Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-03-12

I
the reason for such removal or suspen-
sion. The existing situation Mr.. Will
son described as curious political
phenomenon, the result of an equally
curious political evolution. lie then
attacked the President upon the ground
OF inconsistency between his civil-ser-
vice-Ieform utterances and his actions.
" Who could have anticipated" said
Mr.. Wilson. "that from the political
pro,oplasmic presence which iloatcd on
the bosom of the Democratic platform
Of 1884, and whose Indebtedness was
expressed in the words We favor hon
est civil.seryice REFORM could have
evolved a result so harmful to the
character and reputation OF a citizen as
the practice ofthe present national Adj
minstration
Mr.. Wilson then traced the develop
ments of the,political evolution which
took its start in the protoplasmic
presence upon that platform, marked
its various stages tbenceiorward--in
Mr.. Cleyeland's letter to George
Villain Curtis, his letter Of &C
ceptance, his inaugural address, and
his first annual message to Congress
and proceeded Those utterances Of
Mr.. Cleveland as presidential candi-
date, President elect, and President
contained many things which thought
full men approved. American politics
would be greatly improved if the
test which they induced could
be carried on without regard to the
possession or acquisition OF thousands
Of Offices created by our law. Elimi-
nate this factor from the case, and let
the minds Of our people be given to
the public measures, policies, and in
forests with which our political actiyi-
ties deal, and | don't doubt that the
most beneficial results will follow.
The belief that this would he so was
entertained by many thousands and
tens Of thousands OF our most consid-
crate citizens. II was the knowledge
Of this fact that caused the Democratic
party to put into its platform Of 1881
the pIotoplaSmic uncertainty which
said, " w favor honest ciyil-seIyice re-
form " and it was this knowledge
which impelled Mr.. Cleveland, as pre-
sidental candidate, President elect. and
President, to give utterance to the
explosions which he had quoted.
The Convention gave him a bad
start by its meaningless express
sion. and 50 we need not wonder
that he has reached a like result. The
| the President announced hal not pro-
duced a rev species. 1t had not even
improved on the old one. The process
did not promise anything better at the
beginning. while the end had given
something infinitely worse. The high
sounding phrases and generous plat
tudes which bad been thrown out
ard around uncertain and mean.
ingless expressions Of platform had
Lot charged in the least. 1t was The
same now that it was then. IL was
simply a political hermit crab stored
away in an appropriate shell Of tbat
better political organism called reform,
which had increased in size and ela5).
rated its uglinesS, but had not changed
lis species.
The people. Mr.. Wilson continued,
had given Mr.. Cleveland generous credit
for sincerity. They had listened to
his professions of reform and studied
them they had appreciated the diff
culties surrounding his assumption Of
the Executive power, but they could not
reconcile his action in suspending COM
petent and faithful public officers with
his repeated assurances that such things
would not be done. He had said that
men would not be discharged for par
tisan reasons, bat only for cause.
The people had believed that be
had the courage Of his cOnyic-
tons. This resulted in the universal
belief that charges other than political
should be lodged againsta public officer
before his suspension could be assured.
1t had logically followed that whenever
an officer was suspended the people be-
lieyed that some grave charge had been
made against him. Indeed, every sus-
pended officer was, by the Pres
ldent's own declaration, made to
stand before the country as I'M
worthy of trust and confidence. If
this were not a necessary conclusion,
what must be the estimation placed by
the people on the word of the Presi-
dent; and if it be correct conclusion,
what must be the Presidents idea Of
fair dealing with a citizen: He had
suspended G43 public officers and mar
shalled them before the country as per
sons unworthy Of trust or confidence.
Many Of those persons had requested
TO be informed Of the nature Of the
charges made against them. This had
been denied to them. In this way
the Executive poTer was being used
as means of assault against the cha
racter and reputation of citizens of the
republic. No such outrage had been
inflicted on our citizens from the first
wear Of our national existence until the
incoming Of the present Administration.
It's pomp and circumstance of reform to
the contrary Notwithstanding. To pro-
toct characters thus insidiously aSsal-
cd, Mr.. Wilson held it to be the duty OF
the Senate, and in this was to be found
the impelling motive Of the majority Of
the Senate judiciary Committee in its
attitude concerning these suspensions.
In his further argument Mr..
Wilson followed the line Of Mr..
Edmunds's speech on Tuesday
that the law and precedent were