The Portland daily press., 1869-01-15
Letter from Washington.
WASHINGTON. Ian. - 1869
THE TENURE OF OFFICE.

THE TENURE OF OFFICE.
The hasty action Of yesterday could not be
repeated to-day. I think majority of the
Republicans regret the hasty manner in which
SO important a matter was carried. 1t is not
at all complimentary to the Good sense or STA
biity of those who voted for the tenure of Of
fee act. The motion Of yesterday was sprung
upon the House suddenly, and from the ind-
cations it Is fair 20 believe that great many
men voted on the bell-weiher principle. You
have seen flock Of sheep go through hole
in the fence because the old bell sheep did so
first.
There were two motions made on which the
roll was ordered. On tie first vote, that of
ordering the previous question, the vole stood
116 to AZ. OF the affirmative So We're Demo-
crat all who were in the House. OF the
minority all we've Republicans. OF the IS
not voting, q were Democrats and 81 Repub
licans. SO that of the Republicans, i majority
voted either IN the negative or not at all. So
far as your members were concerned, four were
present and oue did not vote. Messrs. Blaine
Pike and Perham in the negative; Mr.. Lynch
was not present ..-- .....
On the vote upon the final passage Of the
bill, the vote stood 121 to At. several of the
Democrats hav.Lg come in since. Fifty.three
m mbers did not vote at all, of whom eighteen
were Democrats, so that the Republicans We're
nearly equally divided, ."
Senators do not seem to feel much impress
ed with the vote, and the entire repeal Of the
law is more than doubtful. That it will be
quite materially modified is more probable. -
The ouly persons who seem really pleased over
the result are The Conservative Republicans
who were opposed to impeachment. A sarcas-
tic friend suggests that all the expectant cabi-
net ministers, or. possible speakers are to be
found in the affirmative. The reason given
for their votes by members may be summed up
best in the words Of an influential Western
member addressed to your correspondent to-
day: "The law was repealed because We want
ed fair show for an administration conducted
by a honest man." Another member said
what undoubtedly affected many men-"that
the tenure of Office act enabled Senators 10
make a brokers' shop of their chamber, and
for one he didn't intend to have the patronage
all jockeyed by them"
On the whole, the repeal coming so hastily and
without debate of an act involving an impor-
tant principle of constitutional law, and the
enforcement of which has cost so much, does
not seem to looker-on transaction of very
creditabie character. 1t is the personal tri-
umph of Butler and Washburne, combined
with desire to remove every stumbling-block
from Grants path. 1t is to be hoped its au-
thors and engineers may see no cause to regret
their action.
YOUR sENAToRsHIP. ssh
Considerable interest is manifested in your
Senatorial fight. Think that Hannibal Ham
lin has the sympathy OF most persons here
Gov. Morrill, is favorite with ell who know
him, but for Mr.. Hamlin there is deep seated
regard, large degree of success, and some
feeling also that hitherto he has been unfairly
dealt with. -.....ts d.
BUSINESS OF CONGRESS.
There still remains as much diversity OF
opinion and as much improbability of agree
ment on financial issues as there was two
years ago. Gov. Mortor's scheme does not
seem to wear we'll. Men are asking in trepi.
dation what, if it should be carried, would be
the result of the gold boarding it provides for?
And where is the gold to be obtained? The
latter is provided by allowing it to be borrowed
abroad. But that appears to be the Irish rem
edy. The story of Pat, who, finding his blank
ct too short, cut off a strip at the top and sew.
ed it on the bottom, wondering when he got
through why it was even shorter than before,
will not be forgotten. .. ..
Gen. Buffers foancial speech--so long ex-
pected-was listened to to-day with the most
marked attention. Butler is fast becoming a
controlling spirit in the House. That is what
he is determined on being. Having made
men afrail of him, he is now gracious and con-
ciliatory- partly SO, perhaps, because no one
has yet run tilt against him. suspect there
are none specially anxiou. to do so. Past expe-
riences show that it does not pay. After all
that is said or done, doubt whether any Inn
portant financial proposition will be adoptt d.
Men are in this respect good deal of the
melancholy Danes" opinion. -"that it is bet.
better to bear the ills we wot of, than to fly TO
those we know not oi"-and this view will
compel a negative course. SPECTATOR.