Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1869-03-24
FORTY-FlRST CONGRESS-.
This Afternoons Proceedings,
WEDNESDAY, March "a.

caucus Of Republican Senators held on Mon
day last on the Tenure. OF. Office bill, in which
Il Is represented shat the caucus was called at
the instance OF Mr. OonkIiag, who, 1t was re-
ported, SAID that he should not houor the In
suuctlons of the Legislature OF New York to
vote for the repeal of the bill, which he pro-
houpced TO be entirely untrue, and that the
paragraph itself was devoid OF foundation in
every particular. He regarded 1t as rather no.
ticeable that any starement ia regard to q con.
ference Of this Lature should have found Its
way into the public prints, as 1t was not to be
supposed for an instant that any Senator who
was present had divuiged what took place. 1t
was not surprising, therefore, that the report.
ers, who had 10 guess of these matters, shou, d
iall into error, some OF which Were rsmarki-
bly, amusing. Mr.. u. also pronounced as uu.
true the statement In the New York Times that
any other Senator.
Mr.. Grimes pronounced the Chronik's yer-
sion OF his remarks to be utterly unfounded,
but said that of late he had scarcely deemed il
worm while to notice newspaper statements.
Mr.. Sumner, from the Committee on Foreign
Relations. reported q bali to carry into effect
the conditions Of the convention for the adjust.
nlent Of Chains Of July I, 1868, between the
United States and Mexico.
MI. Cragin, from the Committee on Cortin-
gent ExpeEs ses, reported adversely on the reso-
luton 70 pay the extra messengers Of the Ssn-
Mr.. Trumbull, from the Committee on the
Judiciary. reported back with an amendment
the civil.tenure. of.ofiice repeal bill. q
The amendment is in the nature of a substi-
tnte and repeals :he arst ana second sections
of the bill.
Mr.. Bayard moved to lay the amended bill
upon the table and have It printed, as he
thought it necessary for the Information of the
Senate.
The motion was not agreed to.
MT; Davis moved to amend by substituting
the House bill.
MT. Trumbull made the point that the
motion was notin order, as the Senate had Just
voted down the House bill by adopting the sub
Mr.. Davis understood that the bill had been
considered In COMMITTEE Of the Whole. and
when it was reported to the Senate it was
20 onpetent for the Senate to revise the action Of
th- Committee OF the Whole, and that his
amendment was not In order. -...-
Mr.. Warner did not think it quite fair to
tDemocrauc) side OF the chamber have not had
the same opportunity of knowing the pro.
visions Of the bill as our (Repubiican) side
have had, and he would suggest that the bill
be printed and laid over until Tomorrow, In
trder that they may have the time to ex-
Mr.. Trumbull said the Democrats did no,
care about the details Of the bill as they were
opposed to the tenure o.. office bill In any
'hape, and therefore there was no object in any
m ore delay.
The question was then taken on the motion
TO lay the bill on the table until IT was printed
upon which MIR. Sprague demanded the yeas
srd nays.
The motion was rejected. Ayes, %; nays, 81.
Mr.. Grimes said the bill was not whit less
Objectionable than the bill reported at the last
$. ssicn from the Oommirtee on Retrenchment.
1t was substantially the same with q mere al
teration of phraseolOgy. The Government can
only be properly admin istered by a strict and
speedy accountability of all the officers TO the
Chief Executive, and the passage of this act
Will only have the act to perpetuate and con.
tinue the conflict which has so unhappily pre-
vailed tor the last four years bet ween the Ex.
ecutiye and Legislative Departments of the
Government, and not desiring to be a party to
any such effect, he must vote against the bill
Mr.. Davis then offered an amendment to
strike out all after the enacting clause and in.
sert ..That the act passed on the I'd OF March.
1867, known as the Tenure of-Office act be, and
the same is hereby, repealed"
The Chair decided this amendment to be out
Mr. Davis dissented entirely from the opin-
ion OF the Chair, but would not make an ap.
peal.
Mr.. Morton said the effect of the bill was that
" hen suspension was made by the President,
If the Senate refused to concur, the suspended
ofiicisl would go back at the end Of the next
session Of the Senate. This bill removed the
practical difficulties of the tenure Of Office BILL
but it reserved the veto rower Of the Senate
which, after all, amounted to nothing, as the
suspensions; but be could not vote for 1t. as he
did not believe in the theory which the DILL re-
tained. He should, however, make no argu.
ment against IT,
Mr. Harlan said it was the opinion of some
that to secure the faithful administration
the Government the President should have
the absolute power Of removal, and ii was true
that TINS bill did circumscrlbe the Presidents
power in the matter. II this was true OF the
General Government why was II not true Of
the several States, in many Of which the State
officers were independent Of the Governor, and
no such theory as this had ever been broacheo
IN the States.
Mr.. Fowler read from manuscript that the
public morality was at q very low ebb. The
country 10 longer relies upon honorable vir-
tue and manhood. This law only In existence
for two years has helped to win the country by
deserted our fathers precepts The bill has
been fruitful OF malice, party revenge and
discord.
HoUsR.-Mr. Dawes fMass moved that the
House Committee on the Civil Service be con.
tinued. Agreed to.
Mr.. Whittemore (Ill) introduced a bill to
regulate the matter Of applying to Congress for
he removal Of political disabilities. Referred
to the Committee on RecOnstr uction.
Mr.. Palmer (Iowa) introduced bill con-
cerning the United States District Court in
Iowa. Referred to the Committee on the Ju.
dietary.
Mr. Paine (Wis.) introduced bill to enforce
the third section OF the fourteenth anne I'D meIt
to the Constitution. Referred to the Commit.
person who is ineligible to Office under thst
section, and who holds or attempts TO hold
office in any State or Territory, and every civil
such person and does not exercise it, shall be
deemed guilty Of a misdemeanor, and shall be
liable to q fine OF not less than $50 or more
than $1,000, and Imprisonment not more than
five years nor less than SIXTY days
Mr.. Axtell (Cal.) introdu uced a bill amenda.
tory Of the act Of nth July, 1865 to protect the
rights Of actual settlers. Referred to the Com.
mittee on Public Lands.
Mr.. Niblack (Ind.) introdu duced a bill to
equalize soldiers bountes. Referred to the
Committee on Military Affairs.
Mr.. Clarke (Kaneas9 ln6oduced . bill to en-.
able actual settlers on the Cherokee strip OF
land in Kansas to purchase their lands. Re.
Ierred to Committ.e on Public Lsnds. 3
Mr. Garfield, (Ohio) from the Select Commit.
tee on the Census, reported bill to provids for
taking the 9th and su bsequent census. Ordered I
printed aud yecomnitteo.
The Senate bill 70 incorporate the Natioual
Junction Railroad Company was taken from
the Speakers table. 1
Several amendments were proposed by
Mesers. Welker,' OF Ohio, and Swami, or
MARYLAND, Mr. SWann's amendment proposed
that wkeYever the junction rail- way crosses
the baltimore and Ohio road, 1t shall be either
above or below the grade OF that road. H
Mr.. Swami, (Md.,) in support of his amend
menf, said that he Was satisfisd that not more
than half dozen members OF the House had
examined the h1ll, or ha6 given 1t that censid.
eration which Il demanded, and which would
enable them TO vote intelitgently upon it.
1t bad never been considered by any
committee Of the House, and he protested
against this mode OF legislation. His
object was to protect private property
provisIons Of the bill were - offensive as they
are, because he had not examined the bill care.
fully. The citizens Of the District OF Ool am.
bia had anvuSa Id IN Mn To have tho hin ro