Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1869-03-18
CONGR ESSlONAL.
Conclusion Of Yesserd.r's Prscesdiass


SxrArE-After our report closed. the debate
on Tie oil 70 repeal the t-Hure-of oface act WAS
Mr. Edmupds said thai the President has,
morally. no rightto make removals at any ttms
Without csuse. and ne quoted 4 ON toe debates
al Tue time the teuure-nf ofh q act was passed
10 y ov- that II Sss r gar 81 a. tn tim asa
me sur to endure, OF for Que administrative,
bat Ior all aanIEistJ atoms. I'd il not bean
for thi- much asu--d act b. late com mis- -ioa.r
- he Int rnsi R-venu- wodld have h--u dis.
PLACED, and siI kur n,U often y I'M ustlon<
o. nj ,UeIt on had D~en seut in AMI reject.
on account OF the uttar uE~orthi ess of the
parties. Had II not be q for this act, Andre "
Jubnson a. h- M. e. believed, you'd hav.
put out Mr.. stanton aud pat q creature of his
ow into the War DE ,'artmeut as he had al
ready h the NAVY Department. aud with tn
Amy ard navy suder his control, would hav-
pr",e, drd TO overthrow the recoustructiou
gov,rnments set up IN tue Snuth by the wise
aid he u. fc,al l-cislat GU OF Congre,s and re-
{ mmitted th' loyal people there 10 the tender
ntrCi's of the re orls
NJ. Thayer offered as a substitute for tn.
p.ndlhg propcsIt On .Tnat the tenure ef-ofi -
act t+ declared Doperstiy and voId. Or w a ID
that within ten days after the beginning OF a
session the President shall report to tn Seaat-
'le Ii mes OF all p-rsous appointed 10 OH e
DUNG the precedl NJ recess, where confirma.
lions by the Senat- l. nrces ary.-
Mr.. Sherman spoke in favor of the repeal of
the act, and uas eniargihg ON the disa v an
taees OF being Ieiain d Oh the statute books,
hen
MIR. TrumbuIl asked what was the use OF
wasuug his elDquenve on thi> point, WHEN the
JUDICIARY Committee had made a report, to
Vbich here vas no objection, to suspend th,.
aw until M next re- sion.
Mr. Sherman said # he law was suspended
II ought TO BE- repealed They might we'll
Confess that ths oil, fouaded upon a great
principle, It is true, " as enacted To m-et great
emergency. He b. Id that the PTesid M has the
cons itutonai power To IN IKE removals but thai
NO o'e removed can be put back; but his power
n mi Hsa nm a
net ssy that public opinion demanded the
peal OF this law: they mad nothing to do with
public opinion. but the House, which shared
with them the making OF this law, was almost
unanimous for its repeal, and the Senate SHOULD
ponder well on retaining this great pc yer
which had never been assumed until within
MIR Carpenter had listened with great delight
vest. rday to the high encOmiums passed upou
the Presiden', and ne would give his assent to
anyt ng that could be aid in commend atiou
OF the President, but our admiration of tn.
President had nothing to do with thus latter.
which was purely dry, legal one. He had
every ia'th that the President would admiuis.
Ter RICH eousIy the duties OF his high Office b.
believed that Con Iess and the p esiaent would
walk hand in hand for the next four wears
taking sweet counsel together, but after all
there remained the question to In whom
reeted the power of removal. Mr. q. then ar.
gu, d that the tenur--of office act was stri :tIy
constitutional. and that the Senate should not
give up Its cons itutiOnal power over rem walls.
Ii was true tbat he law was not needed now
be Cause We had Gen. Grant, out n Gen. Grant
was gone, and we had a bad man, won ID we
not Iced II then But IL the Senate once sur
rend-rtd this power, il could never regain il.
President would ever give Ii up. II. con-
iendrd that under the Cons titution the Prp>i.
dent had NO power to remove during vact u0u,
aud this law. which IL Is prep Jsed TO rep-sl,
gives him That Pc wer He should vote foe tn
suspension of this law. because he til ought
I ought to b. substantially modified II.
thought the section which m tde the Pre- ,id-nt
n pubic prosecutor before tap Senate, without,
the power TO summon wi ne,s-s. should he
struck out: but u would require Tina and at
tenton To modify It. properly, and whsn tney
came back here next winter, these street,
would not be so crowded with our anxious
fTIeDds " no are seeking for OIL -. He did not
bill VI this cry thai public sentiment de N and
I'd the repeal of this W; bat IL az sad tn It
tn army of office-seek-rs demanded It's REPEAL.
then he might believe it
MIR. Morton said he had heard no argument
Assuming that the President had no 30 G-r TO
ma kr removals that not t-chnIc al and far
Etched. He did not believe in any OF them. In
eighty YEA this power Of the President lad
not been dis puted, and il Was 10 late IN the day
u do II now. lie would like to know in what
kind of position S-n ators placed themselves
who have argued that the President has no
ChetItutIOnaI power to remove. ard propose
TO suspend this law until ne xt Decem GER so as
10 allow the President To IN AXE nc Constitutional
removals. The President is TO have time
Iough Eiven him TO r.mov. all OFF ,ers 40
pointed by MIR. Johnson, aud than when he
has do, e that, h. Is 10 be restricted and ham
ptred IN I az his predecessor wa.
At p. m the S-nae went into executive
session and then adjourned.
HoUsE.-After our report closed
1be JOINT resolution to supply DEFICIENCIES
ih- enrolment of certain Appropriation bills,
approved Ma ch Sd, 1869, wa- pas I'd
Mr.. Logan III offered - re- oiution th1t the
Committee on Military Affairs b. AIlo wed 10
employ clerk at compensation of SIX dollars
p'r Gay. Adopted.
Mr.. faiDe (Wis) presented the papers in the
ted election case of tn first diStrIct OF
Louisiana. Referred To the Com mIttee on
Elections.
The Speaker laid before the House the papers
IT the Contested election case of Barr vs. Tyler,
from the eighth district OF kentucky same
r. f-rencp.
On motion OF Mr.. Msrcur, (Pa.) Committee
OF Conference was asked On the Senate Joint
r. resolution relative TO the Com nittee on
Retren CD ment
MIR. Cake (Pa.) from the Committee on
Accounts, reported resolution that pending
al tion from the Commirtee on Accounts. all
re- -olutions relative to clerks 10 committees BE-
referred TO the Committee on Accounts.
BdCpisd.
On motion Of Mr.. Piine, wis } the Senate
lotnt resolution menda tory of the loint resolu-
tian PASSED at the last e. rel,'iye TO the
PROVISIONAL governments of Texas ana Vir-
glnia. was taxi N from the Speakers table and
rtf-rrec to the Committee on Reconstruc tion.
Adjourned