Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1886-07-10
WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON, July 8, 1856.

gresS adjourned in grand row with
the President. There is swell OF
resentment in both branches at the
manner i'll which he has used his
veto power. The light aud playful
way in which he tramples upon leg
islation may be amusing to certain
portion of the public, but it is not
funny to the legislators. Mr.. Cleve-
land is the first President since An
drew johnson who has spelled Con-
gress with little &C." and none OF
his predecessors ever dared to en-
trench themselves behind their con-
stitutlonal prerogatiyes as he has
done, and fire shot at the Capitol.
Senator Blair has attacked the
Presidents veto policy in words of
gall. He complains that the Pres
ident relies upon the Commissioner
of Pensions for the facts upon which
he bases his vetoes, but adds That
the jurisdiction of the legislative
power of this Government is larger
than that of the Commissioner of
Pensions, and that sooner or later,
although it may cost the country a
prolonged and steady effort, this
truth will become apparent.
The Senate Committee on Pen
sions, in their report recommending
the passage of certain private pen
sion bills over the Presidents veto,
say they will make a strong effort
to restrain feeling of Indignation,
which, if permitted to assume the
proportions which the provocation
justifies, would wholly destroy those
respectful forms of expression which
must be maintained in official inter-
course.
Senator Hoar made an able at
tack upon the Presidents Civil Ser
vice pretension, few days since.
He said, in Judging ofthe Presidents
fidelity to the cause of reform, one
must look not only to the Presidents
own conduct and policy, but to the
conduct and policy of those officials
whom he had selected and clothed
with power, whose execution of the
law it was his sworn duty to super.
wise and control. Judging from
this test the Senator from Massa.
not find that the Elk
ecutive had kept or had attempted
to keep the pledges which had pre-
ceded and followed his election.
He also said that no President of
the United States, not even Wash
ington, had been treated by his
with an indulgence like
that which had been extended to
Mr.. Cleveland. This, too, while his
competitor for the great office of the
Presidency, with his brilliant record
of public service for twenty years,
idolized by such large numbers of
his countrymen, who believed that
had tho peoples will had It's lawful
and constitutional expression he
would now be in the seat which is
of right his, had been pursued even
to his retirement with malignity I'M
in political warfare.
The bill introduced by Senator
Edmunds for increasing the Pres
ident's appointing power, while it
frees the President from Senatorial
checks in the appointment of large
body of public servants, yet takes
from him the power of removal or
1t enlarges the scope |
of the civil service law by fixing
Presidential appointments for four
years. 1.-THE difficulty with the
present Civil Service law said Mr..
Edmunds, 4" is the power of unlim.
tied removal that exists in the Pres.
ident and heads Of Departments
If the people of the United States
really wish for a civil service reform
to take the great body of these
merely administrative offices out of
the circle of politics, so that they
will cease to be the prizes and re.
wards for party services, they have
the power to do it through Con-
gress.
~ Believe" continued Mr.. Ed
that the work of the Gov
eminent will go infinitely better
Gust as it has been found in all the
States), and that contests of politics
will become, to much greater ex-
tent, contests as to public measures,
and will cease to be struggles as to
who shall have the donors and en-
oluments of Offices. And in the
course of a few years, if this law
were now passed, and Republican
successor OF Mr.. Cleveland should
find all offices filled with Democrats.
the whole thing would adjust itself,
because during each four years all
The offices would have become va
can't, and have been retilled, and
consequently there need not be, in
the coming of any Administration
Or the outgoing of one, any scramble