Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1869-03-20
CONGR ESSIONAL.

tam DunEing, of the bark "virgiuia DIre'
CONGRESSIONAL.
Conclusion Of Yesterdays Proceedings.
SRNArR-After our report closed
Mr.. SChurZ cOntin uing his remarks on the
bill to repeal the Tenure-of- Office act, said ru.
mors had been flying around that the President
felt vexed because the law had not been repeal
ed, and that II IL was not. he should send in NO
nominations. He agreed that in considering
this grave question the Senate had nothing TO
do with the rumors, but he must confess that
they hiled him with deep solicitude, for being
constantly reiterated they might create artificial
ili-ieeling. The Senate had enough experience
with Anorew johnson to show that although
President be ever SO Ill disposed, with the
Congress and the people against him he might
not art their will, he could yet give great
deal of trouble. For the present President II
was not necessary for him to express his high
opinion, but 1t was such that ne thought that
that eminent oficer must be disgu sted by the
wholesale adulatlons which were so constant.
ly poured upon him. Mr.. Schurz concluded
with the expression of the hope that the whole
civil service would soon be remodeled.
MIR. Sprague attacked the argument OF Mr..
Fessenden, and saId that although that Senator
declared bis own intention to vote for repeal.
his remarks had altogether been of such a ma
ture as 10 give comfort and encouragement to
the opponents OF repeal. He then went into an
analysis Of the composition Of Congress. In
me Senate there were, out OF Is m. mbers, IS
OF lawyers was as great, If not greater. These
were men skilled in the wiles of men, educated
and talented and ambitious, and they now
wanted To centre all power in themselves
Looking at the matter in the light of experience
and reason, he would sooner trust the DO xer IN
the hands OF one man who was responsible TO
the people than TO sixty men who were respon-
sible TO no one. History proved that in all
bodies OF men, in similar position, the constant
ann was TO grasp more power.
In our late war there was not one virtuous
nr hnxh .,..Ia
ants. 1t was nothing but a struggle for place
and power, which commenced right here IN
this chamber. In his Judgment the subversion
of this government was in more danger from a
body constituted as this than from any other
source. So concentrated was it's power and
influence, that in the Iast six years he would
stood up mere and opposed any OF the measures
Of the majority. as any one who pretended to
do so was bounded and hunted down.
The President Of the United Stats, who was
respons BILE to Inc people, should not consider
this body; he snou I'd not place himself in the
power of a body which was responsible to no
one. From the evidence W hich he saw around
him, he was forced TO the conclusion that 'nis
body intended to cling TO its power, but be
warned them in time tnat the people would OF
submit to it The fine talk which we had here
hs d not intend that the country should be
m isled. He asked this body had II Let mis- led
the country Before the rebellion. nc one in this
chamber stood up and warned the people of the
impending catastrophe, and they were totally
unprepared Ior II hen it came. He claimed
that rhis body and the House were entirely de-
ficient III the qualities which would secure
wise legislation. Everything that was done
not for the welfare Of the people, but to build
mp party. He would go for no party that id
not act for the interest, the honor and the good
of the people, and neither one or the other OF
the great parties of the cJuutry had ever acted
thus. They say to Grant now, we are not
willing to trust YOU, and we will hold this little
Instrument over your head, to let it fall and
or YnSh on n nn fa frI ThAr
are in this country to-day 5OD,L0O anxious men
and women applicants for office. and many of
them are VIGOROUSLY unfit for the positions,
aid without the supreme power OF removal,
the administration cannot properly conduct the
service OF the government.
IL this Is a question of tyranny, he would
of a connected body of men. He would pre- or
the tyranny OF one man. with some human
and some responsibility, TO the tyranny of a body
of men without responsibility and without ac-
countability. IL the power OF removal is TO
r. main within the control Of this body, the
people may well look with suspicion on IT,
We fight against ttled aristocracy; there never
was q Titled aristOcracy on the globe in whom
such tremendous power was concentrated.
Mr.. Nye had not intended to take part in tn Q
discussion, but he could not suffer to 60 unchal-
lenged the remarkable words of the Senator
from Rhode Island. Under the old common
law the Senator might have been indicted as a
common scold. The Senator was very much
concerned about the future OF the country, and
j
Mr.. Nye then went into a eulogy at some length
OF the legal profession, which, he said, was
assailed by this Boanergss from Rhode Island
Why did his friend vote for this ice
law which he now regarded with so much
horror He voted tor 1t because great emer-
genCy called for il.
Mr.. Patterson, by unanimous consent, made
a report from the Committee of Conference on
the resolution to revive the Joint Committee on
Retrenchment, which provides that 1t shall
consist OF four members of the Senate and I've
members of the House.
MIR. Corbett next took the floor. He said IL
tins law was TO be continued, the Senate would
be compelled TO 60 into An lnquIsitorial exami-
nation at the next session. The law should be
repeaed. One mPn could Judge better in the
matter OF appointments and removals from
office than number Of men. and the President
should be left free. II the President was not
IN trammeled in the selection Of bis fcers, in
his Mr.. C.'s) opinion the revenue could net be
collected or the service Of the Government
iailhfully and honestly administered.
MT Bayard regarded this proposition to sus-
pend the act as great inconsistency, and, in
fact, improper. If the Senate possessed this
power, " hich 1t claimed from the Constitution.
II had no more right 70 delegate it temporarily
was forbidden it BY the Constitution. The
and illogical.
The Senate then went into executive session.
and adjourned.
Houan.-After our report closed
The Committee rose, and the Indian appro
priatIon bill and amendments were report 10
the House, when vote was taken and the bill
passed.
Mr.. judd, (Ill.,) from the Committee on For
sign Anairs. 0dercda resolution tnat ths com.
mittse be instructed to inquire into all ths cir.
cumsfances connect with the arrest and I'm.
pris isonment Of Msssrs. Bliss and Mastermau,
In Paraguay Agreed to.
The House then adjou rned until Monday.
~e~--
TIE CoxeCRIPrIoH TROUBLES III SPAIN
Ind Euss Tho
trouble in Andalusia, Spain, still continues.
At Ferexe de Ia Frentera. the opposition to the