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Show The Civil Seriier. The report of the civil service commisMou nhoiild receive the careful iittemioii ot Ihe opponents, as well as the friends ui this re-ioim. re-ioim. The commisshiu Invite s tl.c ur-o:i il lusp ecllon by senators and repreent.i:ivea of in records and ni' tho'ls, and ecry fair critic will feel that such an ecnniiiialeiii tiiould precede a judgement of coiidenma. t;on cither of the svsti-ni or ils administration. administra-tion. It is not claimed tiiateith is perfect, cut i! is I elicv d t!ie l,iv Is be.n,- excelled with Impartiality anil the system' i.s Incuni. partively fairer Ihuu that of uppoiutmenta upon faior. 1 have durum the year extended the elassi. tied service to include mi erintendcips, teachers, matt'oiu and j1ij1- laiu in Ihe ludian servic". This branch ot tile s. i vicu is largely related to e.lm :iti"i,.il nu.l p!,i!aa thrpie work, and will oovioiis.y be tin I,, u, r for the chin iif. 1 he iiead.' f the seer:il eeeii'ie dej art-llieids art-llieids huvc been dirc-t; d to 11. e e-bhsti. Iin nl id it a! once in au i lib ieney reeonl a., a ha-is of eoni pat. i live nil iu- of clerk s v i'h. in '.l ehissiliei! service, v itu n view to pro. uioliim niethuds til l. in. Uli eoaii b iit Ueh a record, fuirly jd.mtcd, if open to the iuspcetioii of tho.-c urire.-tid .Mil poncr-luliy poncr-luliy stimulate the wort; ol th" b pur! iio iit aud will be a-ccpicd by all us placing the troiible-umo matter of promotions unull a just, bais. 1 recoiiimctid that tlu' anpropriat ion for the eiv.l service couiim.s-Hm be nmde adequate ade-quate to the Increased work of th" IK. ul year. 1 have twice before called the attention of coimress to Ihe lit I'ssity of Icei-moii f,, the protection if the iii'cs of railioad em. ldojees, but lllitl.ill,' has Jet bel li done. Dtiriim the y-ar enditie; ,)nne":,o. iv.d. :,i','.i brai.eiiieu i,rc killed and "Ml maimed while wmimcd in eoiipliii:; en's. The total number of railrouil employes killed duiini; the year was -I'd, and the ImmUr injucid .KJ,.V.KI. 'J'Iim is a cruel andliirit'el) nii'-edless hacriliee. 'Ihe e()vi-rinnent is spendinu' nearly I.Oimi.iioo to save Ihe lives of ship, wrecked seamen. Kvery steam vess' 1 in rigidly rig-idly lu-pecud and required to adopt the i most approved safety appliances. AH this Is irootl, bill how shafl we e.-u-e the luck of interest ami effort in behalf of this artiiy of brave joium men who, in our land of com-Inercc com-Inercc are IHtm sacrilb-ed every year by the coutinu' d use of danucroiis a;'piianees y A law iciiiir:iie; ol eveiy railroail eimaeil 111 inter s'lde eonunerce the i .piipmenl each year ol a u'lven per cent of it., freight cars with au! uiiatic couplers and air brakes to be Usui would very soon and very treat I y re-duce re-duce the piesent fearful death rate aiuuiif.' railroad employes. Ocrryinaii'tcriiiit and SIIelii(aoiizliilt. The method of appointment by the states of elector! for president and vice-president has recently attrac ted renewed interest by reus f a departure by the state of Michi. jiau lroiu the methods which had become uuilorni iu all tin: slab-. Prior to ls.;v. various ineteods had In c:i Used by the differ, cut stotes and even by Ihe. Mime slate. In some Ibe choice was made by the, leirisla. tt::e. In nth rs electors were chosen by dis. triets, but more generally by the mto of the whule slate, upon n. general ticket. Tin: 1 movement tow ards the adoption of the hi ,i last named method had uu early becjnnlntr and went steadily forward annum the states I until iu K';j there remained but a single,. .-tale. South Carolina, that had not adopted i it. 'Ihal stale, until the civil war, continued to choose its electors by vote of the leis. lature, but after the 'war changed its method Bnd coulormi d to the prai tlee of the other states, for nearly sixty year.- nil the states save one have appointed tneir electors by a popular vote upon a jrrneral ticket, and for ncar'y thirty years this method was iini-Versa iini-Versa I. After a full test (,f other methods without Important division or dissent in any state j nnd without any purpose of party advantage as we must believe, but solely upon the eon-aid-rations that uniformity was desirable, ni".! that a treiicral election in territorial divisions di-visions not. subject to ehanee was most eon-sist"iit eon-sist"iit with the popular character of our institutions, in-stitutions, best preserved the eiUalily of outvoters, out-voters, nnd effectually removed the choice of president from the baleful inlluence of , ' the "tcerrymander,' the practice of nil the states was baoimht Into harmony. That this . concurrence, should new be broken is, I think, an unfortunate, and even a threatening threaten-ing episode, and one that may well simirest whether the states that still (rive tvw'ir ap- detennincd that the choice of electors by a general ticket Is the wisest and safest saf-est method, and It would seem, Indirectly, Indi-rectly, whetlur the choice of members ol tin- house uf reiu-eseutathes or Indirectly, as iu tnc choice of members that the re could be no objection to a constitutional amendment making that method permanent. If a hms-hiiure hms-hiiure chosen in y,.lir upon purely local ni!-tiou. should, peiiebim a residual result. ! a mall of ehoi-e upon ni-iieral ticket, and ' jro ide f.-r the clfi'-e 'of i -lectors by the Ic-ei-latiire and hie trick shoulil dctei'tiiins the rc.vil!. Us plucH niihl be eudaiiirereel. 1 have at.iiih d to the i;rrv nuiedcr as an ef-fectiv, ef-fectiv, liletliod of feleetiim electors of the I pi-e-i,b ui i,v i one rrss lonal di-triets. but tin-iprimiiy tin-iprimiiy intent and effect of th" loim of I poi i! 1. ai I'oiibery hav e relation to the selce-: selce-: 1 el id li.i in to-rs ol the hot,-e o- rcpic-euta Mil --. 'I ( pow.-r ot ci-uicrcss is niiple In ih al with this threati niim and intolerable i Hl'll-e. 'i'hi Ullfllilllm ti'St of lUsillCerity 111 j i e elioii refortii w 1.1 lie found in il wiLim'. I lie s to eoiilcr as to ii-mcdie, ami put ill j force such uu-u-iii i a- w ill most cff et,';al! preserve the riitht of the people to free unit i e jiial l'"pr".eujtion. Au iittetnpt vvus mail a iu the la t coni;res j to b-. itm to bear the constitutional powers of he "a i.eiiil eovc iiiiii ui for the correction ot liatids ii"aiut the siiifnuc. Il Is important impor-tant to know whether the "j position to Mich measures is really vested in a particular feature supposed lo be objectionable or in-eludes in-eludes any tit'opo-iliou to uive. to the election elec-tion law s of the I nited Slates adcipiacy to the correction of crave and acktiow ledircd evils. I inu-t yet entertain the hope that il is possible to sc-iire a calm, patriotic patri-otic eonsidciatiou of smli eunstiiiilional or stid utory enui";cs ns inav b" necessary lo seen"-,, the choice of the otiieers ol the i.pivernnicut lo the people by fair apportionment and free elections, I believe it would be possible to constitute a commission, commis-sion, mm. partisan iu its membership and composed of patriotic, wise and impartial impar-tial men, to whom a consideration of the ipicsliou of the. evils connected with our election system and . methods iniifht be c uiimitted with a i'ood prospect of seeurinir unanimity iu .ome plan for relicviui; or lnitiirathm this" evils. The constitution constitu-tion would permit the selection of the coin-nils coin-nils sioii to be vested in tile supreme court, if that method would ",iie the best j;uar-tiiitec j;uar-tiiitec of. impartial!! v . This commission shoo Id be charircd w iih the duty of iuuiriim into I he subjec t of elections as relatinir to Ihe choice of officers of the national irovcrn- mailt, with a view to securiim to every elector lite frci and unmolested exercise, of the autl'raire and near au approach to an eviialily of value In each ballot east as is attainable. at-tainable. While the policies of the general irovcrn. fneiit upon the tariff, upon tin- restoration of our nn -reliant marine, upon the river and harbor improvements and other such matters mat-ters of "iave anil general concern arc liable to be returned in Itiis way or that by the results re-sults of tonirrcssioti.'il election, and the administration's policies sometimes iu-liivolvum iu-liivolvum !-sues that tend to peace or War, to be turned tills way or that by the results of a presidential clei tion, there is a rightful Inlerest 'n ail the states and every coneres-sional coneres-sional district that will not be deceived or sib-need by the audacious pretenses that a ipicstiou of riejil of any body of legal voturs in any state or in any coimres-ional dis. tri't to icive their sntYranu freely upon these general questions, is a matter only of loial concern or control. The demand de-mand that the limitations of the suffrage shall be found in the law and only there, is a just demand, and any just man should resent re-sent and resist, it. My appeal is and must conl nun-to in-for a consultation that shall "protect with candor, calmness and patience upon the Hues of justice and humanity, not ha juejudiee and cruelty." '1 he consideration of t hese very grave questions ques-tions invite not only the attention of congress but that of all patriotic citizens. We must not. entertain the delusion that, our people have ceased to regard a free ballot and equal representation as the price of their alleL'ianee to laws and to civil magistrates. I have been greatly rejoiced to notice many evidences evi-dences of the Increased unilication of our people and of a revived national spirit. The vista that now opens to us is wider and more glorious than ever before. Orati. tication and aniazenieiit struggle for eu. pretuuey as we contemplate 'lie population, wealth and moral strength of ourcouutr'V A trust , momentous in its influence upon our people and upon tho world for a brief lime is eouimiueu lo us, uuu wti must not be faithless to its condition the defense, of the free and the equal inlluence of the people in Hie choice of public olllcers and iu the control of public atT lirs. Hi-x.iamin F. IIaukison, Executive Mansion, Dee. 9, 1SU1. . , . " provai io ine oiu nnu prevailing lNciniel ought not to secure by convtitu-. convtitu-. lional amendment a franchise, voiich has the approval of all. The recent Michisfan legislation provides for chosiiiir w hat is popularly know n as the conifrc ssiounl electors for president by congressional con-gressional districts, anil the two senatorial electors by districts, created for the pur. pose. The legislation was, of course, ac. compnni' d by a new cone-res uomil appor-tionuiint, appor-tionuiint, and the two statutes beinif the electoral vote of Ihe slab: under the iiillu-cii'-e o! the -'iferrymandcr." The.-i -fcrrymandcrs for congressional pur-jeises pur-jeises are in mo-t eii-.es bu'tre.-sed by a ifer-ryuian.ter ifer-ryuian.ter of the leirlslative districts, thus niaUine it impossible for a majority of the 1etr.il voters of Ihe state to correct the apportionment ap-portionment ami eiiiuli" tin- eone'i'cssional district:., a mi i n ity rule is established that oibv a )"iiiie;,l ei.uviil-ioii can overtltrow. I have reccntiv I u advised that in one count', ol a ecriaoi -tale lime 'l.stricts tor t lie eb-i I bill "f lueui e. r.s of tin: leuislatuie me coli.-'lt-ite-l ,is follows: Hue has 1 1.",, ihifl j.opiilat ion, one i5.in,aihl one Io.dim. While lu .inieli-r .i.unly detaeheii noii-eiint i e;. Uoll, H e,s III. .1,- hi ell l,I'e,l t" lllllKC n !'--,,-i. listrlet. i'!i.-se metiio-.ls au -,niy tome! ctV-it,-..- aoi'li -a tioti to le,-choice of s-mi'- rs ami r ( resi-titallvc in e.'iij'efs, and :ec nn '-n; -tail has I,, ::e. , , t' ', ',-, ;. ot t :- -1.1. ft M. I ue! v,. t r- n. If tl., is 'T i'll'l-ll ' - ei.l til. Il lle-.e thl'-e HI'-'.! lie.:irtllie!l!s o' the ,-'o c - n 1 1 1 1 . ' M t iu tile e'rcS;) ol' i'ii- n :i.;1. r. tin- h 1 - lu I i . and e:.. e : : ' v :..: i '. :ii;-tl!ic , .iiiici.,:-)" i:elu-ec I iy, !i:i--!Uil til - JeiWtC o Lpje iullllelo . All i ce lion itn; ii. s tteit a.ey ie'dy ol electors liinin;;- ir : i'h . -.' qi nili li--.i I ions, each one of w hall l:a- en .na! vatic and in- II t in ' ,:i -I' m j-in iti i n L:- I : . lesiiit. So -nueu I'm- i .,!..-:;:'. 'i' ii pi-oi i-l -s tin t e-.icl: state SC--1 :,:;.'-': i 1 1 ' ' -a' -I . ill - :ei, nil'.IIU' T lis. the leei-lai'lre ilicri.-.d' may direct, a iiuiiiber of elector'-, etc., and ii'irestrieteil power was no' ifiv. n to the U-l: i lature in lie selection of tin- method- to I-,- used. .V r.-pui'M -:i,i f..rnt of -ov.-rnmeui is piianiitei d In the constitution ol i ach state, nnd the povvr liiven by Ihe same insiriiiueiit to tho lee-islaturcs oi the stales lo pp-scribc Ilflh-el- for the choice by the state of elee. toi - must be exercised urn! t Una limit-.tiop. The es-ential f-'iitu'-'-s of such ifovi lli!in ;it are Ihe rie'lil i' the people to choose their own oiheers and the nearest practicable equality of value in the suHrac.s jjiven iu detcrniiuio that clniice. 1 it will not be claimed that the power j;ivcn lo the lee-i.-laiure wouldsiipporlthcm, providine; ll-.ui, (lie persons reeeiviuif the niialb-st vote should be the el.-etoal of a law . that all electors should be chosen by the voters of a sine!,- cone rcssioeal district, " lie voters to choose, and under the pretense id' rcyuliilinir methods, tin; legislature can licit in t visit Ihe riuht of choice elsewhere nor adopt iie-tluals not conformable to republican re-publican institution. It is not nij 1'iUi pose, ho.vever, to discuss the ijiiition whether tha choice by lee-isla-turc or by the voters of equal siutiie districts is i hoicc b' the slates, but only to rceom. j mend such regulation of this mutter by "on- j i-titutioual iiiiicndmcnt as w ill secure umfor- J milyand prevent, thai dis-ji-iieel'ul parli-au j juifebirly tosueh a liberty of choice, if it ex- ists, otTers a teniptalion. ! Nothing just now is more important than to provide every (fuarantec for the absolute. )y fair and free choice by an equal BuiTrniru j with the respective states nf all the hlhiirs ! of the national government, -.vhelher that ' s.uiTiaife la applied to senators and electors j of the president. Ilcspc t for public othci ris 1 and oludieuce to law w il! not vau to be tho I characteristic of our people until our elect- j ion - cease lo declare ihe Mill ol ma; iriiies. i fairly use 'itained without fraud, and the! nij-'-i'-esioii of ibe ot ry iii.i a. ii-r." ' ; If t were culled upou to lleclliri! w lu r- in our chief luiliotml d-in.e-er lies, I should say ; wiiliout hcsilation in the overthrow- of majority ma-jority control by the suppression or pcrver-sion pcrver-sion of tbe popular sutti.m-e. Tlu lure is a real d .Hirer here all must a::ree, bm "in cn.'i-.iiies of those woo see il 1 ave been chiefly chief-ly expended to ilv ihe respousi hi II I v upon the opposite party rather than in c'Torls , to niaive a-.icn prai-liei s iuijiossiidc by either j par'v. It is not now possible to adjourn that in- i telininiibb: nnd I'leor.clusi.a- debate while ve l ike by consent, one step in tie- direction oi reform by cl.miuatiiii; the t-errymatiuer wiii. h lias been denounced by all parties us nn inlluence in Ihe oh dim of electors of pre-iilciit and members t.f riiiir.--. All the stales have been at liii I'reci v aiiiscpai auiy. |