Democratic Sentinel, Volume 8, Number 44, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 November 1884 — Tenure of Federal Offices. [ARTICLE]

Tenure of Federal Offices.

[PiiiladtUphhi Ledger.J Since ti e election of Grover (Ueveland as President of tic United States. (*ne ot the most interesting topics of disensiou in this city has been as to tie effect that a Democratic .administration of public affairs would have upon the large number of appointments of various kinds in the Federal offices, as well as the retention of Federal officials.

Many theories have been advanced as to the probable intentions of President-elect Cleveland, and as to his power m the premises. It has been contended on the one hand that the change of administration would result in the general “turning out” of ail {he Republican Government employes: and on the other that tne President had not the power , solely for political reasons, or without cause, to make the removals; it has also been said, “if he did have that power that, he could not exercise it without the consent of a Republican Senate,” and it was contended that the delays thus occasioned before the commissioned officers co’d be displaced would give no serious cause for alarm on the part of the great mass of subordinate employes, it was also contended that such of these as had been appointed under the civil service rules could not be removed, even if “the official head” should be changed.

A BTAT ! M K NT OF TH® LAW. United States District Attorney John K. Valentine, of this city, made on Saturday a statement of the law touching some of the questions involved. After referring to the United States Statutes, Mr. Valentine said: “There seems to have been some misapprehension in the| public mind arising from the belief that the act of March 2,1867, entitled ‘An act to regulate the tenure of certain civil offices’ is still in force. This act, which was passed during the administration of President Johnson, authorized the President to suspend an officer appointed for a term (excepting Judges of the - ourts) during a recess of the Senate, when such officer was shown to be guilty of misconduct in office, or of crime, or was incapable or legally disqualified -to perform his duties. “in such case the President might designate a person to perform temporarily the duties of such office until the next meeting of the Senate, and until the case could be acted on by the Senate. Within thirty after the meeting of the Senate the Prcsi-

dent was to report such suspension to that body, with his reasons therefor, the evidence upon which he based his action, and th* name of the person designated by him to temporarily perform the duties. “If the Senate should con cur in the suspension and advise and consent to the removal of such offioer, then the President could remove him and nominate another person to the Senate. But if the Senate should refuse to concur in the suspension, the suspended officer was forthwith to resume his office. -The fees and effioltfwah derived dittimi the period of suspension, however, flee .^* v *•* ** *

, aau consent of the Senate doifngjte. neat session, the act HffiltM that the office sfco’A itniw in abeyance, without the office. In the meantime, were to be performed by each officer as would by law per’form such duties in case of ; a vacancy.” TH* OLD LAW CHANGED. “That, in a few words,” ssid

Mi*. Valentine, “was the old law. It was altered, however, bypri a<-t entitled ‘an act to a menu the one just referred i h ) vac * laossed April 5, i j c h is iio\\ ill force, repeals «*ertain provisions of the old one, and authorizes the President during any recess of the Senate m * l I s .. V a?on* to suspend anv civil Oiiiuer appointed by and with the advice and eon* sent of the Senate (except Judges of the courts) until fi le next session of the Senate, and to designate some suitable person, subject to be remoyed in his discretion by the designation of another to perform the duties of such suspended officer in the mean* tune. The person so designated is also entitled to receive

the sill ary and emoluments of the office while there. “Within thirty days after the meeting, of the next session, continued Ml r. Valentine, the President is required by the act to nominate persons to fill all vacancies, whether made ‘in his discretion,’ or not, and if the Senate refuses to advise and|cousentjto an appointment in the place of a suspended officer, then the President is authorized to nominate another person as soon as practicable. But if no appointment is made by a net with the advice and consent of the Semite, the office, as was provided in the old act, is to remain in abeyance withoutsnlary or ouiol umerits, and the duties are to be performed by the person who under the law would be required to perform them in case of a vacancy.”

Now, it is perfectly well known to Mr. Blaine that in the elov eiq ex-Confederate State 1 , casting ninety-four electoral votes, there are only three—Louisiana, Mississippi and South Carolina —in which the negroes are m the majority, so that if his assumption were correct that the negroes are all Republicans, they co’d not, had they all voted for him, have given him more than twenty-six electoral votes, or ten less than New York throws against him, and four less than are given against him by Indiana, Connecticut and New Jersey. He knows also that the majority of negroes in Louisiana was in 1880 but 29,. 000 in over 900,000, or but 8 per cent.: that the nfgro vote was divided there, and that there is not a particle of evidence that there was any intimidation, and that if he had obtained the votes of Mississippi and South Carolina he would still have lost the Presidency by the votes of disgustedand indignant white Republicans in the State of New York.

.A well known magistrate living near Oakdale Junction, Term., who was an enthusiastic supporter of Blaine, is in sackcloth and ashes over the result of the election. He war gered his house and lot, two mules, ten hogs and £4O that B 1 ine would be elected, He made out a deed to his property, etc., which he has turned over to the winner. When the magistrate heard that Blaine was beaten he placed crape around the hogs’necks. It is stated by thode whose gnu Juto tee. visited by hog cholera that when the carcasshogs burned