The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1869-02-08
E S.
SENATE.
MAsnINaroN. FEBRUARY 6.

ate LOOK lu0 Ol11 " 1epeu4 LAG
of Office law.
Mr., Edwards said the bill as it had
come from the House, proposed to re-
move all legal restrictions from the
President in the exercise OF the power
OF appointment and removals. The
Senate Judiciary Committee had not
thought it wise to do that, and had re-
ported an amendment modifying the
bill so as TO permit the President to
suspend a civil office whenever in his
judgement the public good may require
1T, subject to the approval ofthe Senate,
and without giving specific reasons for
such suspension. The majority of the
Committee of which he was not one,
had thought it fit that the Heads OF De-
partments should be subject to the re-
moval at the will OF the President alone,
and had reported an amendment to that
effect.
Mr.. Morton was In favor of the total
repeal of the law, he believed it was
mistake in the beginning, and did not
believe the public services ever had
been benefited by it, but on the
contrary felt satisfied that the law had
been used to some extent to put thieves
in office and throw upon the Senate the
odium of keeping them there. He
liked the amendment proposed by the
Committee so far as 1t allowed the Pre-
sident TO choose the members of his
Cabinet, and thought the idea of ever
depriving a President of that power ab-
surd, but the part of the amendment
which would allow the President to
suspend an officer during session of
Congress without giving reasons for
such suspension would make the bill
worse than the law 1t proposed to re.
peal.
Mr.. Howe did not think 1t wise to ac-
cept Cabinet officers from the general
provisions. He could not see any rea-
son why President should be allowed
to dismiss a Cabinet officer at pleasure
when he would not also be at liberty to
dismiss the head OF the Internal ReVe-
nue. Department or any military, naval
or judicial officer. He could not agree
with the Senator from Indiana (Mor-
tony as to the effect of the tenure of of
flee bill upon the public services, and
he believed an honest President could
Just as readily dispose Of a dishonest
officer under il as he could before Its
enactment,
Mr.. Thayer expressed the hope that
the Senator from Vermont (Edmunds)
would press the bill upon the attention
of the Senate every day until 1t should
pass, and he was in favor of passing 1t
in the form in which it had come from
the House, uncondiLionally repeating
the law.
The discussion was continued until
the expiration of the morning hour,
when the Senate resumed the consider
alton of the Constitutional. amendment.
Mr.. Edmunds submitted concur
rent resolution that
WHEREAS, The question whether the
State of GeQrgia is entitled to represen-
tation in Congress is now pending,
Resotved, That when the electoral
votes for President and Vice President
are counted, in case the vote OF said
oh tlOn Ifn
vote shall be reported in the following
manner by the President of the Senate,
were the vote presented as of the State
of Georgia, to be counted, the result
would be, for President of the United
States, blank; ii not counted for Presi-
dent ofthe United States, blank; but in
either case, blank Is elected President
of the United States, and in the same
manner for Vice President.
Mr.. Wilson presented the following
in the form of an amenGmendment:
There shall be no discrimination in any
State among citizens or the United
States, in the exercise Of the elective
franchise in any election therein, or in
the qualifications for office, in any
State, on account of race, color, birth,
religious faith, education or property.
At 4 O'Clock the Senate adjourned.
HOUSE.
Mr.. Hooper from the Committee on
Ways and Means reported a bill to pro-
hibit the further increase Ofthe public
debt and other purposes, and gave no.
tice that he would call it up next week.
MIR. Hooper from the Committee on
Banking and Currency, registered a
bill regulating the reports of the Ma.
tional Banking Associations. The bill
was ordered to be printed and recon-
mitted. The bill requires the national
banks to make report to the Comp
troller of currency on the first Mon
day OF every month in lieu ofquarterly
and monthly statements. 1t is now re-
quired that the reports for January
and July to be published in some news.
paper at the expense of the bank.
The House then went into Commit
tee of the Whole, with Mr.. Ferry in the
chair, and resumed the consideration OF
the army appropriation bill which gave
rise to some discussion without dis
posing of the subject; the commit
tee rose.
The following are the reductions
made in the bill by the various amend
ments adopted: For recrNiting service,
from 100000 to $4,000; for pay of
army, from S15,0O0,00O to $l1, 600 900;
communication officers subsistence, from
s., ,OOO, 900 to $1,000. 900; subsistence for
troops, from S., 5000 to 81 4,50O, 900 ;
Quartermaster's department from S5,-
900 900 to $3, ,000, 900; Cavalry and Artil-
lery horses, from 100000 to $3.50 600;
mllage for officers, from $2,0OO.000 to
81 900, 900; transportation of army, from
S., SOC, 900 to s., ,OOO, 900; Communication Of
ticers quarters, from 50, ,0OO. 900 to 81 900
600; military surveys, $500. 900 struck
out.
Mr.. Garfield, from the Committee on
Military Affairs, reported an amend
ment for the reduction Of the army, and
Mr.. Dodge, from the Minority Commit
Tee, offered another amendment on the
same subject. Mr.. Butler, of Massa-
chusetts, offered still another.
The amendment offered by Mr.. Gar
field contemplates the reduction OF the
rank and file of the army by 10. 900 men;
of the commissioned officers by go, the
latter by general absorption. Also, the
consolidation of the quartermasters,
commission and pay departments, and
the consolidation of the artillery and
ordnance corps.
The amendment offered by Mr.. But
Ter contempIates the direct mastering
out of the supernumerary officers.
Adjourned.