The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1869-02-11
8itfrmond 1ispatth.
THURSDAY. .....FEBRUARY IL, 1869.


General tranI ana MS FRIENDS.
1t was universally supposed when Gene
ral GRANT was elected that the tenure Of
Office law would he repealed. 1t had been
passed to trammel Mr.. JOHNSON and COM
plete his development in the cocoon " OF
utter helplessness; but as it WAS the party
which had elected General GRANT which
had passed this law, it was deemed n mat
ter of course that they would not humiliate
and disable their own President by imposing
upon him the restraints they had fixed upon
the man whom they considered their enemy.
Hence we found that there was the WIDEST
surprise that Congress did not, when II met
Mt once repeal the tenure-of-offioe law. tne
delay in doing this has been quite sufhc'en'
for surprise to wear off and be succeeded
by strong belief that there is no Intention
of repeating the obnoxious law at present :;
and the New York Times, an especial advo-
cate of General GRANT, notices statement
that "some members of the Senate pro-
"pose to wait until they know whom Gene
"before they decide whether to repeal the
tenure of Office law or not" Exactly.
This is natural. The Congress has for
some years run both the executive and le-
gislstive departments, having the judicial
charmed as n snake has his prey-ready 10
strike it upon the instant. 1t is reluctant
to let 90 its hold upon the Executive with
cut being well compensated therefor.
The Times complains that to continue
this act would be "great injustice to Gene
raj GRANT" who fought to be at iull
liberty, at the very outset, to make such
changes az in his judgment the good OF
/" the country may require" Or course ne
ought, and if he must wait until Congress
approves removals before he can NIL the
Offices with men he thinks competent he is
no better off than Mr.. JOHNSON.
The Times consoles itself with the refec-
ton that the Cabinet nominations will not |
fall under the tenure of-ottlce law; but IN
the matter of removals it will greatly |
cripple" the Generals power. The 1meS'
as his friend, should assume more lnde-
pendent attitude. It should speak OF the
repeal of the law MS thing demanded by
party fealty and public necessity. If
General GRANT spoke at all, he would say
this.
suprose that tie Congress continues this |
law-what them Will the General sue
cumh, and sit mopipg in the White House
bearing the weight Of responsibilities he
has no power to meet, and wearing name
without the dignity and authority which
has since the foundation of the Govern
ment attached to it We shall see.
Should the law now be repealed it will
have been done too slowly to be graceful,
aud too reluctantly to indicate confidence.
General GRANT is keen enough to under
stand it. He will undoubtedly look upon
the delay rs q sign Of suspicion and dis
trust entertained towards him.
If there is no repeal, the politicians will |
have faithfully trcdden in the path of their
prototypes in all cases Of jealousy of the |
military power. They will have furnished
the never-failipg proUocation which has in
other times ended in the seizng Of au-
thority under the preteIt Of the faithful
and efficient administration of public Of
fairs. Whether General GRANT would in
such case take the remedy in his own hands
md exert authority commensurate with his
responsibility, time must tell. if he does |
not, it will not be for the want of provocd-
yiO,