Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-03-06
EE. FRIDAY EVENING. MARCH 6. 1868

| rs necessary that that power should ex'
lat in the head of il, and quite as neees-
sary that the power should exist in the
President with reference to the few men
who are placed about him TO share his
councils, be his friends and his agents.
Mr.. Sherman said:
Now, say that if Cabinet officer
should attempt to hold HIS office for q
moment beyond the time when he retains
the entire confidence Of the President, !
would not vote to retain him, nor would
| compel President to have about him,
n these high positions, man whom he
did not entirely trust, both personally
and politically. II would be unwise TO re-
quire him to administer the Government
without agents of his own choosing
There is no public exigenoy requiring
such rule. What is Cabinet officer
after all2 The Presidents mere clerk,
because, although these Cabinet officers
are considered as high officers Of the
Government, they are the mere clerks or
recording agents Of the President, having
scarcely any power except that which is
given them as part Of the Executive
authority. 1t seems to me that when
there is any unpleasant relation, any
unpleasant differences, arising between
the President and any of these officers,
he ought TO have the power to discharge
him. / would as soon think ofimposing
upon the President a private Secretary
with whom be had no kindly relations,
personal and political, as to impose
upon him a Cabinet Minister with whom
his relations we're not kind.
Any gentleman fit to be Cabinet Min.
lister, who receives an intimation from
his chief that his longer continuance in
that office is unpleasant to him, would
necessarily resign. If he did not resign
it would show that he was unfit to be
there. cannot imagine case where a
Cabinet officer would hold on to his place
in defiance and against the wishes Of his
chief; and if such case should occur |
certainly would not by any extraordinary
or ordinary legislation protect him in the
office in defiance Of what would be re-
garded in every constitutional govern
ment as the proper one, namely, to retire
when he separates or differs in opinion
from his chief. 4l
When the bill was under consideration
as late as February 26, these Radical
Senators still urged those same views,
which now so fully sustain the President
and fall with such crushing weight on
Stanton.
Mr.. Williams said:
i have no doubt that any Cabinet min
lister who had particle of self-respect-
and who can hardly suppose that any
man would occupy SO responsible an Of
fce without having that feeling-would
decline to remain in the Cabinet after the
President had signified to him that his
presence was no longer needed. AS a
matter of course, this provision will
amount to very little one way or the
other; for l presume that whenever the
President sees proper to rid himself of an
offensive or disagreeable Cabinet minis
ter he will retire and new appointment
be made; but it was considered by the
Committee of Conference that this re-
port was in accordance with the spirit of
the bill, and the on y one on which we
could agree. So far as Twas concerned,
/ would rather have receded entirely from
the position taken by the Senate than to
have lost the bill, for l consider the bill
of great value, and am very anxious to
see it pass.
Mr.. Sherman said:
agree to the report Of the Conference
Committee with good deal of reluctance.
The Senate had by two deliberate votes
declared its purposes not to make the
duration of the Cabinet officers fixed by
any time, but that they should hold their
Offices at the pleasure of the President;
and that was the original design In the |
creation of their Offices; but the general
of this bill is so very important,
it establishes so salutary a reform, that |
thought it ought not to be endangered by a
dispute on q collateral question. The
House conferees and the House by two
votes we're very tenacious upon the sub
iect and there seemed to be probability
that the bill would be lost upon a ques-
ton that was collateral and unimportant.
[ take it that no case can arise, or is
likely to arise, where Cabinet Minister
will attempt to hold on to his Office after
MS chief desires his removal. | can
conceive of such case. | |
.hlnk that no gentleman, no man with
my sense of honor, would hold posi-
ion as a Cabinet officer after his chief
desired his removal, and therefore the
,liphtest intimation on the part of the
President would always secure the re-
Iienation of Cabinet officer. For this
eason | do not wish to jeopardize this
'nl ~ d" un'upo''""' "nu 'o''a'e'"'
iuTsVlon
oPou 'n1 I;ot AZ III VI.
ion III 'ne oii' "n,o" , 'uo a.,
lad SO strenuously opposed diu or ala
lot prevent the President from removing
hose Cabinet Ministers who had not
,een appointed by him, Mr.. Sherman