The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1869-03-29

Wlntu NJ WlHOHN UHN hhN ''N'J
But Il Is possible that we may be mistaken
In our conception of what constitutes real
consistency in purpose and action, and In
our obstInacy and misjudgment may grasr
nj a shadow and lose sight Of the substance
II Is the highest attainment Of statesmanshIr
TO maintain n consistent record of public
conduct and straightforward action. Nc
one will gainsay so patent truth as this,
stil there may be and there Is bewilderinQ
dilemma into which men sometimes fall, and
In their effort to preserve a consistency they
fail to recognize the law of progress ond
nc ahend relations and conditions in humap
oga RS. What the statesman is called to dc
to-, Nor the public veal he may be called
tonnJo l.. the future, for the obvious reason
tb,, ,b. 'tc good requires It, The his
~ II, pun land the progress made by
tor, =. the worL >atious as they come ana ~
the succeeding geuc
go teach us this. .,m.v ,akc n crr
To illustrate our viewsN and ono rno,,
rent question of the hour, /. istsrcv a.,
which these stieklers for cons ,o.,,or 1,
just now much exercised. The o. civT
how shall VIC undo, in respect to the .or
lCnuIt at, WLhl We utlDtFhlell ulu WI
we placed this law upon the statute book !
Do we not, say some, make ourselves incon-
sistent before the world II we repeal an act
which but a short time ago we affirmed was
necessity in the proper administration of
the Government We answer most en-
phatically, not at all.
A friend asked us within day or two this
question: were you in favor Of the civil
tenure bill when it passed Most certainly,
replied we. How then do you reconcile
your antagonistic positions Easy enough,
said VIC. What is right and expedlent under
some circumstances may be lnexpedient and
quite improper under other aud different cir
cumstanees. Let US illustrate.
The war necessitated certain legislation
and certain modes and methods In admins
ration which In times Of peace could never
have been tolerated. These things were
justified by what Is known as a military me-
essity. Being right under that necessity,
and demanded by that highest law known to
human society, self-preservation, 1t follows
as a natural and legitimate sequence that
while the necessity and the occasion remains
for these temporary cxpedlents and govern
mental policies and methods they must also
remain. Nothing can be clearer or more
self-cvldcnt than this.
Our only mistake is In suppOslng that the |
war closed at Appomattox Court House when |
Lee surrendered TO Grant. As it did not be- |
gin at the assault upon sumter, but years
anterior to that period, 50 II did not end at
the surrender of Lee.
The Capitulation At Appomattox put an
end, it is true, to the conflict Of arms, aud
the sword was sheathcd; but the war of an-
tagonstic principles did not cease. In the
halls of legislation diverse theories and prin-
ciples of government still continued to wage
war with each other, and the struggle COM
menced for the capture of the Government.
What could not be done by force Of arms
was sought TO be done by strategy and diplo-
macy. Lee could not capture Grant, and SO
the Southern leaders, with their Northern
allies, sought to capture johnson.
Soon after that fanatic, John Wilkes
Booth, inspired by the dlabosm of the pit,
sent the leaden death crushing through the
brain of Abraham Lincoln, we began TO see
the movements which were rcsorted to to
effect by strategy and persuasion what could
not be done by the sword. We make no ac-
cusations against Mr.. johnson and his Cab.
met. We do not say that they or he were
Influenced by other than patriotic motives.
We do not care to discuss now the motives of
men. We only believe, and we state what
We believe, that what was known as "my
policy" was wrong in principle, and would
have been, had it hcgn adopted, terribly mis-
chleyous mis- results.
To head of all this the Republican party,
having moro than a twothirds majority Of
Congress, passed laws and adopted measures
Intended to defeat every attempt of the Presl-
dent to hand the Government over to the
coppcrheads and rebels. This clyll-tenure
act was a part and parcel of this prohibition.
Now the occasion which called 1t forth
having ceased to exist, the law itself should
be repealed.
No one will pretend that Gen. Grant should
be shucklcd as Mr.. Johnson was shackled.
Why then, We ask, keep this statute, or any
thing like tit
Tho only argument is, that VIC may some
time have u President when we shall need
this law. This sort of reasoning is too much
like the philosophizing Of Mrs. Toodlos to
suit us. Said that eminent lady to her
spouse when she bought the door-platC
bearing the name of Thompson, ''If We
should ever have u child. and that chile
should be a female child, and that chile
should live to grow up, and should marry
man by tho name Of Thompson, then how
handy ii would he to have It in the house
We do not think 1t the wisdom Of statesmen
to act upon this theory or to quadrate thei
action to-day in accordance with the sup
position that the people may sometime cleo
u President whom 1t will be unsafe to trust
Let the civll-tenurc act be repealed, an
don't let any man fail to act for fear of tn
charge of inconsistency.
We add to this article the following edi
torlal from the New York Commercial q
Saturday. 1t has the clear ring, and Its ad
vico Is timely and should be followed
Tue TITO or W\R.-By a vote OF 30 TO
the House Of Representatives has refused t
concur in the Senate bill on tenure-of-oflic'
and now stands again committed 10 repeal c
the law which is still in force. Mr. But
ler's tactics seemed ambiguous enough t
puzzle for while even the aslutc Fcrnand
Wood, but debate made things clear, brougl
out new champion of repeal in Mr.. Dayi,
Of New York, and gave the Democrats a
opportunity, which they loyalty accepted, I
rise superior to tho spirit Of faction. liza
the Democrats used their opportunity to en-
Darrass the right working OF GoYernInen
their iorty-miuc votes would have placed Il
senate IL the position Of It's choice, and tht
prolonged the present usurpation of Execl
tive functions. We give them credit f
genuine public spirit IN their action, and al
inspired to hope that thi- temper will las
so that the public business may be dcal