The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-10-13
General Grants Administration.

Believing that the State elections of this
day will not shake the prevailing impression
of General Grants election in November
believing, in other words, that General Grant
| is to be our next Presdent-we are naturally
drawn to consider the difficulties, the advan-
tages, and the probable policy and conse-
quences to the country of his administration.
The first difficulty confronting him, if not in
the meantime removed, will be the Tenure of
Office law-that law under which the execu-
tive branch Of the government, as previously
recognized under the constitution, was re-
duced to mere appendage of the Senate.
Before that law was passed the President, in
faithful, refractory or unsatisfactory subordi-
nate in any of the executive departments, and
the Senate had not the power Of enforcing his
restoration. But under this Tenure of Office
law no executive subordinate whose appoint
ment requires q confirmation by the Senate
can be removed by the President without tho
consent Of the Senate. Mr. johnson, for in
stance, in the absence of the Senate, may sus-
pend any executive subordinate; but at the
first session of the Senate thereafter he must
give his reasons to that body for such suspcn-
sion; and If the Senate shall vote that such
reasons are insufficient the suspended officer
is reinstated. The case of Stanton, as Secre-
tary Of War, eliminating in Johnson's i'm
parchment trial, and in his escape from q con-
viction of ''high crimes and misdemeanors, I"
and from expulsion from the White House by
| one vote, is fine illustration of the intent
and working Of this Tenure Of Office law.
| President Johnson. with his narrow escape
from that trial, discovered that the law in
| question was dangerous trap, aud that, with
the addition to the High Court Of Impeach-
ment of some thirteen or fourteen radical
Senators from the South, il would be wise on
his part not again to put his foot in 1t. We
see what has followed. His subordinates,
especially those engaged in the collections and
disbursements Of the Treasury Department,
20 their own way, engage In their own
schemes and rings of corruption and spolia-
ton, and snap their fingers in the President
face. He cannot touch them, for before them ID
the triple brazen shield OF the Tenure of Office
|
ate. Furthermore, as the law stands the
| Cabinet Of johnson may continue for one
month after his Inauguration to hold thoi
places as the Cabinet of Grant, unless thu
Senate concur meantime In change.
But it may be said that this law will be NJ
difficulty to General Grant, inasmuch as h'
and the Senate, of the same party, will be o
one mind 10 the matter Of removals from an'
appointments to Office How do we know
this? Within six months after Grants inau
guraton the present party lines In the Senat
may disappear and new lines of division ma,
be formed which may make the agreement OF
Tom, Dick or Harry as difficult between Gran
and the Senate as II is between the Senate an,
Johnson In any event the manacles will
which Congress-, in It's violent partisan hos
: tility, has locked fast The hands OF Presiden
Johnson should not be transferred to tho hand
OF Grant. IL Is degradation Of the Presiden
tial Office utterly unjustidable, even agains
4 | Johnson and an cxcrescenco upon the govern