The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-08-27
THE NEW YORK PRESS.
EDITORIAL OPINIONS OF THE LEADING
JOURNALS UPON CURRENT TOPICS.
COMPILED IvnY DAY FOR rvrNrNe TEIreRAPl



From ne Tribune.
We have asked no sympathy for the Repub-
licans whom Andrew johnson is thrustng out
of office. They came in with their party and
will not whine IN being required to go out with
it. II wilkes Booth had made himself President
by the mmdeT Of Lincoln, they would not have
expected to hold on; and why should they as it
is? "The King is dead; live the Kingln Let
those who think it hard to get living just as
the great mass do who never na1 nor never will
have an office, Cry over their removal If they
want to; they will find very few to keep them
company.
Yet itls nevertheless true that the removal
of faithful officers whose terms are uneXpred,
simply because they cannot see through the
Presidents spcctacles. is at best tlagrant abuse
OF power which hnds no warrant in the Federal
Constitution. The men who made that charter
never meant to confer any such dangerous and
despOtic authority. The Oeople who ratified 1T
did not suppose they were giving the President
power to dismiss capable and faithful officers at
WILL The New YORK Times virtually admits
this when ii say5:- lac
"As TO the right OF the President to remove Office
holders who have made themselves obnoxious to the
Administration, we apprehend that the den ais oil
Lnc radical press gmounv to notG!ng 1t the GOnsu-
tuition and the legislation OF the country tailed to
confer tie power exp cit " the usage OF the Govern
ment would be aU horI,Y enough. what every PresI-
dent has done stnce part sanshtD reared its head,
President johnson may do wItnout an excess or
power. But the established construction of tine
Constitution, and the terms of Congressional
statutes establish he riPht o. the President bey ond
caViI or controversy. The power of removal does
exist the Fresiuent, said Mr.. Webster when dis
cGssng the removal of Duane by General Jackson.
And yesteTday's WOrtd reprOduces the opinion of
Chancellor Kent, when appealed to the subject.
1T is too late, are the words OF the Chancellor, as
quoted by Cur contemporary, to call the Presidents
power IN question alter dcclaratoIY act of Con-
gress and the acquiescence OF half century,"
The Democratic party OF this country has
ever pretessed 10 exact and uphold a strict con.
CT M ~ ii ifntin Govo
Mr.. Jefferson in the famous Kentucky "Resolu-
tions OF '9S" "In questions of power, let no
more be heard o confidence in man, but bind
hlm down f1om mischief by the chains Of the
Constitution"
No line of thar Constitution has ever been
cited as investing the President with authority
to remove ottce.hOlders "who have made them.
selves obnoxious to the Administration" This
is at best an inierenCial constructive, deriva.
tive power, resting on the usage of the Govern
ment, and modern usage at that. Neither
Washington, nor either Adams nor Jefferson
nor Madison, claimed or exercised any such
power. When an ottice-holder's term expired,
they may have telt at liberty to nominate
another to replace him they may have felt at
liberty to remove one who proved incapable or
corrupt; but the right of the President to re-
move any and every otfice-holder on no other
ground than that he was obnoxious to the Ad-
ministration," is one of the comparative novel
ties which are not improv 1ments. Hence the
Confederates, in framing their Constitution
took care TO preclude it. ''
But johnson aeM remove the ofice.holders
who are faithful 70 their principles and convic-
tons rather than subservient to his ''policy.n
The courts may pronounce this un warranted
but meantime iJ will be done. Heads are
falling by hundreds daily; let them fall The
quicker and cleaner he makes his sweep the
better for The radical cause. Each kicked out
Otiice-holdcr is worth to the good cause any two
that are kept in. Let the headsman sharpen
his axe, then, and lay about him to his hearts
content For the devil hath come among you
having great wrath, says the Apocalypse, "be-
cause he knoWth his time is short"