The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1869-04-07

poco"o Vaoaut Ou tn6 oUCn OK June,
1869. He said he had always thought
that the House was entitled to have
opinions Of its own. He knew there
had been good deal of work done
here this morning by certain gentle
men to have the Senate amendment
concurred in, by iusinuating that it
was agreeable to tho President. If
members had no minds of their own
if they were to be used like pack
threads, it was time to stop legisla.
tioD. He insisted that tho Senate
amendment made the Tenure of Office
bill worse than it was in it's original
shape. He declared that this was
struggle for power between the execu
tive and the Senate; that was all
there was of it. The bill had been
originally passed for a special pur.
pose, aud now the Senate was deter
mined to hold the power in its hands.
Did anybody believe that the Souatc
was giving upon this amendment one
iota of its power For his own part
he was not to be- swelyed from his
duty by the insinuation that some.
body consented to the amendmeu
He appealed to the friends of the
President to stand by the bill repeal
ing the law or to adopt his amend
ment.
Mr.. Washburne, Of Wis, opposed
the Senate amendment. lie hoped
the House would not concur in it;
would not refer it, and would insist on
the unconditional repeal Of tho Ten
ure Of Oifi;e law. That law was
passed for particular purpose and
to check the usurpations of wicked
Chief Magistrate. 1t had answered
the purposes of it's enactment and
should pass away with the cause that
brought it into being. The Presiden,
was responsible for the execution OF
the laws, aud there never had been
time when there was the same neces-
sity as now for the President to have
ample power to remove dishonest OF
incompetent officials. 1t had been
said that the President was satisfied
with the Senate amendment. While
he (Mr. Washburn) knew nothing
about that he did not believe it. Ii
the President we're satisfied he was
not the man whom he (Mr. Wash
burn) had taken him for. But the,
we're not legislating for General
Grant; they were legislating for the
country, which was nearly unanimous
| on the subject. He hoped the House
would insist on unconditional repeal.
The President might be ratified with
the Senate amendment, but he (Mr.
Washburn) was not satisfied with it,
and the people would not be satisfied
with it. He believed he represented
all his constituents in demanding an
unconditional repeal.
Mr.. Farnsworth argued in favor of
concurring in the Senate amendment,
which he explained in reply to gues-
, tions put to him by Mr.. Logan.
Mr.. Butler, of Mass, declared that
; the Senate amendment was a new
tenure of Office bill, moro wrong in
principle, more fatal in action, and
more destructive to the privileges of
the House and of the people, and was
comforting more power on the Senate
than the present Tenure Of Office bill {;
it fettered the Executive more. Ii
he (Mr. Butler) were to vote for either
he would vote for the ono now OH the
statute book in preference to this. The
Senate was an irresponsible body, and
on irresponsible body was ever d..u-
gerous.
Mr.. Poland inquired how the gen
tleman from Massachusetts justified
the passage of tho Tenure of Olfioe
bill originally7
Mr.. Butler replied that he had no
occasion to 60 into such justification.
daughter on the democratic side.)
Mr.. Puland-But the gentleman's .
political associates have abundant
reason to 60 into their justification.
| Mr.. Butler There were many
things which we had to do to save
the life of the country in the war for
which justification cannot be found in
the constitution. There we're many
things which we had to do under An
drew johnson which had better never
be done again--(laughter)-an had
better be got rid Of as soon as possi-
Bile. Mr.. Butler went on to charac-
teriye the Senate amendment as de-
| olaration of want of confidence in tho
President. What good had the law
ever done I? Had it ourbed bad
President7 Ruthlessly and in def
ance of it Andrew johnson had turn
ed Edwin NJ. Stanton out of office,
and when the House impeached him
therefor the Senate held him acquit
and free.
Mr.. Farnsworth suggested that the
Senators who had voted to convict
Mr.. johnson had voted for thisamenL- :
inent.
Mr.. Butler did not know who WAS
in favor of the amendment. It had
been passed in secret caucus; but ha
knew that the vote on the repeal of
the law did not bear out the gentle
! mans statement.
Mr.. Farnsworth--The vote on the
Senate amendment docs bear me- out.
Mr.. Butler-Ohl bshI fiddlestioks