The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-12-15
TENURE OF OFFICE
pIscUssED IN WE sENAHE
BY Senators Edmunds and HOar-ThO Ran
dali Branch of tho Democracy Meet
In Conference mud Decide to OPP
pose Norris Is Measure.

WASHINGTON, d. O., Dec. l4-In the
Senate to-day after the introduction Of
some bills Of no public interest, the tenure
Of office bill was taken up, Mr., Edmunda
opposed the bill, The law had been In
existence nearly twenty years. President
Johnson, to restrain whom 1t was en-
acted, oheyed it although he believed It
unconstitutional, and all his euCCesaors
had recognized lis validity as guide and
restraint. II there Was any value in that
constitutional power OF restraint vested In
the Senate that value was to be entirely
destrOyed by the repeal Of this statute and
there would be turned over, as II in affirm.
alive language, to the President
the power Of the immediate removal
0f every one OF the public
servants whose appointments were con.
6rmed by the Senate. That Vas very
grave and serious step to take, This bill
was brought forward in apparent aid Of
their friends OH the other side, and to re-
lieVe the President OF the difficulties and
embarrRSsmelts now attending removals
and suspensions, II was an invitation to
him to make short work OF the whole
Civil Service business and to expel from
office ut once all the officers who arc with.
Ia the purvi0W OF the statute, ltspassage
would be the greatest practical step back
on the theory Of the reformation Of the
OWL Service OF the United States.
II would be affirming that Congress was
willing and desirous that the President
should eXerCise the power OF selecting per.
sonstoti ill Offices, whether the Senate advis.
ed and copsented to it or not. II he had the
slightest dOUbt6t tho Constitutionality Of
the tenure OF office act he would be will.
ing 10 consider how far that law trenChtd
on Executive power; and 80 far Rs 1t did
DO to retreat from II immediately.I But II It
were found that the statute was not only
conservative Of public good but was ConAti.
tuhonal, then Congress ought to stand by
1t. II the Senate voted to repeal that
statute 1t would make a mistake which h
would live to rogret.
Mr.. HoGr advocated tho passage OF the
bill. 1t had been reported from the Ju,
dietary Committee, but on account Of the
controversy then existing with the Presl.
dent on the subject OF the two offices, he
had not deemed II proper to ask the Ssn.
ate to act upon 1t. But az the question
had subsided he now deemed it proper to
sBk the Senate to vote whether it would
return to the ancient policy of the gov.
eminent, 10 the rulo which had existed
from 1850 to 1867, and which
ID, Notwithstanding the Cnodltion Of
The statute bOokB, had practically ex.
listed since the accession to power Of Pres.
ident Washington 10 Gen. Grant in 1860.
Grant had recommended its repeal, 80 that
he tloar) wssaCting under pretty substau.
tial Republican authority In trying to get
rio Of this legislation, While expressing
himself in full Eympathy with the priuci.
pies Of Civil Service Reform he still de.
Clsred bis conviction that the people Of
the United States expected and demanded
that no man should be kept in an exeCu.
tive employment who had not the conf.
denCe Of the person responsible for the
success Of these executive functions,
Pending discussion tho Senate went into
executive session and when the doors 70.
opened adjourned.