The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1886-12-22

The action of the Senate in repeating
the tenure-of-office act, says the New
Orleans Times Democrat, is a move in
the right direction, and ought to COM
mand, and doubtless will. the approval
OF the House. 1t gives the President that
freedom of action to which he ia clearly
entitled, and takes away some of that
arbitrary power over appointments
which the Senate had usurped, but which
it was never the intention of the Consti-
tuition or the founders of the Republic
that it should enjoy.
The tenure-of-office act was passed in
the midst of the struggle between Con
gress and Andy Johnson-a period when
the Constitution was not much regarded
and when the Senate sought to usurp the
place of President, and make itself the
governing power of the country. Seve-
raj of the Presidents prerogatives were
taken from him, among them the right
he had hitherto enjoyed of controlling,
removing. etc, the persons holding office
under him. There were some modifica-
tions made afterward, but generally the
law ha9 continued in force until today,
that an officer appointed by and with the
consent of the Senate, cannot he removed
during his tenure of office, save with this
same consent.
That the President should have the APP
pointIve power, and not the Senate. was
evidently the intention of the Constitu-
ton. The President of corporation of
any kind appoints his deputies. because
he is responsible for their acts, az d the
chief officer of the United States, who is
to enjoy the same privilege. The Senate.
however, has sought t. hedge this round.
snd limits the Executives power.
The evil results following sucn a sys-
tenn can be at once recognized. Ii the
people find them elves badly governed
overridden by the officials, their own
servants, or if they find the offices i'm
properly, carelessly or dishonesty man
aged, and they elect an EXECUTIVE TO
purify the government and Turn the
rasca!s out" he is met with the difficulty
| that the tenure-of-office act iuterferes
with removal, and calls in the Senate IN
the matter, a body not elected by the
/ people, and which does not change with
/ the change of public sentiment-the re-
! suit being to give a government, the Off
/ Gals of which may hold utterly antago-
nistic and opposing views to the Presi-
/ dent and the Cabinet under whom they
work
The tenure of-oftice act, which was
exercised rigidly against Andy Johnson
and refused him the right to appoint his
OWN Cabinet officers, has not. it is true,
been latterly regarded as a serious STUN
bling block or hindrance still it has
stood upon the statute books, prohibiting
the President from exercising the func-
tions properly belonging to him, and un-
doubleday tending to prevent many re
movals, which, but for it, would be
made.
In the present instance, all the Demo
Gratis voted for the bill, believing that il
would give Mr.. Cleveland greater free
dom of action, while several Republi-
cans, among them Hoar and Ingalls,,
have dropped par tisanship in this matter
and concluded that it is better to entrust
appointments and removals to the Pres
I ident.
1t the bill becomes law, as it probably
will-for the great difficulty was ( o get il
through the Senate-it will remain To be
seen to what extent Mr.. Cleveland will
avail himself of the greater privileges
granted him in controlling the offices
and in making removals and appoint
I mentS.