National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-02-12

referred to the committee on appropriations not
With view to immediate action, but because he
thought II better TO await the action Of the house
OF representatives in the matter, but that IL may
be before the committee when 1t should como 70
act
Mr.. Voorhees, and Mr. Camden stated that they
mad dispatches similar In character ana urgency,
some OF which were now before the commlttee on
appropriations OF the house of representatives..
The dispatches were referred to the committee
on appropriations OF the senate. ,
Debate on Mr. Riddleberger's resolution was
then resumed.
Of civil service he was obliged to say that IN tne
hands of the republican party the civil service
act was delusion and snare; ne sta.eu tn Inv
during the incumbency of tho last seTReant-at-
arms OF the senate nearly one,halt OF me en-
ployes Of that body were republicans. To-Day
very different state OF affairs existed lie re-
minded senators that leader Of the colored race,
Fred. Douglass, had said that II would DC maze
hot for coored men they voted the nid inc
vestigation or skulk any responsibility ~ WIS
matter. He had voted against the resolution OF
inquiry as to the Danville riot, because he hon
estly believed that no Investigation would bring
forth any facts except those already before the
Mr.. ingalls, expressed the belief that without
any further information than was now before the
senate this was Improbable time to discuss this
matter. He therefore moved Its reference to the
committee on the several branches of the civil
service. 49,,
luton affecting appointments which would not
turn out republicans aud put In democrats. 10
show the attitude of the democratic party towsrd
civil service reform, Mr.. Conger read resolution
offered in the senate in 1879 by Mr. Wallace, then
United States SENATOR requiring that the several
officers In the departments of the secretary OF the
senate and sergeant-at-arms should be appointed
aud removed by those ofhcors respectively, the
| object of the resolution being, Mr.. Conger said,
to take away the power of removal from the then
presiding officer of the senate, who was republi.
can, In order to give II to the officers named
ment offered by the senator from Vermont (Mr.
Edmunds) to that resolution to the effect that In
asmuch as the proper performance aud dispatch
of the business OF the senate was materially de.
| pendent on retaining corps Of well-trained and
dligent officers, and this could only be done by
securing in their positions men Of ability and ex.
| perience, who should be amenable TO majority
| of the senate, IL be resolved, &c.
The amendment, Mr.. Conger stated was voted
down and the original resolution agreed to with
out dissenting vote from the democrats; and IN
accordance with that resolution the secretary OF
the senate removed twenty republican clerks, and
| left only four republican clerks remaining. He
also read letter from John O. Burch, then secre-
| tary of the senate, addressed to the displaced
clerks. in which that gentleman ANNOUNCES that
the subordinate or appointive officers, like the
elective, should, except In exceptional cases, be
In political accord with the majority OF the body.
The hour of o'clock having arrived, the mat
ter went over without decision, and the chair laid
| before the senate the resolution offered some
since Py MT van wyok dTeSng ~ ne
what legislation, If any Is necessary to restrict
| the appointment of special assistant attorneys,
| &c. The resolution was agreed to without debate.
Proceeding then TO the list of unobjected cases
| upon its calendar, the senate took up. and with
but slight debate passed the bill reported by Mr..
| Platt from the committee on patents amending
section 1887, Of the revised Statutes securing TO
American inventors the full term of seventeen
years for their patents in cases where the foreign
| patent expires before that term.
message being received from the house OF
| representatives announcing the continued disa-
greement of that body to the senate amendment
OF the Greedy relief bill, Mr.. Hale moved that the
senate recede from Its amendment. The men who
should be sent on the expedition, he said, would
| be men who would be perfectly willing TO go.
| They would not be taken from the navy rolls as
they now stand, but would be re.enlisted. No
difficulty would be experienced in finding the best
officers in the naval establishment to take the
places of command, and no unwilling man should
go under any circumstances; This difficulty being
| removed Mr.. Hale hoped there would be no fur
| Their delay. He did not know how no would feel
If II should turn out that this expedition, on get-
ting TO the Arctic seas, should find that the unfor.
| tunate men for whom 1t went In search had per
| ished within two weeks OF the arrival of the re-
lieying party. He hoped that would not occur
and he did not prophecy that 1t would; but there
was every motive urging prompt action In the
matter.
| would show the same complacency-the same
| child-like and bland sympathy-as he was dis
playing on this occasion when, later in the SEES
sion, Important controverted questions SHOULD
| arise between the senate and house OF representa-
Mr.. Morrill, inquired what questions were re
|
Mr.. Cockrell replied that he hoped one of then
would be revenue. reform tariff and others woult
be appropriation bills reducing the expenditure
of the government and bringing them To an econ
omical and just basis.
Mr.. Salisbury hoped the senate would not re
cede from its amendment. He knew that congress
would do what was right in this matter If a proper
bill were brought in, but here was a bill to enabl
the secretary OF the navy 10 put his hand into thu
United States treasury and take money out of
ad libitum.
Mr.. Butler reminded the senator that it was no
the secretary OF the navy but the President of tn
United States who received the authority
Mr.. Salisbury replied that the President acteC
through his secretaries This BILL If passed. woult
be dangerous precedent, as giving the Presiden
| of the United States the right to take out of tn
treasury without proper and definite appropriation
the moneys Of the people. 1t would change tn
whole policy of the law.
Mr. Hale thought no good could be subseryet
by further debate and hoped the vote would a
once be taken.
A vote was then taken and the senate decided
by 20 yeas to % nays to recede from its amend
ment.
The senate, after passing some private bills
went into executive session, and, on the doors be
ing reopened at o'clock, message was received
from the house of representatives announcing tn
passage by that body of a joint resolution author
izng the secretary of war TO issue ra lions for tn
relief of destitute persons In the district over
flowed by the Ohio river and It's tributaries, AM
king an appropriation of $500 900 10 relieve tn
sufferers by such overflow.
The joint resolution was read three times. AM
passed.
| Tba aanara than MT e. n m al