The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1866-06-01
Bad Temper and Worse Taste.

Mr.. Stevens made rather q melan-
choly exhibition of bad temper in the
House on Saturday A clause IN the
Tax bill under discussion provided for
the appointment Of Special ReVenue
Commissioner by the Secretary OF the
Treasury to fill a bureau in that De-
partment; whereupon the venerable
member launched into vehement de-
nunciatioa of the Secretary, If it had
been little less absurd and disgusting
Mr.. Stevens denounced Mr. McCulloCh
as an apostate, because he told some
members of Congress who called upon
him for an appointment, that he
would " appoint no man who does not
support the Presidents policy.
Here is some ofthe rhetoric IN which
he INDUCED:
"It is, therefore, for this House to let
the people of the country know wheth-
er officers are to be sacrificed to this
determination of the subordinstes of
the President If we do not stand by
them they will not stand by as, and
they ought not. Il is time that we
built up a wall against such tyranny
as this 1t is mslfeasance in Office. ]
have already ascertained that four Of
the subordinates of the President have
made the same declaration. If | were
little younger-and ] shall be IN 8
week, / think-I would let those Of
ficers know that this is a grand inquest
of the nation, before which men who
are guilty in Office shall be brought, and
their cases presented to another tribu-
nal to try them Sir, we are recreant
! to our own interests--We are recreant
to our own dignity-we are recreant TO
the interests of the country-if we do
not stand by those who stand by Us.
We must take care that no more pa
tronage shall be put into the hands o.
any man to be abused-avOwedly
abused. 1t is time that we spoke aloud
and let our friends abroad know that
they are in no danger; that they shall
not be sacrificed because they stand by
| Congress; because they are not the
tools of a recreant President"
Mr.. Stevens Is determined that no
man shall be sacrificed for standing
by D." but If he 'stauds by" the Presi
dent, it is quite another thing Th.
President Is denounced as tTsitol
and apostate for not appointing tc
office those who resist denounee. ano
defame him, and Congress Is called OF
to protect them Men, in the heat o
party resentments, sometimes do anC
say very foolish things; but they sci
dom stultify themselves quite so thor
oughly as this
Mr. Stevens got very little sympath!
in the House with his Incorporate and
irrational indignation. He offered al
amendment providing that Congress, b!
Joint resolution, should make appoint
ments in the Executive Departments
and did not seem in the least diseon
certed on being reminded by AR. Had
that this was directly against the ex
plicit provisions of the Constitution
But it gradually dawned upon him tina
not solitary member of the House
sustained his view of the case, where
upon he Withdrew his amendment.
For a man who has had so much ex
perience in the ups and downs of pc
litical life, Mr.. Stevens sustains defeats
with a very bad grace In power, b,
is q relentless partisan, never yielding
anything whatever to any man Wit
does not agree with him in opinion
upon every point But it is in his view
a terrible crime for the President O.
the Secretary of the Treasury, or any
body else, to act in any degree or t.
the slightest extent upon the sam,
principle Mr. Stevens ought 10 have
learned long ago that, in political con
ficts, there may be blows to take a
blows to give; and he should bear coca
sional rebuffs of this kind with bettei
grace and milder temper.-N 7
Times.