Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1865-1872, 1868-04-03

dent may disregsrd IL. II II DO 80, he IL
bound by 1, until In loyal way IL IL 20,
aside, and he who violates H. sets the bad
example Of dIsobedienoe, aud subjects
himself TO the penalties prescribed for
H. tn.a.f tlfIf ef. f#
But what IL there In the assertion that
the tenure. oi-oihce law IL uneonstituiionalY
The Idea u based upon the opinion Of pub.
lio men AZ M early period Of our history
who thought u 20 be the duty aud peculiar
province OF the President 90 superintend
the conduct Of his appoln,ees aud remove
them summarily thus checking their cx-
cesses aud arresting their violations Of law
or malieasance Of Office; some going so fur
"a TO say that the President would be i'm
pesehsble if he did not remove officials he
had appointed who were guilty of crimes
and misdemeanors.
But the history Of the Government and
all our public experience have shown that
the danger does not lie In that direction,
bu, rather in the opposite one. The arbi-
trary removal Of men from Office by the
President for mere opinion sake has been
a crying evil since the days Of Andrew
Jackson, who initiated prescription for
political opinions, aud began that system
which soon degeuerated into one whose
motto was, TO the victors belong the
spoils." Here bcgan the dark days Of the
hero the greed Of gain, the
thirst for Office, the struggle for preiermcnt
at any cost, entered side by eide with the
war Of opinions, and the debates of politi-
cal projects aud principles, aud corrupted
aud dehled them; aud right here lies the
most dangerous rock ahead Of the ship Of
state. To guard against this unwarranted,
almost unlimited, almost desposic power Of
removal aud appointment the whole na-
tion for years has been anxiously looking
for a method, aud were at last driven TO
the adoption OF this law relative 10 the
tenure of civil ofilces. The reasons that
operated on the minds Of our fathers when
they were silent on the power OF removal
we're found TO be Of no force and the fears
they entertained OF the corruption Of in-
ferior officers, unless guarded and checked
by the executive head, were proved TO be
vain aud futile. IL was found that there
was much more danger in corrupt and
powerful executive officer, WELDING aud
moulding ali his inferior officers TO base
purposes, than in their Leconlng individu
ally unfit 10 exercise the fu lctions Of
Office
The struggle 10 expel from Office Mr..
Stanton began soon utter the passage of
the reconstruction ucts II last March. lie
had honestly and faithfully undertaken to
carry them into execution, while Presi
dent johnson, with dogged aud willful de-
termination, resolved to thwart aud defeat
them; 6rst, by his vetoes. Insulting in tone
aud unlawful in spirit; then by his private
declarations, and then by his unwnrranta-
bic interferenes with the officers to whom
we were inlrusled the administration OF
affairs. When il was found that the
Southern people werc about to acquiescc
In these measures Mr.. johnson aud his
emisssries, by NIL means, endeavored to
dissalsfy them; aud, finally, TO prevent
the permanent reorganization Of certain
States, removed successfully the most
faithful, honest, and gallant district CON-
manders- Sheridan, Sickles aud Pope.
When IL was found that the people OF the
South were going TO register themselves,
to an election, white aud black
alike peaeeably acquiesced in the mode of
procedure; when 1t was found that the
rebel soldier was forgetting the wrongs
aud ills OF war, aud was emerging from
the shadows Of despair cast upon him by
the mistakes and crims Of his leaders; when
he was again beginning to resume cheer
fully the duties Of life aud again take
upon him the rights and obligations Of
citizen, when IL was found that Longstreet
Barriuser, Beauregard, Joe Johnston.
Wade Hampton aud even Lee counsoled
scquiescence 10 the Law, and some OF them
even urged cheerful concurrence in its
execution BY all the people; when 1t was
found that soon these regeneratcd States
would rage themselves in the line Of the
Union, loyal to the core and Radical Re-
publican, then il was that President John.
sou, ut oil hazards, resolved to prevent il
Ito stop the wheels Of progress, to check
restoration, to keep up the reign of an
archy aud misrule, to perpetuate the dis.
orders. the enmi,ies, the distractions, the
preparation Of crimes-then it was that
he resolved that, come what might, be IL
war, with its waste Of treasure aud blood :,
be il an overthrow OF the Constitution, he
would trample on the law, defy il, aud
put il down forever. Reconstruction
should not take place as Congress had de-
termined
The removal Of the district commanders
was followed usAuVu.t last bv the susnen .
sion Of Mr.. Stanton aud tho appointments
of General Grant ia his place, who in his
turn yielded to Mr.. Stanton under the
decision of the Senate. Aud here, for u
time, the grim tragedy which had SO long
strutted the stage suddenly degenerates
into farce. General Grant Is assigned the
duty Of playing hocus pocus with the War
Department; OF acting the part in which /,
"now you see it, aud now you don't see it;
but the grave aud silent man stubbornly re.
fuses to play as directed. General Sher.
man is suddenly honored with brevet as
General, aud he is expected TO put on the
dress OF mountcbank aud play for Mr..
j Johnson some feats Of ground aud lofty
tumblng in the face Of the nation; but the
great tanker declines to be outAanked by
an empty brevet, aud goes off toward the
sunset TO look after the Indians. Quick
as tho changing scenery Of the stage an.
other doubly breveted veteran is marched
out with solemn face and stern bearing
the old hero Of Nashville. His surprise
ut his sudden honors bewilders him for a
moment, and he wonders what mean thing
L.. L. a.. Ill A..