The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1869-03-26
The Tenure-of-Omce Law.

The Tenure-of-O Office Law.
The Senate of the United States has be-
haved very badly. The amendment they
have put to the House bill repeating the
tenure Of office Law is both ungenerous and
impolitic and when We consider that they
are dealing with President elected by the
party to which nearly four-ffths of the
Senate belong it looks like treachery. 1t
is o vote of want Of conhdence-an open
declaration in the face of General GRANT
that they can't trust him.
The senates amendment graciously per-
mits the President to /" suspend an officer
during the recess Of the Senate" and TO
put some one in his place; but the Presi-
dent must report the suspension to the
Senate Z" within thirty days after the next
meeting of Congress-" with the nomination
of @ successor. If the Senate refuses to
confirm the nomination, and also, by g vote,
disapproves of the suspension, the suspend
ed officer shall at the end of the session
resume his Office. The President is not re-
quired to stste his reasons for suspensions.
This is the old suspension law, save that
the President is given absolute control over
bis Cabinet, and is not required to state his
reasons for suspensions. In compensation
to the Executive for the supervisory control
retained by the Senate over the admins
tration Of the executive department in the
matter Of promoting accountability and eff
fciency by the prompt removal of unfaith-
full and incompetent officials, the Senate
excuses the President from the humiliation
of stating his reasons. This is understood
to be display of respect to the feelings of
the President, he having expressed serious
objections to giving his reasons "upon COM
pulsion." "
But does any man suppose that the Sc
nate is going to act upon the Presidents
suspensions without knowing the reasons
for themi What humbugging would it be
to inculcate such an idea The tenure-of-
office law constitutes the Senate court to
try these uspensions-isSues betaoeen the
President and the suspended. And will this
court try such Issues without testimony 7
Certainly not. That testimony will be
brought in with great alacrity by the de-
PENDANTS, the suspended gentry-who will
consider the Senate as their shield against
wrong. Tho further question will then
arise: Will the Senate decide these matters
upon the er parte testimony Of the sus,
pendedf How are they to get at the Presi.
dents side OF the evidence, since they have
excused him from giving evidence? 1t is
mixed up and botohed affair indeed.
Nevertheless, the Senate has its great
shining eyes looking steadily through 9
hole into the, Presidents Office upon his
every act. In session and in recess there
are those eyes that never wink glowering
at General GRANT, and he can't screen him
self from them. J, The senate must know oil
he does, and reserves to itself the Office Of
judge, to censure or approve every change
he deems 1t proper to make in the Offices in
protecting the public interest and promo
ting the efficiency Of the Government
Those eyes, that supervisory power, must
fall like nightmare upon the Executive
will and action. The Senate has indeed
two feet, two. hands, and two eyes, in the
Executive Office. 1t raises up in the Gov
eminent two masters for subordinate Of
fcers, and they regard the supreme execu.
tive officer as himself subordinate to the
Senate, to which body they will be ever
ready to. carry their complaints. The
measure is humiliating to the Executive,
and tends to diminish efficiency and ac-
countability in the executive department.
We had, supposed that General GRANT
would come OF better in the struggle with
the Senate on this important matter. He
has gained but enough to disclose to him
the real feelings of the leading and extreme
Republicans, and to convert an apparent
concession into q lasting offence. Whether
the House will psss the amended bill re-
mains to be seen. If it does, We anticipate
that General GRANT will 90 quietly on sub
DUNG his feelings, but arranging his own
plans, as he ought to do, for yindicating the
dignity Of his Office and the efficiency of his
administration under more favorable au-
spices. .FFtttl. az Il