Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1868-12-31
GRANT AND THE TENURE.
OF.OFFlCE BILL.
W hRt The General Thlaks
About ff...la 71uss Really.
be Repealed Before
rEc Begins.

Washington Dec. pa Correspondence Of the n.
y. World.
The dsy ending this morning has been
one Of intense political excitement among
politicians here. The cause OF this excite
Bsnt is the d difference Of opinion between
General Grant and leading Csnsrsssmen in
regard to the continuance Of the civi-teRurs
law. The exclusive disclosures of our dis
patches OF this difference are ~ trss % ex-
elusive pains are taken 10 keep the breach
private il order to heal 1t.
The facts are - follows: Gen. Grant
has, on three occasions since Tussdsy, exc
pressed his intention, in terms worthy in
emphasis Of Andrew Jackson, to have the
cisil-tsnurs bill repealed. His first utter
ancs Of tho kind was TO Washbufus, at his
(GrantG rssiieues on l street. on Tuesday
night, after the receipt Of that days
World, contaising the disclosures Of But
lsr's dodge to have the bill rspsaling the
civii.tsnure act lie over ill after day, long
enough 10 let Mr.. Johnson pocket it with
fatal effect, Gen. Grant excitedly asked his
friend: rs there anything in this: III
thought that such . game was meant, l
would"
luV tGot VI tuO UVutvuCV OuuGO liteTAlIy III
smoke.
Yesterday morning Senator Of tho State
Of Missouri, just about TO depart home for
the recess. called 10 pay his respects, and
u say good bye to Gen. Grant at his head
quarters. Tho conversation got around to
politics, and the Senator made the initiative
remark
General. I think The civil tenure law has
worked badly, aud will work worse"
To this opinion General Grant replied
exactly in the following words:
4 think SO. too. am glad on think so.
That Law must really BE- repealed before /
begin"
Evidently Gen. Grant was resolving pur-
poses in his mind, and was narborins sus
picion there, too. These suspicons found
vent, and these purposes unwontedly found
smpba 10 expression that very afternoon.
Two Congressman came to see him. Ons
was Mr. Nashburne. Tie other is said to
have teen Senator Stewart, although some
saw it was Senator Williams.
To these gentlemen Gen. Grant declared
that he believed a purpose existed not TO
repeal the civil tenure bill in good faith, and
that Congress had better understand that.
II there was any double dealing designed,
therc vas another Congress to fix things
straight. He had thought that the Forty.
First Congress need not meet, further than
an extra session Of the Senate 10 confirm
fey appointments. If affairs went right
this winter, the expense Of another session
Of Congress would be avoided, and be was
opposed to unnecessary expense. On re-
ilsction, however. he thought the Forty
First Congress had better meet in March.
That was his opinion. Therefore, he sup
posed that tbs bill rep, a'ing a continuous
session had better be dropped. II it was
passed, no wanted 1t understood that he
would call the new Congress together, by
proclamation, at an early day.
THIS in truthful substance, almost in
liaral verbs. is wha. Gen. Grant said to
those two congressman yesterday after
roon. Gsn. Grant said che wanted it IN
derstood that the congress of 1869 20 must
meet IN March. Gen. Grant said the
same day that che wanted it understood
that the civil tenure bill must 10 really re-
pealed before lie began.'
VI hat does this mean II means that
Gen. Grant believes that the civil tenure
law would net De really rcpesl cd by this
lava tie next Congress NEE, ind "reslly"
repeo! il before he begins Ger. Grant
demands that Congress Shall back down
from tho civil tenure Law and leave him as
frechanded AS Abraham Lincoln was.
What is the sentiment Of Congress in re.
gard to repeating the civil tenure laws
will try to show that plain facts prove Con-
gress 10 be opposed to the repeal Of the act
No one has even proposed to repeal it ex-
cept Gen. Bu,e.. lie merely introduced
the repeal bill without word of comment,
or statement to tell what the bill was. l,s
very title Was not known till the Clerk
read it out. 1t VAS referred to the Judi.
eiary committee Of the house. The com
mittee ID - follows:
James FEW iIsoU, Iswa; Geo. s. Bout
we'll, Massachusetts Francis Thomas,
Maryland Thos. Williams, Psnnsy lvania
I. I. Woodbridge, Vermont; VIM. Law.
renee, Ohio John c. Churchill, New
York Samuel 8. Marshall, Illinois Chas.
A. Eldridge, Wisconsin.
Seven Of this committee are radicals. Six
Of them are radicals Or the intense kind
One (Mr. Woodbridge Sis little less radi-
cal, but "hs will serve" Three OF this
committee were managers rprosecutors) fof
impest hment. They were; James +.
Wilson, Iowa George {. Boutwell,, Mas
sachusetts Thos. Williams, Penns, lvania
The gra,amsn Of impeachment was al
legged violation Of the civil tenure law. The
burden Of Impeachment speeches Was glo-
ri6ea'ion Of this law. Mr.. Williams and
Mr. Wilson made elaborate arguments to
prove its constitutisnaIity and policy, aud
insist that it be . permanent part Of the
government. This judiciary com mittee
must report the bill Butler offered, if il be
reported q, all The committee met every
day Of tbs two weeks session. During all
these meetings. fourteen in all, the bill was
never even named ones. Every day the
committee adjourned for the want OF bust
ness. therefore they did not consider il
their business 10 take up tho bill. The
hcuss undoubtedly follows the committee
Business languished every day ia the house.
Ben. Butler was present every day in TIE
hcu'e. Ben Butter never Gree asked after
nr fcyh IL l.. -