The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1869-04-07
Tie Tenure of Office Aot.

Tie Tenure Of Office ACT.
The Washington CORE .pondent of
the Now York Herald, says:
When Mr.. Wood had ceased speak
ing General Butler arose and moved to
proceed to business on the Speakers
table. The Civil Tenure bill being
the only business on the Speakers ia.
BILE at the time, this motion brought
it at once before the House. Mr..
Butler having obtained the floor. kept
it and followed up his success with a
motion to refer lhe bill and amend
ments to the Committee on the Judi
ciary. As soon as the bill was before
the House everybody seemed to be on
the alort for whatever might happen
to it. The members came in out of
the lobbies and cloak rooms; those
who had been engaged in writing or
conversation while MIR. Wood was
speaking suddenly abandoned their
engagements and were in their seats
giving the most careful attention.--
The news that the bill was up was
passed along the corridors and lobbies
and speedily reached the Senate cham
ber. The members who were there
came over, followed by several Sena-
tors, and in short time the galleries,
which were comparatively deserted
under the influence of the reconstruc-
tion debate, began to fiji up. Every
thing assumed IN air of interest and
business before the bill was up ten
minutes. Those in favor of concur
ring with the Senate endeavored to
take Butler off the floor by a; motion
to concur, which, they contended, took
precedence of motion to refer.-
Butler, who understood preoisly what
he was about, coolly Uniformed them
that he did not yield for any such pur-
pose, and the Speaker promptly de-
cided that Mr.. Butler could not be Ia
ken off the hoor. AS soon as this
point was settled the member from
the Essex district, according to a pre-
vious understanding yielded to Gene
raj Logan, who offered his amendment
to vacate all the offices filled ~ An
drow johnson by the 3Oth Of next
June. The reading of this singular
amendment created no small amount of
merriment among the democrats, who
seemed to regard it as jnke. Seve-
raj republicans, who seemed to be ta-
ken little by surprise, joined in the
the laughter. Logan had ten min
utes allowed him by Butler, and soon
convinced the House that he was not
only really in earnest, but that he
meant to take issue with the Senate,
and, if possible, get the House to
adhere to its original proposition of
repeal. His statement that there had
been good deal Of lobbying on the
floor Of the House in favor of concur
ring with the Senate created quite a
flutter among those who felt guilty of
the charge. Butler next Charmed
out" ten minutes of his hour to c.. @.
Washburn, who, in q written speech,
represented his brother, Il. r. Wash
burn, as we'll as he could in favor of
absolute repeal, announcing that he
did not believe President Grant was
satisfied with the Senate modification
of the bill. Mr.. Farnsworth was al
lowed few minutes to speak in favor
of concurrence, when Butler, who had
taken the bill completely out of Bing-
hams hands and was now it's real man
ager, took the floor himself and dis
sectcd the Senate amendments in o
style which opened the eyes of the
members as we'll as Of the Senators
who were present. Without travel
ling outside the precincts Of parlia-
mentary language he handled the SEN
ate rather roughly, and called the at
tention of the House to the fact thut
the Senate notifications of the bill
we're simply concessions to the force of
public sentiment, and did not in real
ity change the bill at all, SO far as the
power of the Senate over removals
and appointments is concerned. It
wos therefore nothing more than de.
lusion. He did not believe that the
President had agreed to tho bill. If
be had it was under the force of COM
pnlsion and in the hope that the House
would save him by refusing to concur.
Ho closed by moving the previous
question. The friends of the Senate
measure, seeing the case was hopeless,
made an attempt to adjourn and then
fillibustered for few minutes. They
were too weak, however, sto, GALL the
yeas and nays or even to demand the
tellcrs. The previous question being
sustained the vote was taken, and re.
suited, yeas 95, nays 10, as follows:
Mr.. Butler said he moved to refer
the bill and amendment to;the Judi.
dietary Committee, and that he de,
sired to give some, reasons Of that mo-
tion., >, ~ Id 4, nA. b
Mr.. Farnsworth, (rep,) Of Ill, de.
sired to enter o motion TO concur in
the Senate amendments. $ '''#' ''
Mr.. Bingham, (rep.) Of Ohio, said
he had risen himself for that purpose.
Mr.. Butler declined TO yield for
that motion; but he yielded to
Mr.. Logan, (repD ofsIn, who NOV.
ed to amend the bill by q proyiso,
that ell oiyil offices, except judges q