The Portland daily press., 1868-12-29
u;.,;on o,. AuxiIiary in f0hficai
Coufesla.

W.T. ,o,ta have imagined that the reticent
~. o-snt would suddenly stop smoking and
oxclaina in The presence of the grave Senator'S
,.The tenure of Office bill must be really repeai-
ed before / begin that he would make the
same peremptory demand Of his ttd'ts Acha'eS,
e n. Wsshburne, and announce the adoption
Of a Gpolicy" 10 the hearing OF gaping newspa-
per correspondents The Democratic newspa-
pars only have this important news. They are
precipitating ga conflict between Congress ana
the incoming Executive" as rapidly as fneir
busy pens and active imaginatoDs can worA'
The use of fiction as political agency 80 H'
new thing, though The Denocra"c nou
tion of that powerful instrumehtan'S 10 oPen
Z, seriops ol,;ections. The Uncle Tom OF MRS
stovVa and Tho Cross Roads Postmaster OF Mr..
J.ocLa or ,ao,;,iuoate creations of the magma
tion an5 have their due weight. The fable of
.tbe stomach and limbs" told by crafty pa
.r;c;an to the seeding plebeians of Rome, was
one of the most successful yarns" ever adj
dressed to an intelligent public. Dryden I'm
dertook to DO something for the Stuarts and
Catholicism by his fable of the Hind and
Panther" Temperance novels have been
among the most efficient auxiliaries of prohibi-
ton
Bat the novels, fables, and allegories that
have had an important influence in moulding
public opinion have not been hes, like these
stories, designed 70 deceive, sent from WASH
ington for the purpose of foinenting suspicious
jealousies and vain imaginings in the minds OF
Republicans. 1t cxasperates the Democratic
leaders TO see things going on so harmoniousiy,
and their bowels yearn for another Andrew
johnson. Grant being the poorest sort OF a
johnson, they imagine him one.
Let no one be disqueted. Why should
Grant desire the repeal of the tenure-of-offtce
sct2 That law merely makes the assent of the
Senate necessary in the removal as well as in
the appointment of certain public officers 1t
Is check upon the rotation in Office policy
which has proved so disastrous 10 the public
interests under former administrations, but it
In no way limits the power of the President in
cases where prompt suspension of an officer
from his duties is necessary. The tenure-ot-
Office act undoubtedly had for its immediate
occasion desire TO tie the hands of Andrew
johnson. but its cause was feeling that such
an arrangement was wise and just as matter
Of permanent public policy. The Senators
and Repre< entatiyes who voted for it SO decar-
ed, and repudiated with much warmth the
dec aration Of its opponents that they would
unite" Johnsons successor, il he should be a
Republican.
THE people, judging from such expressions
of opinion as there have been, On their part,
desire that the tenure of office act should not
be repealed. They trust Grant most implicitly
and have no dcabts or fears concerning hirn.
n,-e ~ L., sFSrne,xa7.E nd
while he is in Office bis agency in the appoint
msnt Of tens of thousands Of subordinates can
not be exclusive. Wire-puliing snd the in-
p2rtuDties OF politicians have too much infiu
ence In this rotation business. Gen. Grant as |
an honest man and a patriot can only desire a
change In tho Law for the purpose Of better ex-
ecuting other laws, and tt is difficult to see
how he can conclude that such a purpose can
be subserved by change.
There is no probability that the change will
be made. The bill Cor this purpose which Gen.
Butler introduced in the House has been re-
fsrred to the Judiciary Committee, composed
OF men who were most active in impeaching
President johnson for violating this act and
who in conducting the prosecution against
him defended it as wise and necessary regu-
lation. The thirty-fve Senators who voted in
favor of convicting johnson did SO expressly
on the ground that the law which he had set
at defiance was part of the settled policy of
the nation, and, of the seven Republican Sem
ators who voted to scquis, several based their
conclusions upon the alleged fact that the
President had not violated the law, and not
upon the hypothesis 1t was unconstitutional
and unwise Until the new civil service bill
is passed, which in some degree may be made
to obviate the necessity OF a tenure of Office
bill, It would be a calamity TO have the latter
repealed; and even then, inasmuch as the one
has reference to officers confirmed by the Sem
ate VIII le the other only touches them Incl
dentally, the two measures would be admirable
Supplements of each other.
Washington dispatches received since the
above was written confirm the impression that
the reports in the Democratic papers are tabu-
lous. The Tribune's special says that while
Gen. Grant will fill the offices at his dlspos al
from the Republican party, he win make IT.
ness for the ;fferent position the main consid-
Grafton and that he approves Mr.. Jenckes' civ
Il service bill. There is no possible intelligence
that could come from Washington more graft
fviu1 than this