The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-03-23

things have been expected, have ali aPPo@i0c
before the Senate to ventilate their views, aus
the upshot Of the debates In which they nave
participated has been the development Oh
great diversity OF opinion upon the suoleoS ln
the Republican ranks. So Marked mdeeo'
has become this divergence OF views tn3s
was found impossible to dispose ofthe question
in omen Senate, without each side encounter
inc the risk OF being driven from its ground,
when little skiliul man@uvriDg might make
its position impregnsble. In this dilemma
there was no alternative but caucus Of the
Republican Senators, which was held yester-
day. But the battle between theopposing
factions was renewed here, and it is quite as
difficult to foretell the ultimate result now as
it was before the caucus assembled. Both the
repealers and the anti i.repealers claim the vic
tory, the whole thing turning on the question
of the sincerity of the Democratic opposition
to the Tenure-of Office act as it now stands
While the opposition Senators have spoken
only to denounee the law as unconstitutional
and unwise, there appears to be generally
prevalent opinion at Washington that they
will not vote for the repeal il their votes are
necessary to carry it, for the sake of embar-
RAISING President Grant as much as possible,
and fomenting breach between the appoint
ing and confirming powers.
The caucus, after two stormy sessions OF
two hours each, resulted in an understanding
by which the repeating bill is to be referred
back to the Committee on the Judiciary, who
are expected to report bill substantially the
same as that submitted by Senator Conkling,
a sort Of compromise measure, by which Pre-
sident Grant will be relieved to great degree,
from his present embarrassments, while at the
same time the general principle of the original
Tenure-of- Office act will be recognized as ex-
pedient and just. This compromise measure
will be subjected to the ordeal of another
caucus tomorrow morning, and il it pass that
successfully, it will be rushed through the
Senate before the adjournment tomorrow
afternoon. The leading principles of the pro-
position are to give the President absolute
control of his Cabinet officers, and power to
make removals without assignment of cause,
instead Of mere suspensions for cause, during
the recess of the Senate, the names of the new
appointees to be forwarded to that body
within thirty days after its reassembling. If
the new appointments are confirmed, without
question, the matter is ended; but if they are
rejected, the persons removed are reinstated.
1t is asserted that President Grant some
days ago expressed himself satisfied with this
proposition, and if this be true, and the mea-
sure meets the approval of both houses, the
country will doubtless acquiesce. At no
period in our history has there been greater
necessity for wholesale removal from the
Federal offices, for the men whom Andrew
Johnson installed in power were, as general
rule, as corrupt and incompetent as could
we'll be selected. While it might be possible
to secure the removal of the greater number
of them ''for cause" it would be Herculeau
task; and as the new President has interpreted
the Tenure-of-O Office law to mean that he
shall make no removals except for
cause, even during the sessions OF the Senate,
the only practicable way of getting rid of
Johnson's satellites is by such a summary
removal as the law, in his opinion, forbids,
under any circumstances. Yet the provision
which reinstates the officials removed during
the recess, in case the new appointments are
not confirmed, will operate as healthy check
upen any approach towards mere partisanship
or favoIitism, and cause the greatest care,
both on the part of the President and the
Senate, to secure for all the Offices under the
Federal Government men whose capacity and
integrity are beyond question.