The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1867-10-25
ALABAMA ELECTION RETURNs.
Expenses of reconstruction at the
South---The Tenure of Oniee Law.
Qualification of U. s. Laws.
WAsHISGToS, Oct. p

. EXnEuAEH OF IA
? south--The Tenure of Oniee law
! Qualification OF Z. s. Laws.
WASHINGTON, Oct. p.
ALABAMA ELECTIONS.
Returns from the Ala 5ama elections
have been received at the War Office
They show that the number OF voters
registered was les, 100. The number OF
votes cast was 81, 263, OF which all but
s. 23g were in favor of a convention.
The white vote was about l6. 500. Five
sixtbs of the convention delegates are
pubIicans. and about half of them
are colored men.
EXPENSE OF RECONSTRUCTION.
Official returns show that the ex-
penses of carrying out the Reconstruc-
lion law have been kept within the
estimates made when the bill passed.
The amount appropriated was mil
lion and a half or this, Jess than
million has been expended, and the
most expensive part of the work, the
registration. is nearly over. Up TO the
week ending September 2Sthr there had
been sent to paymasters of the several
military districts $40. AZ, O93. leaving
in the Treasury, 10 the credit of the
Second District, SOS, I'll or AT the same
date there were in the hands of these
paymasters, uDexpended, balance
amounting TO S532, 81 - leaving in the
Treasury, OF the million and half,
S52s, 0s5 ~ unexpeuded.
THE TESURE-oP-oFFICE LAW.
Certain editors of newspapers sug-
gest that, in proposing to treat the Ten
ure-ot-office Law as unconstitutional,
by the removal, instead of suspension,
OF Mr.. Stanton, the President is incon
sisteni with his ayowed policy, TO re-
gard all acts OF Congress as legal and
valid, until decided to be the reverse by
the Supreme Court. In answer to this
it is understood Mr.. Johnson makes
this distinction between his RESPONSE
bility and duty under the Tenure-cf-
office Act; and these acts Congress
passed over the veto, and which he yet
regards as unconstitutional, viz: in
the matter of removal of a MEM
Der of the Cabinet, there are but
two persons who can take the in
itiatiVe aud do the act or acts
that will make case tor the adjudica
ton of the Supreme Court, and these
two persons are the President and the
Cabinet officer removed; whereas, in
the other law of Congress, other officers
and citizens are the parties directly af-
feCted, and are required to perform OF
refuse TO perform the acts that make
up a case for the decision of the Su-
paeme Court. In this view of the sub
ject, Mr.. johnson was the only one who
ally carry the case before the Court.
No one could take the initiative in the
matter of the removal OF Cabinet
minister for him. He alone has the
power of removal of that officer. In
the execution of other acts of Congress,
the Executive necessarily leaves 1t TO
the parties aRgrieYed, or whose rights
are directly affected by the laws, to test
the constitutionality OF the law.
UNITED STATES LAWS.
The Commission to codiGy the United
States laws, have made such progress
that they are about ready 10 have such
portions of the laws as are revised
printed for the inspection of Congress.
The work has proved much more COM
plicated than was anticipated. After
the Commission was organized. the
subject was assigned as follows: Land
and Patent laws, Judge Johnson, of
Ohio; Judiciary, Caleb Cushing, of
Massachusetts; Military, Judge James,
OF the District of Columbia. The
portion of laws of these classes
which have become obsolete, vary
from half TO three fourths of the whole,
and the reduction made by striking out
supertluous sections, has been large.
Generally speaking. the older laws are
far more carefully drawn than those OF
more modern date, and many have
been found in which it was impossible
to fix upon a precise construction
The Commission is considering the
propriety of recommending radical
changes in the organization of the At
torney Generals Office, SO that by at
taching several solicitors to that De-
partment, to whom all points of law
can be referred from the Departments
here, and certain solicitors from the
country at large. The expense TO the
Government for legal advice will be
greatly reduced.