Year: 1869

it is not expected that Il will be anything moro
than few appropriate and suggestive general
remarks on the political situation. But the


drst thing after the organization Of the new
Congress on the 4th Of March will be the ap-
pointment of . joint committee to wait upon
the new President and inform him that the two
houses are organized for business and ready
to receive any communication he may have to
make. What answer will the new President
make to this customary and direct application
from Congress for his views on public affairs? !?
The Senate, in postponing the consideration Of
the bill in question, say, ''Let us wait and see.
If he is with us, all right; but if he be against
us, we have him. Let the oracle speak before
we bow down and worship it."


But the simple question is whether the new
President or the Senate shall be master over
his department, or whether Grant shall occupy
the executive status of Lincoln or be put in
the straight jacket of Johnson. He will, most
probably, find himself on entering the White
House in the position of Johnson. If SO his
proper answer to the committee from Congress
will be that he has no communication to make
to either house for the present. except to sug
gest the propriety and expediency Of repeal
of the Tenure Of Office law. Having in the
meantime requested the Johnson Cabinet to
remain in their places for at least the one
month still accorded them under said law, let
the President await the issue of his sugg estion
to the two houses. If they fall back upon
their dignity, let him stand upon his and the
rights of his Office, and make it, if they please,
aquestion Of endurance on mastery inactivity.
Let him resolve to flight it out on this line If
it takes all summer" and the Jacobinsf Of the
Senate will soon, from the outside pressure, be
compelled to surr ender.


1t is well known by the Senate that General
Grant desires the repeal Of the Tenure OF
Office law; that he wishes it in order to have
his hands free in the great contemplated work
of retrenchment and reform s'in a faithful col
lection of the revenue !" that he wishes to be
able, In the absence Of the Senate, not to sus-
pend, but to remove incompetent or unfaithfal
officials without being compelled, like Johnson,
to give his reasons in every case or in any
case to the Senate. There are Senators, how
and other favorites in Office and out Of Office to
look after, and with the President under the
thumb of the Vice President, as the head Of
the Senate, these people may be saved or pro-
vided for. Under the existing law, SO applied,
the administration will be subject to the trad
ing Office cliques of the Senate, and will be
powerless for retrenchment or reform.


The first and main purpose of General Grant,
therefore, on the outset should be to suggest
the repeal Of this crippling and demoralizing
Tenure of Office law. Upon this issue, as in
volving the highest public interests, we think
he can cheerfally reconcile himself to John
sons Cabinet for month or two, from Seward
down to Grandfather Welles; and to the policy
of mastery inactivity, likewise, in reference
to his foreign missions, the custom houses,
internal revenue Offices, postmasters, district
marshals, attorneys and everything else.
Doubtless, however, the experiment in relation
to the Cabinet would be sufficient Let the
President elect, then, on the 5th Of March, in
answer to the committee of Congress. say
that, as under the Tenure Of Office law the
members of the Cabinet of Mr.. Johnson are
entitled in equity to one month more in Office,
he has induced them to hold over for that
period, subject to the repeal of the law, and
that in the interval he will have no special
to make to either house, and
the result will be the prompt passage of
Buffers bill. Such an achievement in the in
terests Of the government would be hardly
second in importance to the capture Of Fort
Donelson as the first victory Of General Grant
in his new position. Let him try it for upon
this issue the country is heartily with him.