The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1869-04-01
SHALL THE SENATE OR THE
PRESIDENT MANAGE THE
..., EXECUTIVE DEPART
MENT2

The Senate has passed a bill modify
| ing the Tenure of Office law, The
President; is said to be satisfied with
this compromise, although the essence
Of the law is still retained. The harsh.
er restrictions and exactions of the law
are cur off, but the power of tile Senate
over the Presidents renewals is not re
linquishcd. Hence We have still to ask
the House, shall the Senate or the
President manage the Executive De-
partment! ...lI.,r
This is startling question. It sug-
gests change OF thegovc'nmcnt by act
of Congress. by act Of Congress this
change was made for the beneGt Of
President johnson. The power which
all his Predecessors tad exercised in the
matter Cfrrmovals from office VAS in his
G; sc tranfelrcd to tie Scn-tc. Down
10 the passage Of this law tie Prrsidcnt
c,uId and did rcmove Ills official sub
urdiuates at his discretion, the Senate
being content with IFS constitutional
power and duty of'couGrmiug or reject
lug the Presidents Nominations. Eut
uad.r this existing Inv the Senate has
the decisive voice over every removal
from cfficc. Thus the Executive De-
yprtmcnt las become M re appendage
Of tho Senate. The Presi ent is bu'
the President in name, for practically
his office is in the hams Of an oligarc y
the oligarchy of the Sena:e. 1t 81
happcus, too, that for the four ye'rs'
term of General Glant as President the
radical Leaders of this oligarchy reason.
ably calculate upon controlling the Sc.
ualc. and, through lis action: the whole
machinery aud policy Of tie admini:-
rat on.
Grncra. Grsnt, with the quick per-
ception of sa.acious soldier, ON c III
ing into p ,wcr uads the repeal OF this
TcI.u.c of Oliice law lhc condition ol
anything like gcucral sys:lm Of re-
moyals from uGict. lie does not like
he druid .cry of submitting to the Sc-
nate his rcasuus lor the removal OF JOh II
Due or Iii i.hard l;oe, with the chances
q having his reasons voted Insufficient.
Dut The r.dicll aorl'y Ut tile Senate
have 50 III died the law as 10 relieve
him Of this drujgery, requiring only
that his removals In the absence VI
Courress >hall he subject to the couscut
Of the Senate at its next sesstpn. This
is the substsuce Of the law re alncd-
the material feature which MA es the
President mere servant Of the Senate,
though he may consent 10 1t Tor the sake
of peace. Let US suppose, for example,
that this modification Ut ihe. law Is III
force, aud that tue two houses have ad-
iourned over till Deccmb, r next. The
President begins to weed cut the tishy
cc.holdcls. y radical leader OF the
Senate, who has his friends to look
alter. tlkcs the alarr,. lie calls at the
White House and says we think this
man ought not to be touched, but that
such aud such be safely renovcd.-
" hat, then, is the President to do?
Surely, his wisesL course Is to do moth
ing and if lett il ibis -perplexlng pos
turc he ought 10 do nothing lor the
benefit of office be..ars, great or small
The Senate, having :%alucd this posi-
tion of the French Directory through
the folly Of The House OF l'epr' sentat-
tives, is naturally cuuush disposed 10
keep it. The House.. from its rcccut
action on sevarul occasions, is quite as
anxious to reciiiy its mistake, u"del
which Il member of the House as an
office.seeker is reduced 10 me!e no.
body. But iu refusing anyihl"S short
Of thc absolute repeal OF this Tenure ol
Office law aud in refusing 10 adj jo"rn
without this repeal the Hous'; may re-
gam its administration in enforcing
upJn the Senate a return to the consll-
tlun on this subject and cumplancc
with the manifest will of the rrUple.-
The law in question is an insult 10 the