New-York tribune., 1886-08-21
ZOE" BLACKBURN ON CIVIL SERVICE
CALLING 1T GREAT HUxBUG-ELEcToRAL Bnx
REMINIsCENCEs.

CALLING 1T GREAT HUxBUG-ELECTORAL Rrru
REMINIsCENCEs.
PITTsBURG, Aug. 20 (Specid1.-Senator Black.
burn passed through tho city to-day on his way n
Kentucky. To . reportsr,1 remark that Civil Service
was his hobby. the Senator replied:
~ will toll you what I said to tho President davs
ago. We had been speaking OF the nomination Of
Matthews to De Register OF tho District of Columbia
tho confirmation OF whom opposed In the Senate Nj.
Cleveland said If were President Of the United
States would call my Cabinet together and say: Gen.
tlemoD. II there 10 . single Repu dcan ofcehoder In
your departments at the expiration Of period Of ten
days your resignstons will be expected forthwith.
Briefly consider Civil Service reform the biggest hum.
bug ever perpetrated upon the American people,"
The ssnaror said that Secretary Whitney had Informed
him that Matthewss only political value consisted In
his ability to stir up "rows" in ward meotingS He
considers Matthew's appointment . mistake and when
the President said that he wanted to show that tha
Democratic party not inclined color line
Mr.. Blackburn suggested that Matthews be given the
Albany postoffce, and he promised to vote for
his conformation Mr.. Blackburn just before eav-
ing tho Capital volunteered the information to
Mr.. Matthews that he would see that he did
not receive seven votes when bis appointment
is again reported 10 the Senate. Mr.. Blackburn,
was asked bis opinion of Tildens course during the
critical period that preceded Hayess Inauguration He
said
!" II Tilden had 81 any time put card In the Nav.
York papers declaring himself the rghtfully elected
President United States and affirming his
mnation to maintain bis rights the opposition would
have melted away and Hayes would never have entered
the White House Tlden constantly sent emssaries 70
myself aud other opponents OF the Electoral Bill beg.
gng to desst he had the strongest case Jerry"
Black aptly described the situa0n whom ne sad after
the appointment OF the commission We have the case
but they have the court, and upon the whole would
rather have their chances than Tildeas friends
say that he feared boodshed. Had the Electoral bill
failed pass there would have been bloodshed The
Nation would be without head and the Republicans
would have employed the military to cit Hayes. This
was what lighting for. I did not want to give
them shadow OF legal right to the Presidency, bus
would have been resistance to the usurpaton.
My purpose would have been accomplished II Randall
had lost his head In the first OF the fibus-
tors I said that n Randall would give tho
shading Of the rules I would guarantee to
prevent the Electoral bill from passing for six
weeks six months II Necessary Randall
agreed. but after he mad fought ths bin for i've
and within five days OF the death OF the XLIvh
Congress, Randall weakened under the tremendous
moral pressure that had been brought to bear upon
him and by . single arbitrary ruling let the bill SO
through"
When asked to name the standard bearers in tbs next
Presidential campaign Blackburn said; "Cleyeland
and Blaine unless Hill should too strong for tho
former 10 New York. II would mover do to nominate
Hill Cleveands head but he might got the second
place the ticket with Western man. It's time that
the Democrats took q candidate from the West any
way. Every Presidential nomination since Buchanan
has been practically resident OF Newf McCel-
Ian and Hancock were but nominal Pennsyivanans"