Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1873-02-14
Double Omce.HOldlng.


THE Presidents executive order, an.
nouncing that persons holding Federal
positions who accept office under the
authority Of the States and Territories
will be considered to have resigned, is
another evidence of his sincere Interest
In the Improvement of the civil service.
The New York World calls 1t q sham. .
But 1t Immediately proceeds to show that
1t is not. The Tenure.of Office act, as 1t
states, is still unrepealed, and under that
law the President can only conditionally
remove. But when he says that the ac-
ceptance of State Office by Federal
officer will be regarded as q resignation
he announces that he will nominate sue.
cessor to the Senate, and the Senate must
assume the responsibility of retaining the
officer ,rlff
1t is not the Presidents fault that the
law Is not repealed. His opposition to II
is well known. But as he cannot dis.
pense with the laws even to secure bet
ter service, 1t Is ridiculous to call his
resolution to do all that he legally can a
sham. 1t is 80 only upon the theory that
he has an understanding with the Senate
to resist his order of suspension, and to
continue the officer, which is as silly as
the theory Of last year, that he had agreed
with certain Senators to propose a meth.
cd of Improvement which they should
defeat. The President suspended Consul
General Butler, and has nominated sue
cessor. But If the Senate should refuse to
confirm him, 1t would be only candor like
that of the World which would describe
his action as a sham. "Mr. Grant," says
the old British Tories who called General
Washington "Mr. Washington"-"stil
has the handouts on, and the dirty poll
ticians he now turns upon, after favoring
and assisting them so long, may defy
him."
This remark suggests one observation
The President Is constantly held person.
ally responsible, and often by those who
are not unfriendly to him, for every in.
efficient and corrupt officer in the service,
and for all the conduct of offlce-holding
| politicians. This is the sheerest intus.
tice. Nothing Is more evident than that,
under the system which has so long pre-.
vailed, and with the acquiescence of the
country, the President can know very
little of the character or of the qualih-
cations of the great multitude of office
holders, while the office-holding politi
clans are disciplined and organized
body which, as the World says, may in q
sense defy the President They natural
ly wish to sustain an Administration
under which they are in place, and whose
friends in the Senate have declined to re
peal the Tenure of-Ofice law. If they
are accused of coercipg convention, ol
Of controlling Legislature, they are in
stantly declared to be the agents of the
President, and the fact that every onC
who takes part is not removed is instantly
nfN Na1 e Al.
plicity.
The President, however, has never de
clared, nor do we suppose he thinks, tha
those who hold office should abdicat
either proper interest or activity il
politics. Indeed, his executive order o
last year, upon this very subject, show
that he is not of that opinion. But hi
present action is the plainest possible in
timation, and, together with that Il
which we have referred, is the completes
declaration, that there is an improper an,
excessive interest and activity in polite
which he condemns and will not counte
nance. There is very Just and prope
impatience among self-respecting citizen
with the presence and what may be call
ed the admonitory supervision, of nation
al office e-holders in conventions and simi
lar assemblies, and nothing was NOR
agreeable at the Philadelphia Convention
that renOminated the President than thei
conspicuous absence. The present execu
tive order is suggestion to those gentle
men to continue to be modest. Their
must, indeed, be parties and organiza
ton, and consequent surrender of in
different and minor preferences. Blu
there must be reason in all of thes
things. And the President is plainly O
that opinion. .-Haqper's Weekly.