The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-01-12
Tho OWL Tenure Act.


The passage of bill repeating the law known
as the "Tenure-of- Office act" by the House OF
Representatives yesterday, took the country
by surprise, although such q result was pre-
dioted by some of the Washington oorres-
pondents day or two before it happened. so
| much anxiety to push the bill through the
House was manifested that 1t developed into
sort of rivalry between General Butler, Judge
Wilson. and Mr.. Washburn, of Indiana. All
the Democratic members, as matter Of
course voted with the majority Of the Repub-
! licans in favor Of repeating the law, the oppo-
sition to the movement being led by such men
as Garfield, Jenckes, Poland, and Sohenck,
Mr.. Washburne, of Illinois, rot only
voted in the affirmative, but insisted
that there should be no debate. As he has
the credit Of rejecting the views OF General
Graut on the leading issues OF the day, it ia
barely possible that his advocacy OF the mea-
sure may have contributed in no small de-
gree to its success, for desire to please the
President elect appears just now to be one of
the ruling passions at Washington. General
Grant, however, has as yet expressed no de-
cided opinion on the subject, and doubtless
will be content to go into the Office Of Presi-
dent as he finds it. II he finds himself uu-
duly ham Fered by any existing legislation, he
will be quite certain to inform Congress of the
fact at some future time, and to urge upon
that body the adoption of such measures as
will give him all necessary relief.
The fate of the bill in the Senate is yet un-
certain, the correspondents, who are supposed
to know great deal more than they do know,
being divided upon the question of probabii-
ties. 1t seems to be conceded however, that
the repeating act will be so modified, ifit should
pass the Senate, that it will not take effect
until after the 4th of March.
This modification is certainly desirable, if
the bill is to become law. If the Tenure-of-
Office act be summarily repealed at present,
Andrew Johnson will hold high carnival of
official decapitation between this time and the
expiration of his term of office. The laws
formerly in force will be regnacted by the
repeal, and the President will thus be enabled
to strike down obnoxious officials with a reck-
less and revengeful hand, his appointees to
the vacancies thus created holding on until
the expiration of the present session of the
Senate, in spite of the refusal of that body to
confirm them. In this way the whole ma
chinery of the Government will be completely
upset, and General Grant will 90 into Office
with a host of vacancies by limitation on his
hands.
That the Tenure of Office act needs revision
is not to be doubted, but there would appear to
be several good reasons why it should not be
repealed in toto. The Constitution expressly
declares that the patronage Of the Chief Magis-
trate shall be exercised "by and with the
ence has established the fact that this co3rdi-
nate power OF the Senate in the premises is a
mere mockeYy without some such legislation
as that of the Tenure-of- Office act. Aside from
this circumstance, the existence of such re-
strctive legislation as has been in force
during the greater portion of Mr.. Johnson's
term cannot fail to secure greater care on the
part of the President in making nominations
to office, since he must take into account in
so doing the fact that an officer who is once
confirmed must remain undisturbed in his
position until he proves himself to be un-
worthy of the honor and trust confded to
him. The Tenure-of- Office act is, in reality,
the first step towards abolishipg
the ridiculous doctrine of q rotation
in etfice, and if it were wisely followed by the
passage Of practical civil service bill, the
country would at last be we'll rid of the detri-
mental Jacksonian dogma-'To the victors
belong the spoils." Until this pernicous
legacy of Andrew Jackson is repudiated by
the American people, integrity and capability
in our legion of Federal ofice-holders can
never be attained. 1t is legitimate subject
of regret, therefore, that backward step
should have been taken by the House Of Re-
presentatives before Andrew Johnson, the OBJ
stinate renegade, has passed out of power into
oblivion.
Berger's Boot and Body Snatchins'