The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-03-15
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"MSlign0nt LeRislatiom,"
fbo 1b-sb,s.,,

"Malignant LeRisIation."
From The Tribune
One of the Presidents court journals in
Washington censures Congress, and especially
the Senate, for what it calls 'malignant legis-
lation." By this it means the numerous re-
jections of the Presidential appointments to
office. Let US look at this charge for a
moment
President Johnson came into Office by the
gracious support of the Republican party,
thereunto induced by much profession of
loyalty. He found that party in possession Of
the Government, To a certain extent-we do
not say an unlimited extent-he owed it
allegiance That is to say, where two capable
men applied for an office, one Republican and
the other Democratic, he was bound to appoint
the Republican. Where there was no COM
petent Republicans, no one, of course, could
object to a Democrat.
The Senate was generous in this matter.
When one of the best offices in New York
was given to Mr.. Odell, a supporter of McClel-
Ian, he was confirmed, and nothing was said,
although there were thousand Republicans
in New York quite as competent and deserv-
ing. 1t came to pass that the President con-
ceived ga policy" 1t was a peculiar policy,
ill-begotten, monstrous, out of parallel with
nature. 1t was tenderly loved and reared.
The nation Stunned it, Ofice-holders avoided
it, and exasperated his Excellency by declining
to follow his teachings. An occasional Hes
sian like Mr.. Randall, or some poor, forlorn
devil of an otice-beggar and Ofice-broker like
Mr.. Weed, endorsed it. Brave, good Republi-
cans spurned it, and the people sustained
them.
Then came general prescription. Mr.. Den
nj driN ant of bn (No1, pt Nuit
standing his iauHt to New York after the Pre-
silent's celebrated speech Mr.. Harlan and
Mr.. Speed were banshed. A renegade was
made Postmaster another was placed
in the Interior Department. The Treasury
was assaulted. Men who had acquired
knowledge of the intricate and perpleXing
revenue system were suddenly thrown out,
and ignorant adventurers appointed. We do
not think it too much to say that ten millions
of dollars have been wasted by these changes
in the revenue. In New York we have seen
the most disgraceful ansactons-frauds in
the customs, in the excise, in the revenue col
leCtiOns. Two Congressional Committees have
been here, stirring around and producing the
most startling and disusting revelations. In
Philadelphia it was even worse, and as to the
West, we have heard nothing but complaint.
While Mr.. McCulloch was debasing the
Treasury service, Mr.. Randall was removing
POstmasters by the hundred ''for political rea-
sons" Mr.. Stanton was sending the radical
Terry out among the Indians and adding stars
to the shoulders of Custer, and Mr. Seward
was appointing such men as McGinnis to re-
present us abroad, and listening to the gossip
of spies and adventurers. Treachery was re-
warded. Men were honored for hypocrisy,
and the vast patronage of this Government
was hawked along the streets and doled out to
renegade Republicans, Copperheads, and Sc
cessionists. What remained Was the
Senate tamely to submit to this degradation!
Was it to allow its friends to be punished for
their opinions? Was it, on higher grounds,
to permit McGinnis to succeed Campbell-or
a Cowan to replace Motley? Was it tamely to
permit over thousand postmasters to be
driven out of Office because they were not as
easy of conscience as Mr.. Randall? Was it
to indorse Mr.. Seward's Peeping Tom and
officiating diplomacy?
We say no. We honor the Senate for its
intrepidity. There are individual cases where
we might have acted differently. If General
Couch was rejected as Collector in Boston, we
do not see why General Dix was confirmed as
Minister to Paris. Still, on the whole, the
Senate has done well. If the public service is
deranged, President Johnson and his Cabinet
are absolutely to blame. We trust that every
Copperhead and every renegade Republican
sent to the Senate for confirmation will be
rejected and again rejected, until the Pre-
sident comes to his senses in The matter OF
patronage, and learns that the offices of this
Republic are for the good of the people, and
not a part of his personal property, to be
given to those who choose to be his slaves.