St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1884-08-02


ment from all control of appointment q, ! ah no
the Executive Department win be reliay> "a oy
t,ssnoJecdng appointments to fixed rules = NY -
GhHs removing them from the caprice q :
favof1tsm. But there should be rigid OBJ.
servance of the law which gives in all cases
OF equal competency the preference to the
soldIers who risked their lives in defense of
the Union.
i entered Congress in 1868, and in a some
what prolonged service | never found it eX-
ped1ent to rec uest or recommend the remov-
al of civil otticer except in four instances,
and then for non-political reasons, which
were instantly conclusive with the appointing
power. The officers in the district, appointed
by MIR, Lincoln in 1861 upon the recommends.
ton of my predecessor, served, as rule, I'M
til death or resignation. l adopted at the be.
ginning OF my service the test of competitive
examination for AZ ointment to West P01nt,
and maintained It so long as had the right
by law to appoint cadet. In the case OF
many officers found that the present law,
which arbitrarily limits the term of the com
mission offered q cor slant temptation TO
changes for mere political reasons. l have
publicly EXPIRE :sed the belief hat the essen
Ual modification of that law would be in
many respects advantageous.
My observation in the Department of State
confirmed the conclusions of my legislative
experience, and impr ;ed me with the con-
viction that the rule of Imparta appointment
might with advantage be carried beyond any
existing provision of civi!-service law.
1t should be applied TO appointments in the
consular serv.ce. ConSu Should be CONNER
,ciAl mountaineering the globe with
watehfnlness for Their countty's interests.
Their intelligence aud conf e:cncy become,
therefore, matters OF great Iubic concern.
No man should be appointed to an American
consulate who is noE well instruct
ed in tire history and resources OF
his own country, and in the
requirements and language of commerce in
the country to which he is sent. The same
rule should be applied even more rigidly to
Secretaries of Legation in our diplomatic
service The people have the right to the
most eff Gent agents in the discharge of pub
he Amounting
regard this as the prior and Interior consider
a ion,
THE MORMON QUESTION.
Rplicious liberty is the right of every citizen
of the Republic. Congress is forbidden by the
constitution to make any law respecting the
establishment of religion, or prohibiting the
this qua aatee, Protestant and Catholic, jew
and Gentle, have wOrshiped God according 10
the dictates of conscience. But religious lib
cry must not be perverted to the justification
of OffenSes against the law. A religious sect,
strongly intrenched in one OF the Territories
of the Union. and spreading rapidly in o four
other Territ cries, claims the right to destroy
the great safeguard and imminent OF social
order, and 10 practice as religious privilege
that which is crime punished with severe
penalty in every State OF the Union. The sa-
credness and unity of the family must be pre-.
served as the foundation of all civil govern
ment, as the source of orderly administration,
as the Surest guarantee of moral purity.
The claim OF the Mormons that they are di-
yinely authorized to practice polygamy
should no more be admitted than the CLAIM of
certain he4then tribes If they should come
among us, to continue the rite of human sac
rif1ce. The law does not interfere with what
a man bell Ives; it takes cOgnizaBce only of
what he does. As citizens the Mormons are
entitled to the same civil rights as others and
to these they must be confined. Polygamy
can never receive National sanction or toleIa.
ton by admitting the community that up
holds it as a State in the Union. Like others,
the Moru1ons must learn that the liberty of
the indi, idual ceases where the rights Of Sc
ciety begin.
The people of the United States though
often urged and tempted have never serious
ly contemplated the recognition OF any othef
money than gold and silver-and currency dls
rectly lnYertibla into them. They nave not
done SO, they will not do so under necessity
less pressing than that OF despera, Q war. ne
one speci1 requisite for the completion OF our
monetary system is the fixing OF the relative
values of silver and gold. The large use OF
silver as the n o icy of account among Aslatlc
nations, taken in connection with the m
c'easing CONNIE ce of the world. gives the
weighiest reasons for the international agree.
,ment in the premises. Our Goyernm Iai1 II
should not cease TO urge this measure until q
common standard of value shalt De reacheu
and ektAtlishad-a stanlasd that shall eaaDie
the Unite states to use the silver from its
mines as an auxi Try to gold in settling the
GbaIanC es of commercial exchange.
THE PUBLIC LANDS.
The strength of the Republic is increased
by the multiplication of Iandholders. our
-
Inent of actual settlers on the public DOMAIN,
which should henceforth be held as 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 re-
gard TO vested rights, be dlseoura re ;
in the hands of one man is Tar less
profitable to the Nation in every way IMAM ian
when its ownership is divided among LVo ~
men The evil of permitting large tracts OF
the National domain to be consolidated and
controlled by the few against tire many + en-
lhanced when the persons controlliInig y are
aliens 1t is but fair that the public land
should be disposed of only to actual sett e rs
and to those Who are citizens of the Republic,
.ior Willingto become so.
OUR SHIPPING INTERESTS.
Among our National interests one Ian
puiShes--the foreign carrying trade. 1t was
very seriously crippled In our civil war, ana
another blow was given 70 IL IN tne genera
substitution of steam for sans IN ocean
traffic. With a frontage on the two great
sSlceans with freightage larger thaa tnat OF
ANY other nation, we have every Involvement
eminent has hitherto refused Its help.
m ment S'nq given By the Government to t.
railways and to manufactures, and q small
share Of the capital and the zeal given Dy our
citizens to those enterprises Woula nave car t
ried our ships to every sea and 10 every PorI'
A law lust enacted removes some OF Tue our
dens mon our NAVIGATION and inspires hope
that this great interest may at last receive iTs
due share OF attention. All efforts IN TINS dl
rrection should receive encouragement.
sACREDNEss OF THE BALLOT. ..-
This survey Of our condition as nat 1 !
reminds MS that material prospt rlty 10 put 9
Tnockery if it does not tend to preverye t me
Iiber ty of the people. A free ballot Is the
safeguard of republican tnst1tutlons, Witnou'
which no national welfare is assured. a POP
ular election honestly ctn lueted, embodies th !,
very majesty of true government Zen m a. 7 7
lions of voters desire to take part IN tLe psa,
upo n Tbs Integrity Of the ballot upon the
securitY of suffla ye to the citizen TO dep6; H
a fraudulent vote is no worse hS Cra,llt