Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1869-02-28
FROM WASHINGTON
More Prescription Neasures-WflsOn
and the Senate-Sudden D~ise0yerIes-
Grants Policy 30 be ia accord with ihe
Radical Par~ty-sauBgry OGiee-Seekers.

WASHINGTON, February q, 1853.
People breathe lrcer since it is now
impossible for this Congress to pass any
more laws without the concurrence Ct
the Executive. In the next Congress
the country will be safer from tyranni-
cal legislation. 1t is even thought that
Gen. Grant will interpose objections to
further proscriptive measures. No bill
can be passed over his veto!
There could be no more humilating
position for any public body to be placed
In than that assigned to the Senate OF
the United States by Mr.. Wilson, OF
Massachusetts, in caucus a day or two
ago. In giving reasons for his motion
to postpone the .T~enure.of- Office bill till
after the 4th Of March, he expressed the
fear of a scathing rebuke from the pres
ent Executive in the following self-con-
demning terms:
"Let them repeal or modify the law
now, and it would present an opportu'
nifty which he was s~trenuously opposed
to, affording to Andrew Johnson 8
means to lecture them on their incOn-
sistency, and give them q rssping down
none Of them might desire to hear"
1t has also been suddenly discovered
by Mr.. Sherman, OF Ohio, MI. Fessen-
den, Of Maine, and Mr.. Morton, of H.
dianis, that the law was of most diaboIi-
| cal operation. All these gentlemen, it
will be remembered, vehemenfly sup
ported its passage. The LAST named
gentleman freely admitted the source OF
theexisting% corruption of R2dicsl officials
in the following distinct svowal
SIN references to the TenUre-of- Office
act itself he believed it had never been
productive Of any good, either for the
party or the country. He was unable to
see that it purified the public depart
ments Of corrupt and inefficient office
holders"
Mr.. Fessenden is reported to have
gone still further in these stultifying
admissions. He tacitly owned that the
Executive had been shorn OF his consti-
tutionsI power in this respect because he
did not agree with Congress and refused
to enforce with the required zeal their
oppressive and Illegal acts. Hear him /:
HE said the Tenure-of Office act
had had its day, and could now subserve
no pratieal or patriotic end. Gen. Grant
has given every assurance the loyal
people Of the country need that his adj
ministration WiU be 6n accord NTH the
policy Of the party that elected him, and
will be strenuOusly directed to the main
tenance of the laws enacted by Congress
to secure liberty and equal rights all
over the lsnd.n
II is known here that the discussion
ia this caucus furnishes 8 key TO the
future condition Of parties in the Repub-
liean ranks, so far as it will affect the
political status OF Grant. He might as
well have been told, in 30 many words,
that the "outsidersp THAT is, those
whose Cabinet pretansions have been
overlooked intend u "J0busOniZe
him ct the first opportunity. It has fire. /
quently been said in these letters that
this result was inevitsbie-not so much
account of diversity Of political views
as his utter inability TO satisfy the
shoals of hungry ofics beggsrs, high and
who are cismOring for the spells.
lHE 1ENOhE OE VI ASA DLZNOScEO. |
Az interesting conversation was had
to day with Gen. Grant by q Senator
opposed to a repeal Of the civil of3cs
tenure act. The Senator was IsyiUg the
ground WORK for sundry applications for
Jffiee, when bis attention was called by
he General to the division in the R9di-
al party on this tenure of Office ques 4
"But, sir" said the General, /" is
rot the restriction opposed to our theory
II government? The Judges hold Office
or life, bus the President and members
" Congress are subject to constant
Nov, it is proposed to invest
subordinate officers with q life inter-
at in the positions they hold, unless, in
Iced, charges are preferred against
hem and 8 trial had before the Senate,
he same tribunal before which the
Judges are to be tried. This is certainly
great stride towards 8 revolution in our
rec system, and it only requires another
tep to make these offices hereditary"
rhe Senator made no effort to combat
he Generals position, but quietly re-
oldiug several pspsrs which he still
lsld in his hand, ne returned them TO
lis coat pocket and retired. It is under
TODD that the General eontemplstes
,lacing a similar qUietus on all Senators
opposed to striking from the hands of
he Executive the Legislatures manecles
by tine civil Office tenure act.
among the large number of distin-
uished individuals Whe called upon
ZEN. Grant 70 day was Gen. Longs.reet.