The Evening Argus

A POWER HELD BY THE PRESIDENT.

Members of congress have all of a sudden discovered that the president has the appointing power in his hands. They see that, with very few exceptions, the federal officeholders throughout the country, from the cabinet down, are those appointed under President Lincoln's administration. Already there is a wonderful uneasiness among the members of the house who voted for Stevens's resolution. This fear will cause a great change in that body. The public may look for some grand political somersaults before the session terminates. In order that this point may be understood I give the points of conversation which took place a day or two since between a high official and a republican member. The member was boasting how he was going to oppose the president's policy, and that he did not care what Mr. Johnson did.

"Stop," says the official, "are you sure you are independent of the president, and can sustain yourself at home, if you oppose him? Your district is very close."

"What has the president to do with my district? The people elected me, and expect me to carry out their views. I represent them, not the president, and he can't affect me there."

"But," adds the official, "how many postmasters have you in your district?"

"That has nothing to do with it," replied the member, "they are all friends of mine. Besides, it is always understood that the representative in congress is entitled to those appointments for his friends."

"But," replied the official, "suppose that the president should take it into his head to remove all of your friends and appoint men in their place who were friends of his and did not care anything about you, what then would be your position at home."

This opened the matter in a new light to the enthusiastic member. After a little hesitation he asked in a tone showing that this was a new phase to the question, "The president will not think of doing that, will he?"

"I don't know," replies the official, "what the president will do, or whether he has thought of this matter. I only know what I would do if I were in his place, and that would be to remove every one of your friends if you opposed the policy of my administration."

"W-e-ll-well," drawled out the member, "I don't know but the president's policy is right, after all, and I think I will support him"