Mr. WILLIAMS. I hope the amendment will not be adopted, because it is difficult to tell without close examination what effect it will have upon the other provisions of the bill. This bill was carefully considered in commit.tee, and one portion of the bill was adapted to the other portions so as to make it a harmo nious system; and this proposed amendment may derange the whole system which this bill proposes to establish. Now, there is no difficulty when an office is created, if desirable, in fixing the term of the office, and it may be desirable to do so. It is impossible now to com: rehend at one glance all the offices of the States; but it may be desirable to have the term of one office longer than the term of another. The Senator, however, proposes to make a sort of Procrustean couch here and put every officer in the U.S. upon it, and to make the duration of every office 4 years. Before that amendment is adopted it is desirable to reflect upon the subject, to think of the different offices in the U.S., and determine that there is no reason why one officer should continue longer in office than another. I think the suggestion of the Senfrom Vermont is made upon good ground; it at any rate involves the subject in doubt, if it is not altogether clear that this amendment will continue those who are now in office in their pres: ent positions for 4 years from the passage of this bill. I think it is susceptible of that construction. Probably that is not the intention of the Senator who proposes the amendment, but that may be the construction put upon it; and it presents a question of doubt; it opens a door for controversy as to the construction of this law. For these reasons I ho it will not be incorporated into this bill. It may be desirable in some other statute to make a provision like this, and if the subject was well and thoroughly considered it might appro; priately be attached to an appropriation bill or some other bill, so as to fix the tenure of all the offices in the U.S.; but I am apprehensive that it would lead to trouble if incorporated into the 1st section of this bill. I hope it will not be adopted.