National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-06-12


parent demagogry. There was no man
here who doubted that II was subject to
point Of order, and therefore would be
thrust out OF the bill as an irrelevant and
impertinent intruder. There was no man
who doubted that II by any miscarriage
such should not be its fate when It got to
the Senate, that body would trample II
under foot with the scorn and contempt IL
deserved. II, contrary TO reason and prece-
dent, II should pass that body, II would
confront q hostile Executive, who would
give II his approval only under the compul-
sion Of forced position to which he had
been driven by his own political friends,
This House land by this he meant the Dem
ocratic majority had already rudely turned
its back on one of the principal reforms In
the currency Of the country recommended
by the President, and as II that had not
been enough, II now proposed TO knock
from under him the very foundation stone
OF his political creed and public success.
And this was politics and these were leaders.
II IL were not so serious q subject man
might sit down and laugh at this old party
preserving its succession In tradition and
name, II not In policy and principles,
through a half century OF conflict and vary
ing fortune, fighting battles for twenty-five
years, only to lose them without one break
In the long chain Of reverses, and then at
appointment, and modification and defeat,
when party victory had brushed aside
the black cloud of disaster and revealed
the silver lining to its ravaged
gaze. Whether Intoxicated by the
spectacle or mad from excess Of Joy, the
grand old party, unequal TO the task of de-
liberate contemplation Of It's own splendid
achievements, asked to be dismissed In the
very moment Of its triumph and on the
very spot where IL had achieved IL,
II had voted down an honest dollar, and
II now proposed 10 tear away a safeguard TO
the most valuable law on the statute book.
Let no gentleman deceive himself. The
gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Holmau), in
response to n question few days ago, had
said that the object OF the amendment was
to deal out even-handed Justice, and the
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Springer) had
still more plainly let the House know that
IL was intended to give a partisan instead
Of a non. partisan service. That the effect
of the amendment requiring the certlllca-
tion Of the full list Of eligibles 10 the ap-
pointing power would be to give partisan
and not nom partisan service was not q
mere matter Of conjectural speculation, but
1t was a matter OF experience demon
strated, boasted Of, gloated over by Bal
timore postmaster. This ingenious young
man had got the whole list OF eligibles into
his hands.
A voice. What is he?
Mr.. Fiudlay. He is Democrat. lie was
Democrat In office. He was appointed
by the present President Of the United
States. That fixes his Democracy | sup
pose, though that is a question Of some
doubt. Laughter and applause lie got
the list Of eligibles into his own hands and
what use did he make OF IL? According to
his own statement before an examiner of
the civil service commission, who was in
Baltimore, he made such good use off that
In less space than year he had turned out
every Republican In that Office and had put
Democrat in his place without missing
fire once.
While Mr.. Fiudlay was delivering his
speech, members from both sides of the
House crowded around him, and his last
sentence was received with burst of min
gled hisscs and applause--the applause be.
ing partly intended for the sentiments ex.
pressed by Findlay, and partly In approba.
tion Of the action OF the Baltimore post
master.
Turning defiantly toward the Democratic
side, Mr.. Findlay exclaimed:
Wien you applaud the effect OF this amend
ment, then you mean to say that the certitlca-
tion of all the eligibles will result In what you
have applauded. Then you mean to say that
the object of this amendment is to give parti
san and not a non.partisan service, Applaud
Just as long as you please. Neither hisses MOI
applause will deter me from the discharge
ofwhat consider duty. lApplause.l
Concluding his somewhat lengthy speech,
Mr.. Findlay said:
There are no dukes or marquises in this
country, but there is their exact counterpart
in the shape OF political ward.rounders and
| heelers. Though America has no aristocracy
which appointed to Office, 1t has sort ol
fCudal system. It has one tenant in capite and
whole system
motest dependents. No man could get an
Office unless he had been recommended by
some of those politicians who had control of
the machine Now, which is the more demo-
cratic of the two-thc system which permits
every man and woman In the country to apply
for office, and II qualified TO fill II, TO get into
office, with influence or without influence, or
the system under which he cannot get into
office unless he comes bowling aud begging uu-
der the wing OF some political scoundrel to
whom he is under such obligations as must cut
his very manhood to the bone. [Applause.l
Mr.. Compton, of Maryland, said that the
assault his colleague had made on the late
postmaster at Baltimore was as undeserved
as any one man had ever made on another.
Who was that postmaster ? He was the
| peer OF the gentleman from Maryland (Mr
Findlay) or any other gentleman on this
floor or anywhere as man Of character and
intelligence and a Democrat. The civil SER
| vice commission had sought, by every effort
| and by every means 1t could employ, To
| show that he had violated the law of that
| service because he had removed from office
lot Of political scalawags and lot OF un-
| principled scoundrels-the associates OF his
colleague In last falls campaign, when he
| lMr. Findlay) had sought to defeat the
Democratic ticket. [Applause on the
| Democratic side.
Immediately the House was In an uproar
but above the noise Mr.. Findlay was heard
to inquire angrily whether his colleague
meant to say that he associated with scala.
wags and scoundrels.
Either the confusion prevented Mr..
Compton from hearing Mr.. Findlay's ques.
tion or drowned his reply thereto, but the
| gentlemen stood within few feet of one
| another angrlly gesticulating while othei
| members Of the House gathered around aud
took much interest In the scene.
Speaker Carlisle, who was In the cham
Der, approached the speakers desk, ant
was apparently ready to seize the gavel anG
exert his authority In case the demonstra
| tion became more threatening; but Chair
man Blount was equal to the emergency, ,,,ant
soon succeeded In securing comparative
| quiet.
Mr.. FIndlay. would like to ask the gen
tleman from Maryland whether l under
stood him TO state that all the persons dis
charged from the postofilce in the last yea
by the postmaster were political scouu
drels and scalawags9
| Mr.. Compton. Not all OF them.
Mr., Findlay. understood you to say tina
! all Of them were.
Mr.. Compton. Not all of them-I neve
intended to say so.
Mr.. Findlay. How many OF themp
But Mr.. Compton, declining to answe
the question, went on to assert that 1t ha(
been sought to convict Veazy Of violation
OF the civil service rule because he had re
moved a lot of men who were unfit to hold
Office under any administration, and II
collusion with whom, last fall, his distin
| quished colleague had sought to defeat tn,
regular Democratic ticket In Baltimore
They were untitled to hold Office, and h,
knew, and his colleague knew, that thes
| men, In connection with the officials of th,