The New York herald., 1869-01-02
President Grant, the Tenure Of ONCE LAW
and the Congressional Rings.


The schemers who are endeavoring to pre-
vent the repeal of the Tenure of Office law,
because it will leave the executive power in
the hands Of General Grant, as it was designed
by the founders of the rspublic, and tend to
control the present corruption which testers in
every branch of the public administration,
have become alarmed at the awakening of
popular opinion on this question, and are call
ing for caucus of their friends in Congress,
TO take place on the 4th of January. at
Washington, the eve of the reassembling of
that body. The true meaning Of this move
ment Is the formation of ring in Congress to
control its action and save the whiskey ring
and all the other rings which to-day fatten on
their stealngs from the public Treasury. and
every inducement that favor or fear can bring
to bear viii be pressed upon the members of
both houses to force them into the new
engagement.
tits well known fact that the annual loss
to the public revenue through the operation Of
the whiskey and other rings, operating in the
sphere Of the internal revenue system, amounts
to the enormous sum of one hundred millions
of dollars. The yearly saving Of this money
to the Treasury would of ITSELF under proper
management, pay off the twenty-five hundred
millions Of the public debt in fifteen years
without the imposition of single dollar in
new taxes upon the people. But such con-
summation, although it would relieve every
industry in the country and bring back the old
times OF light taxes and thriving trade, would
spoil the business of the rings and drive the
plunderers from their prey. Therefore it
must be prevented at all hazards, and the
safest way to all concerned is to form ring
in Congress which shall continue upon Presi-
dent Grant the shackles which have been put
on President Johnson.
This Is revolution in its worst form. II Is
revolution in favor Of the plundercrs and not
Of the people. When the founders of the
republic established the government they
wisely separated the executive from the legis-
lative power, and erected an independent ju-
dietary to hold the balance between them. The
checks and safeguards established in the con-
stitution by this system OF coequal powers in
the government made 1t for eighty years the
wonder of the world and the pride Of the
American people. These were destroyed when
Congress, by the passage Of the Tenure OF
Office bill, reduced the President from the po-
sition of a coequal branch OF the State, whose
ultimate appeal was the good sense of the
people, to the position of tool in the hands
Of any clique that might obtain a temporary
cont ol OF Congress. Such clique now ex-
lists, and its aim is 10 perpetuaie its power. II
could never have obtained power had its true
aims been seen; but these were covered with
the prctext OF restraining an unpopular Prcsi-
dent, who was loudly accused Of treason to
the constitution, and hence the country acqui-
esced In the temporary establishment OF the
law which chains the Executive. Under this
law the rings have had an unlimited swing In
the Treasury, and the contest between Presi-
dent johnson and the Commissioner OF the In
ternal Revenue has brought impunity TO tho
thieves and disgrace TO the country.
II Is this condition Of things which the peo-
pie look TO General Grant TO remove but which
he will be powerless to attack unless the Tenure
of Office law is repealed. That law must pass
away with the obnoxious officer against whom
IT was directed. On Congress rests the respon-
] sibllity Of epsblipg the Executive 70 do The