The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1884-02-28
Removals of Congressional EN-
nlOVeS.
ON the Record of Feb. 9th.
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From the Record of Feb. 9th.
Mr.. Riddleberger submitted the followingres-
0lution: which was read
1tesofced 5u tie Senate (fhe House OF Representa-
sfSes coaclo7ilg) That joint committee OF three
the pant OF the Senate and nye on me prii ol
tha Hoilse Of Representatives be appointed to
inai.jre into and report the cause of all TT NOV
ais Of subordinate officers made by the Secreta-
nv and sargeant -at-Arms of the Senate, the
Clerk, Sargeant-at-Arm Doorkeeper, and
Postmaster of the House OF Representatives.
The committee is directed to reduce 10 writ II,
removals aud lay the evidence, togethef Win
IFS reDort. before the Congress.
The committee is further directed TO report
how MANY disabled and other soldiers were re-
moved what states and Congressional districts
they were from how many aisanied t ana 9tner
and Congressional districts from whlcn they
come.
The committee is further instructed to report
whether in their opinion the act known as the
ciyil-service act applies to appointments made
by elective officers Of the Senate and House OF
liepresenta tives and, if so, TO report what leg
slation if any, is necessary to The full and prop
er execution of that law.
The President pro tenp0fe. Does the Senator
from Virginia ask for the present consideration
of the resolution?
would just as soon it should lie over I VIII
state, however. that in preparing the resolutlon
had strict referencei to the act known az els
appointed and removed / had reference onIy
to the civil-service act. | simply Wanteu o.i 70
ascertain by the resolution whether tne evil
service act applies to appointments made by
officers of the Congress of the United States,
not confined to either branch OF 1t. think IL
wen enough for us to know it now am en-
tirely willing that the Senate should pass upon
it to-day. appoint such commlttee' anu ie' US
thoneht Yesterday when the resolution of the
Senator from Kentucky MT. Beck was ln na.sc
direction and at somebody. understood that at
the appontee removed was from tne ottte u
Kentucky and that the man Knew him.
do not know him now, ana nave never eeen
him; but thought if we were 10 nave an III III
vestigation under resolution of that sort we
might as well determine the question LOT inc
whole Congress as for the Senate, for poth
Houses as for one. -
THE ciyil-seryice act, as / understand it, is a
law governing not only one branch OF Congress
but whole Congress andiam pfepared 20 sn nIs
the State which | have the honor, In part 10
represent on this floor does not have anything
like her proportion of the offices in elthet House
of Congress or in any Department in this city
under this government l am prepared to
show moreover, that the State OF kentucky
which has the same representation, has more
appointments of bona tide Kentucklans imam tne
tate Of Virginia am sp that at nave
heard throughout the country about the pat
ronage of the Federal Government being given
out to certain gentlemen in the state OF VIZ
ginia.
am prepared to show, moreover that the
gentleman who complains so severely of the
removal of the poor colored man from the State
of Kentucky said not word when there was
removed a disabled confederate soldier from
his own State few weeks ago. No investiga
tion suggested then; no investigation was
suggested at the time when score OF wounded
soldiers came from one side of this Capitol u
take place, If it could be given to them, Oh
the other. The one-legged man who sits be
yond that door, and ought to attract the atten
ton of every Senator who goes out of it, came
from one end of this Capitol to be provided fol
then: no investigation was suggested Of any
thing until there came to be a removal OF one
colored man from Kentucky to make place. a,
can be removed in one part of this Capitol from
Virginia alone, and four new men put in, ant
suggestion of investigation is made,
Why, sir, / stood upon this floor but q few
weeks ago and voted for resolution to inyes
tigate what are called the Z" Virginia and Missis
tant votes ever cast in one point of view; bn
felt that due regard for the good name of my
State required that l should cast that vote.
have read in the Congressional Record, have
read in the newspapers, that gentleman rep
resenting that particular district in the STATE
of Virginia had asked for an investigation, anC
votei for it, not alone because of his reques
but because felt that wanted that large pre-
ponderance of the people of Virginia who hat
nothing in common with such outrages to bs
vinoicated against the charge of committing
them. l say voted for the investigation.
then saw all the gentlemen lon the other side
including the Senator from Kentucky, vote
against that investigation. Then there stare
us in the face the proclamation, or message. i
you please, of the governor of that Common
higher character living, and whose official con
duct has wrung from the opposition compli
ments and praise, and throughout the State to
any public trust-in which he says that these
murderers were not even indicted, and that NJ
effort was ever made to try them. say, sir
that with that staring us in the face was sur
prised that the Senator from Kentucky coulC
not vote to investigate; but when it came t.
the mere matter of the removal of q colorec
appointee from Kentucky he did move an in
vestigation. l am glad he has Withdrawn the
resolution, and / hope it will now be his pleas
ure to vote to adopt this resolution, and let Us
know now and henceforth whether it is civil
service executed to turn out all the office-hold
ers one side of the Capitol and civil service
violated to turn out one on the other.
The President pro tenapore. Is there objection
to the present consideration of the resolution
Mr.. Cockrell. Let it be read.
The Chief Clerk read the resolution.
Mr.. Beck. did not hear the first part of the
remarks of the Senator from Virginia in refer
ence to something had done. When colored
laborer had been dismissed as thought wrong
fully deemedit my duty to replace him if
could, but found could not do 1t, and aban-
doned the effort. Beyond that know nothing
have done. But should like to see this reso-
luton in print. I do not know what right we
have to interfere with the House OF represent
atives. do not think it comes with good grace
to ask them to do anything they do not want to
do themselves; but by tomorrow morning
may change my mind.
The President pro teDapore. Objection being
made the resolution lies over and will be print
ed.