The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1886-04-03
Senator Voorhees, on Civil Service
Reform,

| During the debate in the Senate on the
Edmunds resolutions regarding removals from
office, Senator Daniel W. Voorhees,, of In
diana, made powerful speech in support o.
the President. He also dealt some heavy
blows at the law to reform the Civil Service.
Below we give few extracts from the speech
and commend them to the careful attention
of our readers:
Sir, indorse the President most fully and
emphatically on the subject of removals OF
suspensions as far as he has gone, and how
gladly would | indorse him could he see his
way clear to go thousand leagues further.
1t seems to me the country will laugh with
dersion i'll the face of the majority of this
Senate in its attempt to condemn the President
for his exercise of the power of removal.
Democrats might complain, were they not
conscious of the grave embarrassments sur
rounding the present administration when it
came into power. We might point to these
Departments and to the Federal offices all
over the land and declare that far too much
forbearance had been shown to those who
never extended any to their adversaries. In
round numbers there are three thousand six
hundred people in official station in the In
terror Department alone. There have been
less than four hundred changes, including the
able and faithful Secretary himself and the
With the exception of forty or fifty such
changes at the heads of bureaus and divisions,
nearly all the appointments in that Depart
ment under the present administration have
been in the land and Indian service on the
frontier and for messengers, watchmen and
the like. The great body of the force, more
than thirty two hundred in number, embracing
nearly all the payroll of any value, is still a
solid Republican political corps, sympathizing
with the success oftheir own party and desiring
and laboring for the overthrow of the party
under which they hold office. Substantially
the same state of facts exists in every other
Department of the Government. 1t is safe
and moderate to say that, with the exception
perhaps of fourth class postmasters, there are
ten Republican holders in the United
States this hour for every one Democrat in
the public service. | have no hesitation in
declaring, as far as my voice will reach, that
such state of things is not consistent with
the true theory of a popular government, nor
with its safe and honest administration.
And here | again quote from the greatest
political leader the Republican party ever
followed in Indiana In March, 1869, Sena-
tor Morton held the following language in this
body:
believe that it is proper that the Executive of
harmony with himself in political opinion Not |
only his Cabinet but those below the Cabinet in re-
sponsible positions other things being equal should
be men who agree with him in his general line of |
policy.
Now, sir, whatever pretences we may make here
IN this subject practically they will be hypocrtical
Why? Because this party, nor the Democratic party
lllow the administration of the Government upon
hese PRINCIPLES Those in authority will place in
'ower as their subordnaes their friends and those
Who agreee with them in political principle and
hose who have been instrumen tai in placing them
n power Whatever professions we may make here
hat will be the result.
Such were the utterances of man of great
bility, powerful common sense, deep in
light into human nature, and wide experience
n public affairs. They are as true now as
hey were seventeen years ago, and they will
emain true as long as popular governments
emain upon the earth; as long as the laboring
lasses are permitted to aspire to honors as
Tell as to bear burdens.
Sir, from the earliest dawn of history the
lain effort of the great body of the people of
very race and country has been to overcome I
aste, class superiority, exclusive privileges,
nd to establish for themselves an equality in
Il respects in the ventures, advancements {
nd promotions of life This theory was at {
st established by the founders of the Amer {
an Republic. This Government, in thS -
al sense, belongs to the pssni
no position of ia1lu