The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1869-03-30
co N GR E ) | 0 N A L .
WASHINGTON, March q.
SENATE.


Mr.. Trumbull, from the Committee on
the Judiciary, reported substitute for
the bill to repeal the tenure c-of-otlice act,
rs follows:
TO strike out all after the enacting
clause and insert rs follows: That the
1st and I'd sections of an act regulating
the tenure of certain civil offices, passed
March 2, 1867, be and the same are
hereby repealed, and in lieu of said re-
pealed sections the following are hereby
enacted:
That every person holding any civil
office to which he has been or may here
after be appointed by and with the ad-
vice and consent of the Senate, and who
shall have become duly qualified to act
therein, shall be entitled to hold such of
flee during the term for which he shall
have been appointed, unless sooner re-
moved by and with the advice and con-
sent of the Senate, or by the appoint
ment, with the like advice and consent,
of a successor in his place, except as
herein otherwise provided.
SEC. 9. And be it further enacted, That
during the recess of the Senate, the
President is hereby empowered i'll his
discretion to suspend any civil officer ap-
pointed by and with the advice and coun-
sci of the Senate, except the Judges of
the United States Courts, until the end
of the next session Of the Senate and to
designate some suitable person subject to
be removed in his discretion by the desig.
nation of another to perform the duties
of such suspended officer in the mean
time, and such person so designated
shall take the oath and give the bond re-
quired by law to be taken and given by
the suspended officer, and shall during
the time he performs his duties be entl-
tied to the salary and emoluments OF
such officer, no part of which shall be-
long to the person suspended; and ii
shall be the duty of the President, within
thirty days after the commencement OF
each session of the Senate. except fol
any office which in his opinion ought
not to be filled, to nominate persons to
fill all vacancies in Office which existed
at the meeting of the Senate, whether
temporarily filled or not; also in place OF
all officers suspended, and if the Senate,
during such session, shall refuse to ad-
wise and consent to an appointment in
the place Of any suspended officer ane
shall also refuse by vote to assent to his
suspension, then and not otherwise such
officer at the end of the session shall be
entitled to resume the possession of the
office from which he was suspended and
afterwards to discharge its duties and
receive its emoluments as though nc
such suspension had taken place.
Mr.. Grimes stated that he could not
vote for the bill.
Mr.. Morton said the report of the
committee preserved the shadow rather
than the substance Of the tenure-of-o Office
act. 1t was merely a bad photograph Of
dead body, and therefore he did not
feel called upon to argue against it OF
oppose it actively in any way, but he
could not vote for it because by preserv-
ing the veto power of the Senate 1t VIC
lated the theory he held on the subject.
Mr.. Harlan argued in favor of the ex
isting law.
Mr. Ross followed in an argument
against the tenure of office act.