Mr. JENCKES. Let the bill be read. The bill was read, and is as follows: A bill to regulate the civil service of the U.S and promotethe efficiencythereof. Be it enacted by the Senate and HoRep of the U.S.A. in Congress assembled That hereafter all appointments of civil officers in the several depts of theserviceof the U.S., except postmastersand such officers as are by law required to be appointed by the President by and with the advice and consent of the senate, shall be madefrom those persons who shall have beenfound bestqualified for the performance of the duties of the offices to which such appointmentsare to bemade, in an " and competitiveexamination, to be conducted as herein Prescribed, " Sec. 2. Abife:, That there shall be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consentof the Senate, a board of 3 colu missioners, who shall hold their officesfor the terin of by 5 years, unlesssoonerremovedby the President and with the advice and consentof the Senate, to be called the civil service examination board, among whoseduties shall be the following: 1. To Prescribe the qualifications requisite, for an appointment into each branch and c of the civil service of the U.S., having regard, to the fitness of each candidate in rospect to, age, health, character, knowledge, and ability for the branch of service into which heseeks to enter. 2. To provide, for the examination of all persons eligible under this act who may Presentthemselves for admissioninto the civil service. 3. To establishrules governing the applieations on such persons, the times and placcs oftions, their examin.t the subjects upon which such examinations shall be had, with other incidents thereof, and the mode of conducting the same, and the manner of keeping and Preserving the records thereof, and of perpetuatingthe evidence of such applications, qualifications, examinations, and their result, as they shI think expedient. such rules shall be y framed as to keep the branchesof the civil service and the different gradesof each branch, applicable as also the records to each branch, distinct and separate. The said board shall divide the country into territorial districtsfor the purpose of holding examinations doef saigpnpalitceantsresident therein and others, and shall some convenient and accessibleplace in each district where examinations shall be held. sp4e.cTiaollyexdaemsiignneateds, personally, or by personsby them the applicants for appointment into the civil serviceof the U.S. 5. To make report of all rules and regulations established by them, and of a summary of their proceedings, including an abstractof their examinations for the different branches of the service, annually, toopethneing President, to besubmitted to Congress at the of eachsession. SEC.3. Abife:, That all appoint Inents to the civil serviceprovided for in this act shall be inade from those who have passed the required examinations, in the following order and manner: 1. The applicant who stands highest in order of merit onthe list of those who have passed the examination for any particular branch and grade of the civil service shall have the preferencein appointment to that branch and grade, and so on, in the order of precedencein examinations, totheminimum of merit fixed by the board for such grade. 2. Whenever any vacancy shall occurin any grade of the civil service above the lowest, in any branch the senior in the next iower grade may be appointed to fill the same, or a new examination for that particular vacancyinay be ordered, under the direction of the dept, of thosein the next lower grade and the personfound bestqualified shall be entified to the appointment to fill such vacancy: Provided, That no person now in office shall be promoted or transferredfrom a lower to a higher grade unless he shall have passed at least one examination under 3. The right of seniority shall be determinedby the irnaantkioonfsm, hearvitinagssrieggnaerdd by the boardupon the exam also to seniority in service; but it shall at all timesbe in the power of the heads of Depts to order new examinations, which shall be conductedby the board, upon due notice, and according to fixed rules, and which shall deter mine seniority with regard to the personsordered to be examined, or in the particular branch and grade of theserviceto which such examinations shall apply. 4. Said board shall have power to establish rules faonryspuecrhssopnesecixahleibxitaimnginpaatirotinesular, and also rules by which merit in any branch poof inthtse civil service may be advanced one or more in their respectivegrades; and one 4th of the promotions may be made on account of merit, irrespective of seniority in service, such merit to be ascertainedby special examinations, or by advancement for meritorious servicesand special fitness for tbheeepsatartbicliushlaerdbarsaanfcohreosfasiedr.vice, accordingto rulesto SEC. 4. Abife:, That said board sinhgall also have power to Prescribea fee, not exceed aminfiavteiodno, llars, to be paid by eachapplicant for exand alsoa fee, not exceedingtendollars, to be paid by each person who shall receivea certificate of recommendationfor appointment or for promotion or of seniority, which fees shall be 1st paid to the collector of internalrevenuein the district where the applicant or officer resides or may be examined, to be accountedfor and paid into the treasury of the U.S. bysuchcollector; the certificate of payment of feesto collectors shall beforwardedquarterly by the commissionersto the Treasury Dept. SEC. 5. Abife:, That said board shall have power to Prescribe, by general rules, what misconduct or inefficiency shall besufficient for the removal or suspension of all officerswho comewithin the provisions of this act, and also to establishrules for the manner of preferring chargesfor such misconduct or inefficiency, and for the trial of the accused, and for determining his position pending such trial. SEC.6. Abife:, anyoneof said commissioners may conduct or superintend any exand the board maycall totheir assistance in such examinations such men of learning and high character as they may see fit, or, in their discretion, such officers in the civil, military, or naval serviceof tthimeeU, U.S. asmaybe designated, from time to on application of the board, as assts tosaid board, by the President or heads of Depts: and in special cases, to be fixed by rules or by resolutions of the board, theymaydelegateexaminations to such persons, to be attendedand Presidedover by dQenseiginneamtebdetroofpsraeisdid board or bysome person specially SEC.7. Abife: t.hat thesaid board may also, upon reasonable notice to the person accused, hear and determine any case of alieged misconduct dorfoinr, efficiency, under the general rules heroin and in such case shall report to the head of the proper Dept their finding in the matter, and mayrecommend thesuspensionor dismissalfrom office of any personfound guilty of such misconduct or inefficiency: and such person shall be forthwith suspendedor dismissedby the headof such Dept pursuant to such recommendation, and from the filing of such report shall receive no compensation copirafotiron official service except from and after the by of any termof suspension recommended such report. SEc. 8. Abife:, That thesalary of each of said commissioners shall be $5,000a year, and h2e,0soa0id board may appoint a clerk at a salary of year, a year, and a messenger at a salary of $900a penseasnd thesesumsand the necessarytraveling exof the cominissioners, clerk, and messenger, to he accountedfor in detail and verifiedby affidavit, shall be paid from any moneyin the Treasury not ohtuhyerwise appropriatef. The necessaryexpensesof Potson employed by said commissioners, asassist ants, to be accounted for andverified in like manner, launzdoilclneerrt.ified by the board, shall als o be paid in like SEC.9. Abife: That any officerin the civil serviceof the U.S. at the date of the passageof this act, other than thoseexceptedin thheeadfirosfttsheec Dept, wmhiacyhbheerseeqrvueirsetdo abpyptehaer pbleafcoere said board, and if found not qualified for the he occupies he shall be reportedfor dismissal, and be dismissed in the manner herein before provided, and the vacancy shall befilled in mannerafore sgaraiddefrom those who may be found qualified for such of office after such examination. St.c. 10.Abife:, That all citizens of the U.S shall be eligible to examination and appointment under the provisions of this act, and dthisechreetaiodns, odfetshigen several Deptsmay, in their the offices in the several branch's of the civil service the duties of which may be performed by females as well as males, and for all such offices females as well asmales shall beeligible, and make application therefor and be examined, recommended, appointed, tricd, suspended, and dismissed, in manner aforesaid; and the names of those recommendedby the examiners shall beplaced upon the lists for appointment and promotion in the order of their merit and seniority, and without distinction, other than asaforesaid, from thoseof maleapplicants or ofitors. SEC. 11.Abife: That the President, and also the Senate, may require any person applying for or recommended for any office which requires confirmation by the Senateto appear before said board and be examined as to his qualifications, either before or after being commissioned: and the result of such examination shall be reported to the President and to the Senate.