The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1869-03-23
'EENURE..OF..OFF1CE.
How the Senate 6IanGlS..-VIcUS of the
President.
WASHINGTON, March 81, 80.

| Contrary to the general expectation,
| the Senate came to no vote on the Civil
Tenure matter, yesterday, and the dis.
position is still unmistakably indicated
to debate it as long as there is the
slightest chance of saying anything
new or of pronouncing a clearly round
ed sentence. Nobody believed, when
the discussion began in the Senate, that
it would last so long. The various
shades of public opinion have under
gone a compete change. and it is now
impossi ible to name, outside OF Congress,
those who originally opposed the repeal
and those who favored it. There is no
doubt that the proposition for absolute
repeal was stronger fortnight ago
than it is tonight, and If vote on the
direct question could have been forced
in the Senate at that time, the law
would now be Oft the statute books,
and the needed legislation of Com
gress much farther advanced. The
| larger share of the debate thus
far has been with the anti-repealers,
although Morton, Sherman and others
have made as strong speeches as any
yet delivered on the subject; but the
strength of the discussion has been
against them from the start, and their
side has been weakened by the efforts
of Edmunds, Williams, Summer,
Schurz, Conkling and others, which
have been powerful. The vote has
been so often postponed that there is
some doubt that it will be reached to-
morrow, although it is urged that most
| of those who intended to speak have
already recorded their opinions, and
that q vote will be taken If insisted
upon before the adjournment, even
though the session is extended far
into the night.
The principal occupation, to-night, OF
those familiar with the debates, is the
classification of the votes, and the
friends of repeal and OF suspension
compare notes and perfect their lists.
| or course there is no certainty or the
vote, and all that anybody pretends TO
give is an approximation. The friends
| OF repeal are very sanguine OF sue
cess. and perhaps this view of the case
is the most general. They assert that
the friends of the proposition Tor an
eight months suspension have already
signiGied their Willingness to accept
clause extending the suspension for
| four wears from the 4th OF March In
stant.
There is little doubt, therefore. that
one of these propositions Will succeed
that the law will be entirely swept
away, or that it will be suspended un-
| til 1876 Those who favor the recon-
mendation of the Judiciary Commits
| tee suspending the operation OF tha law
till the meeting of Congress in Decem-
| ber have little faith at this time
in their ability to sustain the commit
| tee, and it is thus reasonable TO sup
pose that the difference will be harmon
lied, and that the vote on the winning
| side will be a large one. A caucus OF
the Republican Senators will be held
to. morrow morning, when 1t Is expect.
ed that the subjects will be caucused
and a course of action markedOut. In
anticipation of the final settlement of
the question touching this Tenure-of-
office Act now pending before Congress
| during the present week, the specula-
tions about the offices and probable
candidates arc revived. Those OF most
interest appear to be foreign missions
and the revenue officers of the different
States. The mission TO EnglaDd. 1t ls
asserted most positively, will be offered
to Mr.. Motley, In addition to his own
recognized merits for the place, he is
strongly endorsed by Mr.. Sumner and
others. Mr.. Francis, of Troy, New
and probably John Jay, OF New York,
to A Austria.
The President speaks freely enough
about the tenure'of-oftice act to persons
who ask his views. Some gentlemen
who were with him three or four days
ago, furnish the following, which Is b".
lieyed to be substantially correct
report of the interview. He said:
III shall try to execute all laws made
bv Congress, and mean to be just as
faithful in executing those don't Ike
as those I do like. 1 should IKE 10
ed, for it stands in the way of several
reforms we want to make, but II Con-
gress don't repeal it shall execute 1t
the same as if i had signed it,"
One of the gentlemen asked II 1t was
considered binding when the Senate
was in session, to which the PRESIDENT
| is reported as answering:
"Certainly. There is not anything In
it which says it shall be in effect part
| of the year and not in effect the other
part. 1t don't say that office holders
may be removed at the pleasure or the
Executive during the time Congress Is
| in session, while strong cause ls requlr-
ed for their suspension during the time
Congress is not in session. AS citl-
zen the law is of no more consequence
to me than any other citizen, but as a
President it will prevent me from re-
moving many persons think ougnC 10
i he removed" The President then men
toned by name the head OF one or the
bureaus in Washington,and continued
"I don't think he IS fit man Tor the
place, and yet probably L could not
make out a case against him. Ii knew
as much about his do1nRs as ne nimsei II
does, think could. But as 1t ls, II
should say to the Senate I believe he
ought to be removed, he and his friends,
and he has q good many, would begin
dirictly to show why he ought not to be
remoyed, and I don't know but the
Senate would decide in his favor.
have not anything in the world against
him personally, but am strong in the
conviction that could put good deal
better man in his place, and II I'm TO
be held responsible for the conduct OF
that bureau, 1 want man there Whom
know / can trust"
There was some further talk about
this particular bureau, and then one
of the gentlemen present remarked
that he hoped q certain person at the
head of the bureau in another depart
ment would be removed. Tho Presl-
dent smiled and said:
"Well, now, only yesterday had
some gentlemen here, who begged me
to keep him in. / know him well, and
never heard but that he was a good
citizen, but / am convinced, and the
head of that department is convinced,
he publ interest would be benefited
nv putting a man there who is mol
mixed up with the things of Mr.. John
son's administration. Some people
sav he is honest and some say he is not
am inclined to think he ls, but II
undertake to put him out and pul
somebody else III. he will rally agalns,
me all kinds of opposition. DE ana
his friends would work among Sena
tors and they might convince some OF
them that ! am a very bad man, pe,
cause I don't think he is n very goo0
man for the place he has got.
This tuIn of remark OF the Presluchs
caused laughter. during which the gen gen
tlemen rose to leave, one OF them ASK
ing as they did so, II any nominations
, would be sent in to day.
nNothinp of consequence said the