The national Republican., 1869-02-22
oar washington Corre.po.depse.
FssrvArr n. isco

but calculated greatly to embarrass, II not
entirely to defeat, his efforts to reform
abuses.
POINTS INVOLVED.
y Hundreds, II not thousands, hold ONCE
who are either ineficient, incompetent or dis
honest. They have been kept In Office by
the exertions Of their Individual patrons.
II the latter successfully oppose their re-
moyal by Grant through the application Of
the tenure-of-ofiice law, Grant can do LITERAL
ly nothing for the publication Of the public
service In their cases.
GRANTS DETERMINATION.
His public history makes Il certain that he
will not permit considerations personal to
any man, whether In public life or not, to
thwart his purpose Of ridding the public ser
vice Of officials In whom he has no confidence.
THE HoUsH AND TIE PRESS.
The House, It will be remembered, Is with
him upon this question by well nigh three
fourths majority. Tho Republican party
press favors the repeal Of the law by even
greater majority, and the Democratic party
press Is unanimous for IL. A considerable
number Of the Republicans Of the Senate
also sustain him on this question, while there
will hardly be a new member Of the body
falling to take the same ground.
TuR COUNTRY on THB QUESTION.
His determined attitude upon Il, and his
zeal In Its favor, cannot fail to make II the
desire also of an overwhelming majority Of
the people.
| THB PROSPECT.
In view of these self-evidcnt facts, do
not sec how Its repeal can be prevented In a
month hence, II the new Congress deter
mines to transact business Immediately
after March 4th noxt. II seems not un-
likely, by-the-by, that Grant will hold the
Forty first Congress here until they shall
dispose Of this question, which he evidently
regards rs being Of great Importance Just
now, In view of the work of reform before
his administration.
THE ALLEGED CONSTITUTIONAL QUESTION.
The main objection alleged against the
repeal Of the tenure-of-offlce law Is that IL
embraces the true principle Of the Constitu-
ton In the matter Of filling the offices to
which the President makes nominations,
and therefore should always have been the
law In the case. This discovery is, to say
the least of 1t, q new onei certainly not
older than the occurrence OF necessity In the
opinion ofCongress, lin which the country at
large certainly colucided) for putting the
''blt" in President Johnson's mouth, which
Grant asks Congress not to keep In his.
If the Constitution required the existence
of this law surely the discovery would have
been made years before Its late enactment.
But no one dreamed Of it until President
johnson began to turn Republicans out Of
office to put in men pledged to support his
policy. This Constitutional objection to the
proposed repeal will therefore not hold
| water.
| DIsTRUsT OF GRANT.
The country will comprehend what Is
really true in the premises, viz; that the
real ground for opposition to the repeal Is
dlstrust of Grant on the part Of more or less
of its opponents, or a disposition to oppose
such of his removals and appointments as
may affect injuriously immediate partisans
of gentlemen prominently In public life.
THE COPPER TARIPF.
The copper-tarif lobby are moving heaven
and earth to induce President johnson tc
sign the copper tariff bill that recently
passed Congress. They evidently rely on
the influence OF Senator Hendricks and Mr..
Simeon johnson, with the latter's namosake,
to get the required signature. There are
many "plums" in the bill, and everything
that unremtted excrtions Of dozen active
and usually effective workers in such cases
can do, will be essayed under the usual
stimulant." After March 4th, copper lob
bles and active workers for any lobbies what
ever, (for the usual considerations will be
at very great discount here, the Lord be
thanked.
THE FIFTEENTH AMENDMENT.
It seems that Wendell Phillips comes to
the rescue Of the fifteenth amendment to the
Constitution, in a very earnest and sensible
article in the 4,ti-Sldrery Standard, pointing
out the danger of Its total loss In the disa-
grceing votes Of the House and Senate upon
1t. He urges the Senate to recede, In so much
as the House bill accomplishes all that he
regards as being desirable at this time. The
| loss of this bill would be about the heaviest
blow Congress could strike at the future o
the Republican party. 1t would keep alive
active, and growing more aggressive daily
powerful party, bent on depriying tho col
ored people Of civil and political co-equality
I cannot conceive 1t possible that the Repub
llcan party Of Congress will permit a disa
greement over the details Of the bill to de
feat the contamination Of measure Of 8,
great importance to the country at large, a
well as to its own existence and future su
premacy.
THE GREGORY TROUPE.
The "Gregory Troupe" richly deserves th
crowded houses they are drawing night
at Wallis Opera House. A more enjoyabl
light entertainment than theirs was neve
before offered to the Washington public. o
Saturday afternoon the Opera House wa
crowded from parquet to ceiling with, for tn
most part, the happIest lot of children l eve
saw. Almost everything the troupe do
novel, and they do all they attempt admira
bly, and In q .manner devoid Of anythin
likely to offend the most delicate sense @
| propriety. They delight the elders as we