Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1869-03-26
CONGRESSIONAL.


CenciustoA Of YestePday's PreeeedfnSO.
SEsArR-After our report closed, the Senate
without action on the bill supplementary to the
national Currency Act, went into Executive
session, and then adjourned
HOUeB.-After our report closed
The Speaker announced as the Select Com.
mit,ee on the revival OF the American com
merce, authorized by the resolution passed q
lew days ago. Messrs. Lynch, Buffing ton. O. y.
Wsshburn, Horchkiss, Morrell, Judd, Holman
Colk' N, and Wells.
Mr.. Butler (Mass) moved to proceed to
business ON the Speakers table. Agreed Il,
The Speaker said the nrst business on the
Speakers table was the SeLate amendments to
the civil tenure bill.
Mr.. Butler moved the reference of the bill
and amendments TO the Judiciary Committee.
Mr.. farnsworth (Il.) moved to concur in
the Senate amendments.
Mr.. Butler said be would not yield tor that
purpose. He yielded to
MIR. Logan, lll.,) who offered an amendment
as follows: "Pr0yiued, that all the civil OH GERS
excepting Judges OF United States courts. that
were filed by the President Of the L nited States
prior TO March 4th, 1869, shall become vacant
on the Both OF June, 1862" He said he offered
the amendment in good faith. He had thought
that the House Of Representatives was entitled
20 some opinions OF its own. He knew that
much work had been done In the House this
morning TO get a concurrence in the Senate
amendments TO the bill, and the argu ment used
II the time had come when mem oers OF this
House were to be used pack horses, IL was
time that legislation ceased He had as much
commence In the President as any other MEM
her OF Congress, and he proposed to show it By
untyIng bis hands, as he proposed 10 do in this
amendment. The amendment did not repeal
he law. 1t only united the Presidents hands
Hnd allowed him to make appointments with
ont being told 'if you turn out this or that
man, be will do so and so''
Mr.. Washburn wis., hoped the House would
not concur in the Senate amendments, out
would insist upon the bill tor repeal. He had
heard IL stated that If this law was repealed 1t
could never again be enacted. Such was per-
haps the fact but he did not cons ider that any
argument against repeal. The government had
run on eighty years without this law, aud it
never would have been enacted bat to meet an
emergency which was now happily passed. 1t
was said that the President was satisfied with
this bill He did not believe IL. At any rate
we We're not legisating for General Grant,
but for the country. The people, he knew,
would De satisfied with nothing but absolute
repeal.
DIR. Farnsworth (IlI) did not understand
why there should opposition to the Senate
amendments. The bill as 1t now stood Welded
everything TO the President, and ought TO be
satisfactory TO his friends. The bill allowed the
President TO make all suspensions during TUE
recess. The very next day after the Senate ad-
Journs, he could go to work and remove all the
officers If he choose, except the Judges of the
United States courts.
mr. Logan Ill) asked if he could not do so
before the law was changed.
Mr. Farnsworth iii J said he could not He
had to give reasons fer suspending. He went
on to show the difference between the law as it
now stands and the law as amended by the
Senate.
Mr.. Butler (Mass.) said he would give some
reasons for his motion to refer. IL was true
that he had rushed the bill repeating the law
through the House without debate. He did SO
because the whole subject had been discussed
by the country, and was thoroughly under
stood. The response to that action came back
rom every city and town and hamlet, aye and
every farm. house of the country. There never
was a measure that commanded more una
nimity among the people than the repeal OF thus
law. 1t went over to the S.nste and they dis
cussed for Gays and weeks, ana then agreed TO
the amendments row before the House. The
bill as amended gave the Senate the entire con-
troll of all the offices in the country. II trans
ferred the power of remov fng and appointing
from the executive to the Legislative branch of
the government. The President might remove
a man, hut If the Senate did not agree to IT, the
removed official was restored. and be came the
real appointed. II q man was suspended by
the President, he could get up combin atoms
and bring what influence he could get 10 b.ar
upon the Senate 10 reinstate him In his Office in
spite OF the President. The reason why h. pre-
ferred the Executive 10 the Senate as the an.
pointing power was that the Executive was
RESPONSE while the Senate was not. We all
know the House, here, that the Senate
has adopted rule of courtesy whereby
one objection, as general thing, settled q
nomination. The objection OF two Senator's
generally killed a man from their Sta.e. You
go to Senator and say, "Why wasn't this man
turned OUT" and he SAYS, THE Ssnlte refu sad To
90 IT. Inc WfOle Senate Is made res pOns ible,
and, as consequence, nobody is res ponsI BILE
He would not enter upon justification Of his
vote for he tenure of-ofiice act He would
only say that ii was adopted to meet an emer-
g-Icy. There were many things done under
The administration OF Andrew Johns son that
had better never been done, and the sooner they
are undone the better. He was told that the
President had agreed 10 this amendment of the
senate. OF that he was not aware; but if he
did ne believed the President relied upon the
public sentiment of the country and O the
>ente Of justice of the House, and on their own
dignity, 10 save him from the Infamous pro-
visions of the law.
Mr.. Davis IN. " offered an amendment, in
structing the Committee on the Judiciary to
report the provisions Of the Constitution which
authorize or legalIZed the act, and il the law
be continu ed in force, the manner in which il
shall be determined by the Supreme Court
The an endment was rejected
MIR. Butler Mass. moved the previous ues.
ton on the motion to refer.
Mr.. Farnsworth (Ill.) moved that the House
adjourn. Not agreed TO.
The bill was referred to the Judiciary Com.
miitse-yeas a5, nays79.
The House then adjourned.