Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1867-05-01
A SENATORTAI RUREATcRACY

A SENATORIAL BUREAUCRACY.
The Federal constitution placed in the
hands Of the President Of the United
States, whom it made the chief executive
officer Of the government the appoint
ment by and with the advice and con-
sent Of the Senate of large number Of
officers TO perform the necessary public
business This power was conferred af-
ter much discussion, and was finally set
tied upon as the safest and easiest that
could be devised The required concur
renee Of the Senate was considered rs a
proper and sufficient check upon the
President, 90 whom the earlier men in the
republic were cautious of giving too much
power The Judgment in his hands of
this function was thought necessary in
order to ensure direct responsibility of Of
feials, and promote efficiency in the dis
charge of their duties. The system
worked well, 1t was not perfect The
check OF the Senate has been frequently
interposed, sometimes iudicioysly and
with salutary effects, and sometimes the
reverse has been the ease but in an ex>
perience Of three-fourths Of century, it
had proven less liable to abuse than the
mode Of selecting ministerial officers un>
der any government in existence
The tenure>of>ofice law passed blythe
Radical majority in the last Congress
works complete change in this system,
and makes the Senate virtually the ap>
pointing power 1t provides no check,
and degrades the President into mere
formal manner OF the person, whom a
Senator, or a majority Of Senator'S, NAV
suggest TO him 1t destroys all response
bility Of the subordinates to the chief.
Its tendency is to produce ineficieney,
laxity and corruption II erects the Sens
ate into an ofiice-disrensing oIigarchy 1t
provides the means by which members of
that body can subsidize personal inau-
ences in their respective States for their
own retention in Office 1t was begotten
in partyism, and will be prolific of evil
results to every department of public
business. The National IatelEgeacer
saws:
The question is, shall the people APP
prove of this odious form of Oligarchy,
this one-man power in the Senate? Gov
errors Of States Representatives in Con-
gress, Senators and Representatives in
State Legislatnres Judges, and leading
public men not in position, must, mainly,
all pay their court to the ruling Senator or
Senators, if they desire consent 20 removals
or approval of appointments. All lead
ing politicians, ofice-holders or Office
seekers are put in dependent position by
that great political crime, the tenure-of-
Office bill. Before its passage the commu-
nifty could effect the removal of an official
without debasing compliances to one or
two men representing their State in the
Senate. IL a Senator undertook TO tbwart
their purpose he did so at his peril. He
was answerable to the people He was the
servant of the people. Now he is their
iAdatVi, n luoic OoiSus OiiS dtcHy never
existed outside Of one carrying its man.
dates upon the points of sabres. A greater
civic subjugation of the people to the few
was neverWaccomplished A more con-
spicuous overturn of the spirit of funda-
mental law, to say nothing Of republican
ism, is not Of record in political affairs.
The people are no longer to designate
whom shall be their servants, hut il is to
be prescribed 10 them by an oAigarchical
Senate whom shall be their masters.
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