The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1869-02-08
CONGRESSIONAL.
WASHINGTON, February 9.
SENATE.

On motion of Mr.. Edmunds, the Sen
ate took no the bill to repeal the ten
ure-of-office law
Mr.. Edmunds said the bill, as it had
come from the House, proposed to re-
move all legal restrictions from
the President in the exercise of the
power of appointment and removal:
The Senate Judiciary committee had
not thought it wise to do that, and had
reported amendments modifying the bill
90 as to permit the President to suspend
u civil officer whenever, in his judg-
ment, the public good may require it,
subject to the approval of the Senate,
and without giving specific reasons for
the cause of such suspension. The ma
iority of the committee, of which he was
not one, had thought it fit that the heads
of departments should be subject to re-
moyal at the will of the President alone
and had reported an amendment to that
effect.
Mr.. Morton was in favor of the to-
tai repeal of the law; he believed it
was mistake in the beginning; he did
not believe the public service ever had
in any way been benefited by it, but on
the contrary felt satisfied the law had
been used to some extent to put thieves
in office and throw upon the Senate the
odum of keeping them there. He liked
the amendment proposed by the commit.
tee so far as it allowed the President to
choose members of his Cabinet and
thought the idea of ever depriving n
President of that power absurd, bet the
4 ~. i.h ID
allow the President to suspend an officer
during session of Congress without
giving reasons for such suspension
would make the bill worse than the law
it proposed TO repeal.
Mr.. Howe did not think it wise to
except Cabinet officers from general
provisions. He could not see any reason
why President should be allowed to
dismiss q Cabinet officer at pleasure,
when he would not also be at liberty
to dismiss the head of the Internal Rev
euue Department., or any military,
naval or judicial officer. He could not
agree with the Senator from Indiana
(Mr. Morton) as to the effect of the
tenure of-office bill upon the public
service, and he believed an honest Pres
ident could Just as readily dispose of a
dishonest officer under it as he could
before its enactment.
Mr.. Thayer expressed the hope that
the Senator from Vermont (Mr. Ed
munds) would press the bill upon the
attention of the Senate every day until
it should pass, and he was in favor OF
passing it in the form in which it bad
come from the House, Internationally
the law.
The discussion continued until the
expiration of the morning hour, when
the Senate resumed the consideration of
the constitutional amendment.
Mr. Edmunds submitted concurrent
resolution that,
WHEREAS, The question whether the
State of Georgia is entitled to repre-
sentatiOn in Congress is now pending,
Rcs0lred, That when the electoral
votes for President and Vice President
ire counted, in case the vote of said
State shall not change the result, its
Yote shall be reported in the following
manner by the President of the Senate
Were the vote presented as of the
State of Georgia to be counted the re-
,ult would be, for President of the Uni
ed States. -; if not counted, for
President of the United States, -;
)ut in either case, - is elected Presi-
lent of the United States" and in the
,ame manner for Vice President.
Mr.. Wilson submitted the following
n the fern of an amendment:
There shall be no discrimination in
any State among citizens of the United
States in the exercise of the elective
in any election therein, or in
the qualifications for office in any State,
on account of race or color, birth, re.
ligioI, faith, education or property"
A: four o'clock, tie Senate adjourned.