The New York herald., 1869-04-01
WASHINGTON
The Conference Report Oh the
Tenure of Office Law.
AN Unsatisfactory COMPROMISE.
The Report Accepted in Both
Houses.
Senator Sprague Voting With the
Democrats Against 1t.
Discussion in Executive Session Over the
Nomination Of LOngStreet.
Strong DenunciatiOn Of the appointment by
Senator BrOwnlOw.

WASHINGTON, March 81, 1869.
Virtual Repeal Of the Tenure oil Once Law
The President's Power of Removal Re.
stored.
The committee Of conference on the Tenure OF
ONCE law spent two hours to-day IN discussing the
project of further amending tn bill to render
it acceptable to the two houses Of Congress. Trum-
bull and Edmunds adhered 10 their former position
on the amendments previously presented to and re-
]ected by the House. Grimes stood out for repeal,
but finally concluded, In a spirit OF harmony and
conciliation and with q desire TO relieve PRESIDENT
Grant from his present cmbarrass,aents to acqul-
esce IN the agreement which was ultimately reached
by the committee. bingham offered the amendment,
seconded by Washburn, ald which was adopted
Butler ultimately also agreeing 70 accept 1t. Be-
tween Edmunds and Bingham tlcre was a differ
ence Of opinion on the point In the amend nent
allowing the President to send in the name oil
another person in place Of one who might be re-
jected in the place OF suspended officer. Edmulds
held that this dId entirely away with the principle
that the Senate had the right to say If suspended
Orlcer virtually removed might not have full and
su icient claims to be restored to his position
Bingh CHAM commended that the most obnoxious lea ure
OF the amendments presented to the House
that compelling the President to take back the
officer removed and to allow the questionable
suUterfugc OF removing him again the day after Con-
grcss adjourned. The morality OF the proceeding,
Mr.. Bingham said was bad enough, but the sense
justice Of it ridiculous and farcica. 1t might
answer very well for this administration so long
1t was In harmony with the Senate; but hitch was
sure to come at some tine other. The difference
between the report OF the conference committee and
the original senate amendment was alluded to as q
difference in form and no: in substance. The only
amendment reported by the conference Is that to
the concluding pro, islon to the second Sec
ton Of the Senate amendment, that the sus-
pended officer, upon the refusal OF the Senle
to concur therein, should be restored 10 his oice,
watch Is stricken out. THIS leaves the law subject
10 the generally cd construction of the const
tuition by oil parties IN the country. The clause
stricken out does not substantially chan e the ory-
nal Senate amendment, as coLtenae' Tor by Mr.
Bingham and sustained by twenty-ole majoity OF
the republican side OF tic House last week. for the
reason he then said, that the restoring clause OF
tlc Senate amendment now sticken out was no more
than the SHADOW without the substance The effect OF
the report OF the conference committee adopted to
restore to the Executive his power OF control over
I'll clvi! officers at home ana abroad to the extent
that he may suspend them without assigning rca-
cons. The adoption OF the repori Is source Of great
relief large toncourse of patriotic visitors In this
CITY.
Opposition to General Longsircet's Appoint.
unent-Iiitcr Speech Of Senator Brownl0w
Against Confirming the Appointnicnt--He
Wants Ke.o 10 Fake Back Scat.
Most OF the time OF the executive se sion OF IN,
Senate this aiterloon was occupied IN considering
the OF General Longstreet, nominated for Sur
veyor OF the port Of New Or.eans. AS soon a. the
case was called Up senator Brownlow, oi TenI es-
see obtained the oor aud sent to the Clerks desk
to be read written speech OF about fifteen minutes
lcagth against the confirmation OF Longstrect Mr.
Brownlow's speech star ed out with q state
mcnt OF the general principle that 1t was
wrong to hold out premium for loyat,
by rcwarding , those who had been rromi-
nenty engaged in the rebellion with Offices of trust
and cmolumcnt they sI-nied their ac-
ceptancc Of the situation. That situation, It must
be remembered, was not OF their own cho sing, but
had been forced upon them by tile succ .ss OF the
un'on armies. No nan supposed that TIE rebels
would be more loyal to-lay shan thev were in the
midst OF the rebellion II tGey could help it Was
right, was prudcnt 10 pass by the loyal OF the
sonth who hal suffered In person. purse and reputa-
ton for the tnlcn, and appoint their prosecutors
and assaanis to the cei Offices within the gift CT
the government For one, Ec tErownlowI would
never consent to euch pocy. lie "a. IL favor OF
rewagding those who had stood By the nag In the
hour OF peril, and not those VINO had endeayored by
every means IN Their power 10 wipe 1t out Of exist
ence. lie coud not forget, nor could the Union men
OF the South for whom he spoke, orlet the conduct
OF this man Longstreet during the rebellion. IL was
well known that General LoDgs street had been one
OF the most efficient agents Il the rebellion. This
was q fact conceded on bo.h sides NO man, per-
haps not exccp ing JEFF Davis hiin ,clf had laboled
earnestly for tie success OF the con eicracy. HIS
heart was IN the business, and all energies were
devoted TO Its interests. II could said OF HIM,
a. it was sad OF some other Southern men, that
he was forced into the rebellion. Here was q
man educated AMI nurturcd by the government
who had wiliuly aud deliberately gone ovar TO its
bttcrcst enemies aud sought its life. lie
con, idcred nm as criminal Robert Il. Lee or any
other rebel general and he was oppos ID to cxaiting
this class Of men while the land was yet In mourn
In for the dead they had SIAN. lie tien proceeded
90 give an account OF certain raids made under
Longstreet IN Tennessee. These ralds told fearful
upon the devoted Union men whom he lBrownlov)
repr, sent IN The Sena TheiI property had been
dcsti Dyed and themselves either lied or forced TO
Zee for their lives by the rebes and traitors under
IN man whom 1t was now proposed to reward with
fat oilce under the same government that
hc sought 10 0estroy. such things were
without precedent. lt found no parallel In
the history OF any government tiat had
ever existed, and ne did no; believe the
people Of this coanry, the loyal people, would tole.
rate such proceeding. lie was a. much In favor
OF enIcncy to the misguided people OF tae South as
any Other man, but hc saw . markcl difference he.
tween them and the leaders OF the rebellion, the
men who brought all this boodslci and destruction
upon the country lie believed witn Andrew John.
SOL that "rebcls should take back scat" not only
IN the work Of reconstruction but In the distriou.
tion Of the federal patrouas,. lie dld not care to
punish these men, but he resarcd II Va the egnt Of
I'm udencc In them tnst thes should aspire to hold
ONCE when the blood ol patriots was scarcely
dry upon their hans. Mr.. Brown!ow sald he had
no doubt President Grant made this nomination IN
good faith end with the best motive bat he tBrown.
iowl could not shut eyes to the tact that The
nrinAtion oi General i.onvstreet would be a naerant