The national Republican., 1869-01-19
oufw..n,ns'S Sorre'pona'.o'.

'tONe tne util rctenhy phhheu " '"e ssouset .
,ut are anxious 10 to modify the present law
.s that Il nav not prove an obstacle to any re-
forms In the public service General Grant may
rHE VIEWS OF rrs ADVOCATES.
The friends Of the law contend that II 10 In
strict accordance with the letter and spirit Of
the Constitution, holding that that Instrument
makes the Senate The appointing power to
certain ofaees ss much as the Executive 10 so
made by II.
They hold further, that the failure to pass
law, similar TO that now on
the statute book, at an early period Of our
career, has worked inanlts In
Jury to the public interest; insomueh - the |
unrestricted exercise OF the right of removal |
and appointment, merely to compass personal
and political ends, has imme nsely demoralized |
the public service.
rHE Evils OF THx srorLs DOCTRINE.
II is doubtless true that indnite corruption
has been injected into the administrative ma.
chinery OF the Government by the venslity Of
the class Of men who have been placed In ofioe
to the end Of securing the reconciliation and
reelection Of particular Presidents but not
more, however, than has resulted from giving
once s rewards for other political partisan
services. 1t IL certainly true that sppoint.
---.' = 80 ---..-s IN N
rior htness for the proper discharge OF the
legitimate duties Of the position causes In.
hnitely the multiplication OF Offices, the duties
| Of positions filled with improper ineumbents
being but half discharged, or Improperly dis
charged. This, In turn, neeessitates the crea-
tion OF other ofnces, the appointment Of agents,
detectives, ,se., to watch oflee-holders and those
having transactions with them.
THE COST OF THE sPorLs pocrRIsK.
The extra cost to the taxpayers of the UNI
ted States OF carrying on the Government
growing out Of the vicious system OF appoint.
Ing to once explain above, has been enor-
nous, past the conception OF those who have
not studied the subject. am firmly convinced
that II men were appointed to once and as
sured OF their places during good behavior
and the continuance OF capability, only upon
their personal merits and fitness, even though
all taken from the political party in power for
the time being, not more than half the once.
holders now paid by the Government would
be required to work the machine far more sat-
isfactorily and vastly more to the public To-
terest, than 1t has been worked at any period
during the last twenty years.
| WHAT Is HOPED FROM THE TBSURE-oY.oFFICE
LAW.
The opponents Of the House bill commented
on above, claim that the continuance OF the
tenure.of-otfics act As law, will gradually put
q stop to the practice Of making appoint ments
to compass partisan ends, which may DO true.
l wish they could also claim for II that II
; would not facilitate the retension in once Of
men on sceount Of their .upst-.srvieea able
. ness to individual Senators and members OF
Congressi source Of as much corruption, ex'
travsgance, &C., in the Government just now
Il as any other Of the growing national, mora
sores Of the times.
u TIM TENrRR.OP,ORPICRI
1t 10 alleged by the opponents OF the repes
i- Of the ure.ofoffice law, with perfect truth
I an satisfied, that they entertain no wist
=. | whatever 70 embarrMs General Grant In tn,
= matter OF appointing and removing ONCE
u holders. They express perfect willingness q
i to amend the existing law as to enable him h
Il reach any case wherein he thinks . chang
= should be made; preferring the pending bill o
u Senator Wilson, which, besides placing hi
u cabinet, so far as nsir appointment aud re
i movsl are concerned, wholly under his con
u troll, Immediately suspends any ofhce-holde
d on an appointment In his stead, and secure
the new appointee the emoluments OF the oi
o aee until the question OF his confirmation
l. shall have been disposed of.
The point principally depended on In Justi.
Q | hcAtion of their adherence to the law as 4
d now stands, is the fact that the successor oi
. Grant may play game with the Offices sim
liar to that OF Tyler, Buchanan ct al, unlesl
D Congress, by continuing some tenure-oE ofiet
law on the statute book, retains power to put
a stop to 1t.
THE SENATE cANvAssRD.
| lam Of impression that the Senate has been
thoroughly canvassed on the subject, and tha,
at present a majority OF the body are opposed
to passing the bill OF the House without modi.
hcstions which will assimilate 1t substGn-
TALLY to the bill Of Senator Wilson.
THE VACANT BRIoADrERsHIPs.
The contest for the two vacant brigadier
| generalships wakes warmer hourly the officers
| ooats.tsns sstng esskea essh by hi. brig Ade OF
Senator's, Representatives and person al frie nds
|. | Of the President, upon whom all SO engaged
g are daily operating. In the meanwhile Mr.
}. Washburne, OF Illinois, Is moving vigorously
q on those two especial bTigAdIer generalships
d II backed by General Grant In his effort to
I obliterate them, they will go the way OF all
= flesh ere March ith next, to the great disgust
d Of army officers who have not yet reached
e such positions In the service.
1 THE VIRGINIA. RECONSTRUCTION QUESTION.
On Saturday evening there was a joint
d meeting OF the so-called Conservative and tn,
10 Radical committees OF yirginians now In at
tendance on Congress, at which the plan pro
d posed by the former for the settlement of thei
I. difficulties was discussed. II l am correctl
" Informed, a majority OF the Radical commit
n tee approved their proposition, though n
u formal vote on 1t was taken.
ApuRIoUs oSsLAuGHT ON THE coSsERvATIv
o. COMMITTEE.
In the meanwhile the Bourbons OF Virgin
ut are getting up a furious war on the Consery
1t tive committee now here and their hackers
Of home The Richmond Enquirer, backed b
le Ex-Governor Extra Billy Smith, Jam'
II Lyons, Robert Ould, Lewis d. Harvey, Jude
70 WIN. Crump, Henry A. Wise, and other
the original Virginia seeessionists who force
the State into the war, are moving heaye
e. and earth to detaoh the masses Of the white
II OF the State from the support Of the propose
ID new constitution, and in doing SO are mos
e. villAinously abusing the Conservatives VIII
n. propose to vote for It, II the difficulty is se
n. tied here as proposed, their abuse will be l
|. vain. They will be beaten at the polls by
u majority OF seventy thousand yotesj aftt
.. which the country will hear no more OF Bou
+ bonism as a power In the South.
No other Conceivable plan of obliteratin
I'd from Southern public affairs the influence
n. the class Of men who forced the South iut
re rebellion, and who yet strive to revive th
supremacy of their ante-rebellion Ideas, can
resorted to that promises half as much as thi
- of securing a seventy thousand majority
On Virginia for the adoption Of the manhood su
w frage principle as the basis on which this
Ig' great States future Is to be built up.
&c ANOTHER INTERVIEW WITH oEN. GRANT.
y. The Virginia Conservative Committee ha
TX another interview with Grant to-day, wherei
OF he Ia said to have expressed himself earnestl
ter In favor Of settling their questions of virgini
" reconatrurtiop nm tha hasia thev ntonnsa, ~