Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1869-03-26
TWO DOLLAR YEAR.
The Pre.ldent and The Senate.

Toe President and the Senate.
1t is greatly to be regretted that the very
opening Of Grants administration should b,
marked by serious difference between the Pres
iient and a majority Of his Constitutional adj
yisers Of his own party. That majority of the
republican Senators favor the retention Of the
tenure Of Office act in some form, is plain; that
Gen. Grant is inclined to consider a refusal to
repeal aimed at him, that he thinks the ac
serious obstacle to his plans for the public
good, AMI that he has considerable tesliag upon
the subject, We have no doubt from all we learn
both from public and private sources
1t seems TO Us that mistakes have been made
on both sides. 1t was asking good deal of Sen
ators who originally advocated the tenure Of Office
act as something more than temporary expe-
dent; whose speeches were on record declaring
that they considered the main principle Of the
bill, (making the consent Of the Senate necessary
for removals from Office a simple return to the
doctrines Of the Constitution, and its adoption a
necessary measure Of the reforms in our nation
al politics which all good men have been clllinr
fort was asking much, We say, 10 demand
that these Senator's should eat their words. and
acknowledge that what was matter of priari-
pie with one man in power, became merely ten
porary policy when another administration
came in They could hardly have been expected
to DO II. Gen Grant, therefore, in our humb,
opinion, would have stood stronger had he earl,
intimated his acquiescence, either in a suspension
ofrhe act under which he might be able to effect
more speedily the numerous changes necessary
IN order to bring the public service into a decent
condition as to honesty and competency, or in
y notification which should remove all re,trie-
tions not absolutely necessary to the principle Of
the act
The Senate on its part should not have allowed
this matter to hang along, to become a source Of
misunderstanding and possible conflict between
the President and the Senate, when both should |
be giving their undivided attention to the bust
ness of retrencbment and reform As all. or |
nearly all, Of the Senate own that at least some
modification Of the act is desirable, they should |
have made it, if they did not propose to repeal /
the law. and made their action final during the
last session, as We believe they could have done
Coming to the presidential chair with the ques-
ton thus settled, Gen. Grant would have A very
different feeling about it from his present one
and whether he favored it altogether or not. he
would, under his avowei purpose to obey all
laws, have respected the decision of Congress in
the matter and have set himself earnestly at work
under the law instead ofwaitng in an attitude Of
opposition to it. The Senate would then no; be
open to the suspicion that they were holding on
% the tenure Of office act, Just because the presi-
lent wanted it repealed and to pay him of for
no: consulting them more about his cabinet. or
because they desired more absolute control Of ap-
'ointments generally, and proposed to secure it
y keeping an obnoxious act as 4 rod in pickle
or the president
1t is too late now fully to remedy the conse-
ueuces Of these mistakes in the past; bu; there
: clear course ofduty, as it seems to US in the
resent. The Senate and President should not 4
emain for day longer in Il position even Of L
eeming antagonism-to the disturbance and re- y
ret of all patriotic citizens and the hndrance Of r
ublic business. The Senate should act at once p
pom the tenure Of Office bill, suspend if they -,
ropose TO suspend, repeal if they VIII repeal, or
odify if they are going to modify. They should
zen assure the President Of their hearty wiling
SIS to cooperate with him in clearing the ..
Tindlers, thieves and incompetents from the
hoes; 50 that practically he shall find the bin.
retained, no clog upon his action. The Pres
ent on his part should relieve himself as soor
possible, from an attitude of seeming coer
the Senate into course to which theS zion
We legal and constitutional and -enators
tions. He should assume tha' atriotic Oh
t and Trumhull and Elm Messrs. Sum
q Conkling, and the Re- lnds and Morrill,
pose repeal, as well .ublcan Senators who
anxious rs he caD ; those who favor 1t, are
IS from the pu' oe to remove improper per-
Sgtaent in = Jlic service, and to accept his
listaker ne matter till it is clear that it is
Is AZ one He should send in his nominal
= ID removals as fast as he is ready to make
/. We believe he would thus find the q" ad-
vice and consent " Of the Senate positive as
sistance in his work. If not, and he should find
the Senate from selfish desire to retain control Of
the offices, serious obstacle to reform Of the
service it will be time enough to settle back and
throw the responsibility for inaction where 1t
belongs; and he will have the full and hearty
approval and backing Of the people, who have
given him so fully their confidence in advance,
and who clearly desire that he should have full
{ zee and fair chance to carry out the worthy
purposes announced in his inaugural.