The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-06-10

he gave his pledge to the people hC
would stand by that pledge. APP
plause The country had an Execu
tive who wss attempting to carry out
the law, and the question was whether
Congress would stand by him, II Con.
gress did not, the people Of the United
States would. Applause
Mr.. Randall said that the very effect
OF this law was to prevent more than
half OF the people who vo.ed for
members OF Congress from securing
any position in the classified service.
Should no. that law be ass ailed? Now,
here, everywhere with propriely he
would directly ard indirectly agitate
the repeal Of such a monstIous, such
an unjust, such an indefeDsible pIopo-
si,ion as this. Applause This law
was made by Congress: the power Of
legislation rests here; this one man
has legisated and deprived Congress
of the power which should be lodged
here. say with elaboration tha' l
want the chief executive to hear what
/ have to say on this subject. 1t is
not an assault on the President, but |
say here to day that the repr, s2nta-
tives of the people, by the enactment
OF these regulations, have been de.
ceived and cheated and deprived of
the rights which they ought to have
stood here and defended in behalf of
the psople who ssnt them here. APP
plause MIR. Cleveland is not re-
sponsible for these regulations. Nay,
more. 1t has been but a
brief time since Mr.. Cleveland could
possibly have had any influence over
the commission. l hope a change
will come over the spirit Of his
dreams, and that he will give US a
Just administration OF the civil service
act. Continuing, Mr.. Randall said
that the committee had not iute riere d
in any degree with the law. 1t had
only sought to say that the commits
sion must not attempt to exclude
from the participation in the holding
of office any considerable number Of
American citizens who were mentally
and physically capable of dischargiDg
with credit the duty Of officials. The
committee did not desire any sbridge-
ment of the right of the Executive to
appoint, yet it did not wish tha, three
men should have the power of send
ing four names to the appointing
power from whichto select. ItWished
that the appointing power should
have the right to select from all these
who had passed examination q
man in whom it could dis
cover the proper qualifications
for the particular office. He (Mr.
Randall) had never designed to inter
iere with the civil service act. That
act had been the result of the univer-
sal condemnation of TIE methods OF
the Republican party. He would not
for a moment wish that condition of
things which at every election turned
out the adherents Of either party in
Discriminatory and put in those of
another. But he wanted to remind
the House that the law to be perma-
nent must bs fair, must be just, and
tlat those who advocated this amend
ment were trying to strip it OF its in
justice to one party dominant in this
country. Applause This closed the
general debate and the reading OF the
bill was commenced.
Mr.. Morrison III. raised a Joint Of
order against the words Gin full COM
pensation" where they occur in the
general appropriations section Of the
bill. He intended, he said, to have the
bill conform to the rules the House,
whether it took on the civil service or
putt out. When the Committee on
Appropriations wished to appropriate
more or less money for salaries than
was provided by law let it bring in 6
bill to increase or reduce them. APP
plsuse].
Pending a decision of the point Of
order the committee rose and the
House adjourned.