Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1869-03-30
Congressional News.
WASHINGTON, March "a, 1869.
SEN ATE


Mr.. Conkling denied having made
certain statements attributed to him
in published reports Of the late sena-
torial caucus.
The judiciary committee reported
a bill repeating the tenure of office
act. with an amendment in the shape
of a substitute.
Mr. Morton moved to table the re-
port. Lost.
Another motion to table was lost
20 to 81.
Mr.. Davis moved to amend by strik
inc ont the report of the committee
and inserting the bill passed by the
house absolutely repeating the tenure
Of Office act. Ruled out on a point
of order
Mr.. Warner moved to lay the bill
on the table and order it printed
There were senator's on the democrat
ic side who had not had any oppOrtu-
nifty to consider the bill in this form,
and under the circumstances, he did
not think it fair to press it.
Mr.. Trumbull had no desire to do
anything unfair, but as the objections
of the democratic senators was to the
substance rather than the form of the
tenure of Office act and as they would
not be satisfied with anything short OF
its unconditional repeal, he saw no
necessity. for It's delay.
The motion was lost by vote of
% to 81.
Mr.. Grimes thought that this bill
if made law, would tend to perpetu.
ate at least, some Of the evils caused
by the existing tenure of Office act
and therefore he could not vote for it.
Mr.. Davis moved a substitute abso
lutely repeating the tenure of office
act, but the president decided that
although in different words, it was
substantially the same as the house
bill, and therefore out of order.
Mr.. Morton said the bill reported
by this committee would remove all
objections on practical grounds to the
tenure of Office act by relieving the
president from the obligation to give
reasons for a suspension from Office
and the senate from the duty, impos
sible of performance, of considering
the reasons in each case. 1t still re
served to the senate the power of We
toing the presidents removal by non
concurrence, which, at the end of the
session, would reinstate the officer re
moved. But the president might sus
pend him again, so that practically
the veto power would amount to moth
ing The report of the committee pre-
scribed the shadow rather than the
substance of the tenure of Office act. L
was merely bad photograph of a deac
body, therefore he did not feel calico
upon to argue against it or to oppose
it actively in any way, but he could
not vote for it, because by preserving
the veto power of the senate it vic
lated the theory which he held on thu
subject.
Mr.. Harlan made an argument ii
favor of the existing law. He saw
no reason why the president SHOULD
, have absolute control over federal OF
: ficers any more than state governor
J have such control over state officers
1t was only in an absolute govern
ment that the chief executive office
should have arbitrary power to aI
, point to and dismiss from Office
The argument against the tenure O
, office act, because removal under
} would be disgraceful to the officer re
moved, was really, when properl
: viewed, an argument in favor of il
1t was to save the disgrace consequen
upon a dismissal from the army O
navy that made army and navy officer
+, so much more faithful and efficien
than civil officers, and if the same Gel
5 tainty of disgrace attended dismi:
sal from civil service it would pro
D dnee the same result.
/ Mr.. Fowler made a general argr
+ nent against the tenure of Office &C
d Mr.. Ross made a similar argument
s He said no word of apology for tn
J. maladministration of the last pres
r cent, but he believed the evils result
:. ing from it had been aggravated b
J, the operation of the tenure of ofic
act.
!, Mr.. Sprague followed. He said tina
4 a few days ago he had expressed a