Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-12-15
TENURE OF OFFICE LAWS
sENATOR HOAR'S STRONG PLEA
FOR REPEAL.

rhe Law Virtually Dead Letter Since
the Accession to Power of Gen. Grant
in 1s6O-Mr. Morrison TO Move on
saturday to Consider Revenue Bills.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 14.-The Senate to-
dav took up the bill repeating the tenure
of office law. Mr.. Edmunds opposed the
Dill. The law had been in existence
aearlY twenty years. President john
ann. to restrain whom it was enacted,
obeved it, although he believed it uncon-
nitutional, and all his successors had
recognized it's validity as guide and re-
.traint. This bill was brought forward
N apparent aid of their friends on the
,tber side, and to relieve the President of
,he difficulties and enbarrassments now
attending removals and suspensions. 1t
was an invitation to him to make short
work of the whole civil service business
and to expel from office at once all Off
cers who are within the purview OF the
tatute.
ADVOCATED BY MR.. HoAR.
Mr.. Hoar advocated the passage OF the
dill. 1t had been reported from the Judi
mary Committee last session, but on ac-
count of the controversy then existing
with the President on the subject of Of
fees be had not deemed it proper to ask
Nbe Senate to act upon it. But as that
puestion had subsided he now deemed it
proper to ask the Senate TO vote whether
itwOuld return to the ancient policy Of the
government to the rule wh ch had existed
rom 1889 to 1867, and which, notwith-
standing the condition of the statu tie books
had practically existed since the acces-
sion TO power of Gen. Grant
in March, 1869. President Grant
bad recommended its repeal, SO that he
'Mr, HOar) was acting under pretty sub
stantial Republican authority in trying
TO get rid of this Legislation. 1t seemed
10 him to be totally Inconsistent with the
constitutional theory Of the government
for President, in whom executive power
was expressly lodged by the constitution,
% be compelled to answer to that re-
possibility when instruments were
.0rced upon him against his
will. or in whom he had no confidence.
While expressing himself as in IulI SYM
patsy with the principles If civil service
'eorm be still declared his conviction
that the PEOPLE Of the United States eX-
pected and demanded that no man should
he kept in an executive employment who
bad not the confidence of the person re-
Yponsible for the success OF these execu-
i've functiODs.
After an executive session the Senate
tdiOuIned.
IN THE HOUSE.
In the House to-day the bill reported
from the Public Buildings Committee for
the repair Of the public building at
charleston. S c., was referred to the
committee of the whole.
in the morning hour Mr.. PaysOn, of IL
liHois, on behalf of the Committee on
Public Lands, called up the bill granting
to Cnnabar and Clark's Fork Railroad
Company right OF wav through the
northern portion of the Yellowstone park
in Montana. After a long deDale,
IN which strong objection was
shown to this 'entering wedge" which
might cause ultimate destruction of the
park, as the bill was being considered in
committee OF the whole, MIR. Cox moved
+ to strike out the enacting clause. This
was agreed to by vote of 107 TO 90, but,
before action was taken by the House,
! he morning houc expired.
Mr.. Morrison, Of Illinois, said that In
| view OF the absence of several members
. hG desired to give notice that on Saturday
Aext be would move that the House 20
lnlo comm ttee of the whole on revenue
| bills. The House went into committee
Of the whole on the sundry civil appro.
| priati0n bill.
The bill was read by paragraphs for
amendment. On motion of MIR. McComas.
d Maryland, the Item for the Baltimore
post Office building was increased from
100000 to $lS7.000.
Onmotion of NJ. Dougherty, OF Florida,
ln amendment was adopted increasing
rom $4,000 to $4,000 the appropriation
or public building at Jacksonville,
'la.
Several similar amendments were
adopted increasing items for public build
ingN IN the North and West. The CON-
olItee then rose, and the House ad-
ourned.