The New York herald., 1869-03-15

and the Tenure of Once Law.
There is fearful gathering of the faithful
at Washington-a regular crusade of patriotic
spoilspen. They have increased, are in
creasing, and will not for some time be
diminished. They come as the winds come,
from all points of the compass, in gathering
hurricane; they come like the vultures Of the
desert on the trail Of a caravan; they come
like an army Of famished pilgrims to the tomb
of the Prophet, and great is their clamor for
the spoils. Thousands of snug places and
good livings, they cry, are filed by the rene
gade followers Of Andy johnson, by rebels
and by the copperhead democracy, and they
must be turned adrift. Grant and Colfax
clubs, from States and Territories; county and
city delegations of Boys in Blue, with an oc-
casional niger; pompous committees Of party
managers, backed by squads of members of
the two houses-a continuous stream of office
hunters upon General Grant from day to
day, with their claims, their papers and their
applications, and they are all in hurry to
pocket their rewards. Time is precious, and
Washington hotel bills are outrageous.
The two houses, 1t appears. have entered
into an agreement concerning the feshpots;
they are ready to assist in the working Of the
guillotine at the rate of five hundred heads
per day; but the President, coolly putting his
cigar, declines to put the machine inso active
operation. His reasons may be thus summed
up:-'Gentlemen, there may be thousands Of
renegade Johnsonians, unreconstructed rebels
and venomous copperheads in Office, but how
am / TO know them? They were nominated
by Mr.. johnson and confirmed by the Senate;
and there are other office holders retained by
Mr.. johnson because he could not remove
them, since they were placed under the Tenure
Of Office law. Against one Of my first appoint
Dments, which I thought an excellent one and
which was unanimously confirmed by the
Senate, there was found the impediment Of the
Treasury law Of 1889, and being found the
Senate would listen to no compromise. What,
then, can do, when, by the Tenure of ONCE
law, every subordinate officer In every depart
ment is under the special protection OF the
Senate, and not one can be displaced but by
the advice and consent Of the Senator"
And so the sword Is double edged, and the
tables are turned upon the Senate. The Presi-
dent is still master Of the situation in holding
the initiative in this matter Of dispensing the
public plunder. Under the law in question he
may appoint Tom in the place Of Dick, but If
the Senate desire Harry or prefer Dick to
Tom rejection Of Tom leaves Dick In posses
sion. But the case Of Stanton is the best illus
tration OF the power held by the Senate over
the President under this law. The law
provides that in the absence Of the Senate the
President may suspend q subordinate civil
officer, but must give his reasons for such sus
pension to the Senate at its next meeting. If
voted satisfactory the suspension holds good
otherwise the suspended officer is reinstated.
Stanton, as Secretary Of War, was in this way
suspended and reinstated, General Grant.
appointed Secretary ad interim, delivering
him back the Office in obedience to the law.
Then, for attempting peremptory removal Of
Stanton, johnson was impcached and came
within single vote in the Senate OF an igno-
minious expulsion from Office. There never
was before anything approaching this humilia-
tion Of the Presidential Office, and II Is to be
hoped there never will be another such
example of Senatorial dictation.
Johnson, in attempting to fight this law,
escaped the headsman's axe as by miracle,
and In fighting various other laws he was
reduced to mere Jack-in-the box, at the
pleasure Of the Senate. Grant, thoroughly
drilled In the regular soldiers obedience to the
law, will faithfully observe the restrictions Of
this Tenure Of Office act He has no wild
goose chase on hand-no policy Of his own 10
set up against the laws Of Congress- and II
the shoe pinchcs the Office seekers they must
look to the Senate. General Grant simply
says this act stands in my way but IL is the
law. The two houses Of Congress must
remove IL II they wish the Executive 10 accom-
[ modate them with new distribution OF the