New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1867-12-04

greatly weakened the moral sense Of those who serve
~ snbordinate places. Ilo ehpenses OF tI lS
more than nix times much they were years
ago To collect and dslrse this vast amount requires
careful supervision, we'll systematic vigilance The
Tenure Of One B which has almost DESTROYED ofcial
accountability Tie President may be thoroughly CON
yinced that an officer Is incapable dishonest or unfath'
fu TO the Constitution but under the law which have
named the utmost he do Il 10 complain 70 tue Senate
ana ask the privilege OF supplying MS pace win
DeeT man The senate o P re eg9rGeG r5t
ural and not altogether unreasonable Tor the officer 10
him 10 his Mace md Give him triumph over his execu-
tive superior. The officer has other chances OF mpnnity
arising from accidental defects OF evidence the mode Of
investigating IT, and the secrecy OF a hearing IL is
not wonderful that Official nlalieasance should De
bold In proportion tho delnquerts learn TO think
themselves safe am entirely persuaded that under
such rule the President cannot perform The great duty
assigned him OF seeing the laws faithfully executed,
and that II dsables him most especially from enforcing
that rigid accountability which is necessary 10 the due
The constitution invests the President with authority
10 decide whether removal should be made IN any gwen
The OF Congress declares In substance that ne
shall only accuse slh he supposes to be unworthy ~
their TRUST The Constitution makes him sole jdGe
the premises but the statute takes away ms usdct1n,
transfers II to the Senate and leaves l nothing but the
Odous and sometimes mprtcucable duty OF becoming
prosecutor The prosecution IS to ne conducted before
tribunal whose members not, Ike hl' Responsible 10
the whole people, but to separate constituent bodies,
aud who may hear his accusation WIN great dlSIayOr
Tie Senate absolutely without any known standard OF
decision applicable to such case lis Judgment cannot De
anticipated Tor II II not governed Dy any rue, Nc law
docs not define what shall he deemed good cause
for removal 1t ia impossible even to eoHjec,
ture what may may not he 30 considered by the
Senate The nature of the subject forbds clear proof
II the charge be ncapacity what evidence VIII support
III Fidelity TO the Constitution may he uhders9Oa or
misunderstood IN thousand different ways by violent
party men, IN violent party times ualthi9ncSs 10 tne
Constitution may even come 10 I've cohsiIeleu meilo
rious. II the officer he accused OF dishonesty, now
connected with public duty, nom pilVale history, or
nom general repuiatOn or must the President await
the commission ~ an actual nsd meanor ~ once SHAH
he ia the mean time risk the character ana interest," OF INC
nation in the hands Of men to whom he cannot give ms
oOnhdencel Must lie fOrbear his complaint until the
mischief Is done aud cannot be preyehtthl II ms
zeal IN the public service should lmpel MN
at I The pperil Of being tried hmself for tic
Oense Of slandcrng his suboFdnatef In INC present
sponsbc for official delinquency Of every kind. II is e1
tremely dIcult TO say where that responsibility Should
be thrown II IL be not left where Il hats been placed by
the Constitution. But all just men Will admit that the
President ought 90 be entirely relieved from such respo
sbity IL he cannot meet II by reason OF restrictions
placed by law upon his action
The ures cted power OF removal from office IL very
great one be trusted even 10 magistrate chosen ny
the general suffrage ~ tine whole people aud accountable
directly them for his acts IL undoubtedly liable 10
been abused II II he Thought desirable and Constitn
tonal that should he 50 mitcdHs t3 make ts iIedeht
merely common nfOrmcr ganst other public agents no
should NJ least be permitted 10 act IN that capacV'
ready 20 Investigate the merits Of every ease furnished
with the ~ taking evidence, ana bound 10 decde
according estl,hrd rules This wond guarantee tho
safety Of the accuscr when be acts IN good faith aud AT
the same time the rights OF the other party.
speaE Of course with all proper respect for the pres
eut Senate but it does not seem To me that any leg-a
tive body can be so constituted as TO insure US nhess TOT
n is not the theory Of this Government that
public Offices the property OF those VINO h9il
them Thcy are given merely rs trust for the public
benefit sometime, for fixed period, sometimes during
good behavior but generally they are liable 10 Dee trn-
nSu a, ~ Sac pacsfv and Spcks the viii OF tie
people Tie forced retention In Office ~ seie dishonest
person may work great injury 10 tho pubic interest,"
c danger 10 tr public comes not from the pow
remove. bat from the power 10 appoint Iheeiole
was that tie trainers Of the Constitution eft he power
o removal uuresi rted while they gave The senate ilg
reject all appointments which, 10 ITS olulo Wet' 10y "t
10 10 made little reflection on ths subject Will
probably satisfy all who have the good Of the country at
heart that best cOuse j. 10 take the Io
guide walk in the path marked out 10y TIE io9ndgis
Of tie Republic aud obey the rules made sacred 10y me
Observance 81 our great prcdecessors. ,.,..,
The present cond ton of our hhahces hlu cloualilB
medium Is one 70 which your early consideration - Az
vted.
The proportlon which the currency Of any country
shoud bear n the whole value ~ the annual produce err
culatcd 10y its means, Is question upon Nhch p|li,
economists have not agreed. Nor 10 De controlled by
Legislation but must be left 90 the cyocablc laws which
everywhere regulate commerce ana trade. lhe cltcA
ting medium in ever irrrsi,ably now 10 those points
where ID is in greatest demand. The law of demand and
supply uuerrIF as that which regulate te tueH o
tine ocean and indeed, currency Ihe The gs' mas j"
Gibbs and flows throu ghout the commercial world 49,.
At the beginning Of the Rebellion the banknotes
circulation Of the country amounted 10 hVt In. ~
more than two hundred millions OF dollhfE SOW, the
circulation Of National Bank NOTES and those hn2H =,
legal tenders" sueary seven hundred miohs. WIN"
Is urged by some that this amount sega 10 hsa,a1teI
ssnta 10 lie best interests ~ the country Ia view OF
these Ill, opinions u may ne wen 10 hs'cl M
metallic or convertible currency. For THIS purpose icy
ms inquire how much gold and silver could De pltehSe
by the 500 10000 81 paper money no" III
Probably not than half the amount Of lhe i9tlet
showing that when our paper currency ls ~,
SOOOOOO1 THIS striking fact makes II tho ob' lous dug
Of the Government as early as may DE co.ttens Ni
measures as will enable Tie holder Of 10 notes Hha
those 81 the National Banks 70 convert thth "l,"ous
lo.s into epccie or its equivalent. reduction OF our
RiPct orlG drpepd upon the law OF demand and
.ttoltff .ltf Lac
ug legal tender and bank notes. c"hNsiunie mo Coh "
it, equivalent their present specie yaue IN tS HAnu' VI
their holders would be enhanced 100 per cent -,
e tti.abia - demanded 6y the highest public
tho circulating medium OF the county, s ,Im.
be uniform "a q a"I a instrument str the country had
lust emerged from the war OF the keYontioh anu Ha
suffering f ns1e the euTeneS The tsgss Of that
period were anxious TO project Their Po''ebh aS
experienced. Hence, in providing circulating medium
they conferred upon Congress the power 70 com none?
aud regulate the value thereof at the same time proDt
ing the states from making anything but gold and SILVER
a tender IN payment OF debts - . :. q,
Striking contrast with that which was ORIG
is Notes OF the National Banks which are made recey
able for all dues 10 the Government excluding lmpos
aud by all s creditors, excepting in payment OF lhteIts
on its bonds, aud the securities themselves 20 Lesa
tender notes issued by tho United STATES ana WIZ.
The law requires shall be received as well IN payment VI
all debts between citizens as OF All TO- bs
cepting imposts; and Sd Gold ana silver CON. ny INC
operation or our present tysten Oh nnaHOo, - ".
ever tho metallic currency, when collected ana re-
served only for one claGs OF Government creditors
who, holding its bonds semi annnaly receive Ihelr
interest in coin from the National Treasury. Ihty
are thus made 10 occupy an inyidous position
which NAV be used to strengthen the arguments OF those
who would bring into dsrepute the obligations OF the ma
ton In the pas ment OF all its debts the pgbed fatn
of the Government should be inyOlably maintained, but
while IL acts with fidelity toward the bondholder who
loaned his money that tho integrity Of the Union might
be preseryed should vi the same time observe good
faith with tho great OF the people, Who having
rescued the Union from the perils OF rebellion. bear
tax
IN fulnu its engagements There Is no reason which
will be accented Ms satisfactory by the people, Why
those who defended us the land aud protect ne on
lie ea the pensioners upon the gratitude Of tho nation
beorng the scars and wounds received while in It's