finance committee was aware Of facts which
would instruct the senate on this subject Men
had been before congress seeking confirmation
who had retained 10 or 15per cent; of the salaries
of government employees under them IN order 10
send delegates to political conventions.
Mr.. Dawes wished the gentleman from Ken:
me 70 pc m9Is spsi or ~ pr
of the salaries of such employees"
II do not care to state names" said Mr.. Beck,
"but officers of this government
"Then will not ask the name," said Mr.. Dawes
"But does the gentleman statehere that he knows
that any officer of this government has retained
eminent Tor political purposes2'
ayes, do" Mr. Beck replied land the finance
committee all know 1t, and plenty OF others know
"Then" continued Mr.. Dawes, "the gentleman
| should have called for the information ana laid
| the facts before the senate and the public"
at will BIO laid before this committee" Mr..
Beck remarked, when this bill comes up"
Mr.. Dawes stated that he was not. by his In
quiry, disputing the statement OF the gentleman
| from Kentucky Mr.. Beck, but he merely wanted
to know, the fact whether that gentleman had
specific information of tho character indicated,
which he would lay before the senate. If he had
| he tMr. Dawesl hoped the gentleman would lay 1t
| before the senate, and he hoped that that indi-
| for the proper tribunal and impeached for high
| crimes and misdemeanors.
Mr.. Vance said that that fact had been already
| proven before committee of the senate by NUM-
| bers of witnesses.
Mr. Dawes inquired If that was under the exist
Mr. Vance replied no, not since the passage of
the civil service bill, but 1t was shown that us to
the employees of the internal revenue department,
their salaries had been retained in the offices OF
| the collectors while blank checks had been sent
around for the deputies and other officials to sign.
Mr.. Hawley said he had no doubt that there hs d
| hnap ahtigng QDnnnntiDD
assessments, and 1t was for that very reason that
the public sentiment of the. country, had de-
have. Speaking to the broad proposition, how
ever, he would say that no citizen of free coun-
try should be prohibited from voluntarily con-
In moving a reference of his bill to the commit
tee on the judiciary, Mr.. Voorhees, remark ed that
whenever IN q court of law he had case In which
the trial he always took change Of venue. For
that reason, he said, he was unwilling to let the
senator from Connecticut Mr. Hawleyl have the
bill. Mr.. Hawley is chairman Of the senate COM
mittee on civil service and retrenchmentl
Mr.. Hawley said he had not asked that 1t should
"Then the senator does not object to Its going
somewhere else?" inquired Mr.. Voorhees,.
II don't care" replied Mr.. Hawley.
nous sums" he continued, (which were now ex.
pended on elections corrupted the ballot box and
pouring of money into the hands of party mana.
gers was stopped the better 1t would be for the
| country
MIR. Harrison made q vigorous speech in oppo-
stion to the bill. He did not attempt TO cross
bridge. he said, till he came to II; and If thes'
suggestions as to the improper influences brough
to bear on government employees for the collec
ton of money were to be investigated before
committee, then his colleague MIR. Voorheesl, 1
he would follow out his reference to the cours,
OF legal proceedings, ought to have waited TIL
the testimony had been heard before making thu
opportunity to read to his colleague some state
ments showing the attitude and conduct o
men high in office when Offices were filled
with Observation-Disclosures who have becom'
prominent In national politics and who had beer
themselves the collectors of these political assess
ments. He had read the history Of those times II
vain 10 find that his colleague, who was himsel
somewhat prominent in politics, had lifted hi
voice either on the stump or in the halls of con
gress in depreciation OF the course pursued. Tha
gentleman's activity, however was greatly stirred
when the money went into the pockets OF thu
adverse party.
any law which deprived Il member of congress o
any other public officer, however humble, from
the yilege of contributing part Of his salary Z
| legitimate campaign expenses. No high-mindet
American citizen who believed the principles o
his party to be the fundamental principles of gov
eminent, and promotlve ofthe best interests OF hi
country, should be deprived of the right to con.
tribute his own money. with the view of present
ing and discussing those principles, and impress
ing their truth upon the minds of his fellow
citizens. For his part, he would regard him
self as little better than slave II he wer
at the head 40 Of a6o a bureau a ana receiving
to contribute to the distribution Of literatur,
calculated, say, for illustration, (since that wa
a subject in which his colleague was nterosted) tC
the advancement Of the cause of protection Die
his colleague mean to make manacles for himself
And If not, why should he endeayor to impose OF
others what he did not want to impose Oh him
self? Mr. Harrison would go as far as any man II
protecting every employe OF the government from
any sort of undue influence In this matter, blu
would not undertake 10 put shackes upon them
as would DO done by this bill while 1t proiessed Il
be u charter OF emancipation.
Mr.. Voorhees, bill was then referred 10 tn
committee on the Judiciary
The bill reported by Senator Morrill, from tn
committee on additional accommodations for tn
library. being the special order for today, wa
Mr.. Bayard supported the bill in speech II
: say anything, as the bill had been discussed 81
much already; but II did not seem the prope
, thing to permit bill appropriatng so muci
money to pass SUBJ Silentl0 He explained the pro
visions OF the bill, and said the question was no
so much whether, If another committee were APP
Tastes would always differ. Something had to b.
agreed upon: this plan had met the approval o
the great majority of the senators, and he hopet
the bill would pass.
, Mr.. Pendleton opposed and moved to strike on
the clause permitting the condemnation Of land
maintaining that the necessity OF land for
library was not 80 great MS TO warrant, either II
fact or in law to resort TO condennat on 80 long
the government had plenty of ground IA dltigren
parts Of the city which it could utilize for the pu
:. pose.
I After further debate. in which Messrs, Dolpt
Ingalls,, Jones of Florida, and Morrill, participated
} Mr. Pendleton's amendment was voted dowr
The bill then passed by vote OF 81 yeas TO nay
After passing private bill, the senate then too
up the bill for the relief OF the State Nntiont