The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1869-02-18
The Radical Dilemma.


II is some consolation for honest people |
to know that sooner or later the sins of
WiIful misgOvernment recOil with double |
power upon the heads of their authors. !
Violations of law and of justice are like
the Australian boomerang which, flung
into the air, returns to wound the hand
that sent the weapon on its errand of
mischief When a Radical Congress
passed the Tenure-of Office act, which
transformed the President of the United
States into a parsonage of less political
Importance than one of his own clerks,
the whole Radical party approved and
applauded the deed as eminently wise,
beneficent and patriotic In vain did the
Democracy point out the palpable uncon-
stitutiOnality of the measure, and the dis
astrous consequences which were sure to
follow The establishing of such an upne
cessary and dangerous precedent The
voice of helpless minority was drowned
in the shouts of the triumphant mob, and
as the legislative letters were riveted
about the limbs of the Executive, fools
and fanatics cheered the miserable device
to the very echo, and thought they had
astOnished the world with feat of won
drOus craftsmanship.
So far as we are aware, no single prOmi-
nent Radical leader, no single prominent
Radical journal, had the discernment and
the courage to face the storm of manu-
featured public opinion, and declare the
TeDure-Of Office act had no foundation
in the Constitution, and was the mere
creature of blind prejudice and bitter pas
sion
Within the last three months change
has come over the spirit of their dreams,
and the vicious seed so lately planted is
beginning to bear its legitimate fruit
General Grant is about entering the Presi
Dental char. He and his particular friends
naturally desire him tc sumo the reins
of government untram ed, but there
upon the statute book stanGs this Tenure
ofOliice act. ready to drop over his de-
voted head like huge eXtinguisher, and
cOnSign him to the same nonenity as his
unfortunate predecessor. Nearly four
weeks have gone since the troublesome
law was repealed in the House and then
sent to the Senate for similar &C
ton. There it was referred to the
Committee on Retrenchpent, whatever
that may mean, and has since been
reported back by Senator Edmunds with
decidedly important amendment. This
amendment proposes to strike from the
House bill all after the enacting clause,
and virtually insert the Tenure-of- Office
act over again, with proviso to prevent
President Grant from either appointing
or retaining Gen Schofield as Secretary of
War, Here is direct refusal to repeal,
coupled with an equally direct personal
insult. Should the Senate sustain Ed
mun1s and his committee, it is tanta-
mount to declaration of hostilities, and
will be so regarded by Grant himself and
the nation st large. Hardly more than
twenty days viii elapse before thenew adj
ministratiOn begins, and yet the party
which elected the incoming President have
thus far fatty refu' 4 to trust him with
the appointment o ; subordinates J In
this critical emerg " our Radical con-
tempOraries are Timing to open their
mouths, and astonish themselves and the
public by telling the truth. The Chicago
Tribune cries "pocavi," and eats dirt in
admirable style, as the following extracts
from recent editorial will show.
There are two ways to look at the present law
regulating the tenure of civil Offices. Looking at
II a. Republicans Chat Is as partisans), we find
that II was passed as desperate remedy for the
With many niSgivings and with much parieying
between the fwo Houses the Tenure Office law
was passed. Its expediency was doubted by many {;
its cOnstitutiOrality by more.
Whatever may have been the intention OF those
who passed il, the law has given Us the worst set
scandalOus. nobody is responsible for them The
COroner's verdict. - Nobody TO blame,'' covers
the whisky ring, and Col ectOr Smythe and Re-
vcrdy johnson. and all kinds of rascality and
dwelling Congress having as lmed the appoint
ing power Dor that Is what Is siynifed when they
take from the President the power of removaD,
Congress is answerable for the non-executiOn or
imperfect execution of the laws. This fact was
lost sight of during the recent political campaign
In the turmoil and contention over other matters.
II * now emerging from the depths and asserting
it, preTogatives as disturber of the peace.
Precisely the same charges have been
urged by the Democracy against the Ten
ure-of Ollie act from its inception to the
present time, but of course, emanating
from such source, they were merely
"Copperhead lies unworthy the slightest
attention.
Now that the bull which so effectually
gored President Johnson levels its irate
horns at the sacred person of President
Grant, and threatens to toss him equally
high, the owners of the beast suddenly
discover that it ought TO be slaughtered,
and denounce the Senatorial butchers for
not doing the bloody business at once
Whatever may be the result Of this pleas
ant family quarrel, the country is Indebted
TO it for charming Illustration Of Radical
consistency, and an appropriate standard
by which We can family Approximate to
the full measure Of Radical rascality.
As a satisfactory demonstration of NOR
bid political anatomy, we are not sure but
what the Tenure-of Office act is a blessing
in disguise. Missouri republican, FEB
eh