The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-04-05
. an exceedingly unjust treatment q the appointing

oo al eAeS'iby UNJUST ucouiiehs - sns 'fF~'--e
Al the second session Of the 2sd Congress. committee
was raised IN the Senate to inquire into the abuses prae
chairman, and they made the following requiston
on Major Barry, then Postmaster General
ITO send % the committee all the original letters and
papers ~ ms possession concerning the removal o. a.
ter al Putnam, Ohio"
The resolution simply called for the papers in single
and not as now for all the papers on e in the re-.
according to the representations OF the honorable
senator. Major Barry gave response OF unusual ability,
from which shall quote extensively hereafter, in which
he says, (speaking OF removals and appontments)
.The head Of the department might have been governed
by reasons within his own knowledg but not stated In any
document M received " ss Xxx House D0e % '' 2d
Now have to say that if any high officer Of the gov
ernment were 10 form Judgment on papers merely, 1t
would be monstrous derectioa OF duty. Major Barry
utterly refused to comply with the request Of Mr. Grun,
dys committees and took the very exception on which
now rely He insisted could not be safely inferred that
any papers on file constituted the real basis OF his udg
@ But as ho.oSs SGss not want
President and the heads OF departments an opportunity to
say whether they did did not consider or give effect to
the papers, and il So 10 what extent Nothing is more
notorious than that recommendations and representations
OF all sorts be obtained with the utmost facility, and
no wise prudent man will rely on them for moment
Hence executive officers must depend, IN good degree,
on their knowledge and the opinions Of members OF
Congress, CASUALLY verbally expressed and Of other re-
able friends The mere production Of papers without ex
plantations is then, only calculated to deceive and mis-
lead.
4. The procedure contemplated must impose on the
Senate an endless task If there be the slightest DISPOSE
ton here to do justice to the Executive and to presume
otherwise would be dsrespectfu to the body The idea
predominang in the mind OF the senator seems to be
that the production of the papers, to presume
that all the suggestions and allegations therein contained
er the departments gave them the slightest credence
whereas the planest dictates OF justice would require
thorough investigation in each case, and reference to
the appropriate committee with power to send Tor per-
sons and papers, and an inquiry full as it shall be
solemn. So that are to have innumerabe lawsuits
raised m this chamber or we are to Jump TO conclusions
will all this end! The impossibty OF making any just
proper Of the information sought constitutes an in
superable objection 10 the proposed call
s. AS further development OF the partial and injuri-
character OF this resolutions invite attention TO the
fact that the information is TO be gathered up (at what
expense know not and when no one can tell, certainly
It's legislative capacity, and exhibited to what end
To enable the senator, he would have US believe, to
discharge properly his executive duties Them would
seem that all considerations which induce the Senate,
when considering questions of removals and appoint
nents to sit with closed DOORS TO be aside Why
did he not make this call in executive session Was IL
because the accents of abuse which have fallen from the
senator's lips would thus reach the public ear
little sound doctrine from Major Barys letter to Mr.
Grundys committee will serve to convince the senator
that cherish more OF the sound democratic spirit and
principle which predominated under the auspices Of
President Jacks than would now 10 prevail, if
take this resolution as fair expression OF the
progressiveness Of modern times. Major Barry says
The improprety Of yielding 10 indiscrminas call
for letters and papers sobvious TO all who will reflect the
subject Much Of the correspondence Of the Department. Is
necessarily lis strictly confidential andth inunc
ton imposed by the writers. They do not usually
slider the nporance Of separating confidential matter from
munication contains both. and il would be impossible
separate them. In such the Postmaster General
Do h S
respondents would be at end Facts and the opinions of
specng the conduct and capacity Of persons
10 office, and Of applicants for appointment would be with
mesic comfort and the peace OF his neghbofhood would
venture TO state matte that would lead to recminaton
which often lead 10 removals om Office is ali important
that the department should invite free both
as 70 facts and opinions BY these means IL enabled 70
SIT often happens that, in these inquiries. which
would seem to implicaie persons who are ound upon
full examination 10 be entirely Innocent The publication
OF such papers would be an act of cruel injustice, well
the accuscrs the accused and put neghbohoods
enmity that now in peace and harmony II the Post
all confidence will be Withdrawn from the department
Dcpredations and defaults Of every description will take
place, only the part Of posastes, but Of
os and other agents the power Of restraints subord
mates will 20 great extent be at an end and the whole
Bring in all the papers, say. from the 4h Of March,
1885, 10 say nothing about the 4th of March. ls29 and
then shall how many lawsuits will be raised and
how much disorder and confusion will be created IN the
country
g. The next point which make is, that il the alega.
tons OF the honorable senator true the President has
been guilty OF high crimes and misdemeanors. II the
members of the House believe one-ha of what the
has said il is their duty to mpeach the President
An abuse OF the removing appointing power is i'm
peachable offence. This admitted by the leading
statesmen who held seats in the first Congress, many OF
whom concerned in framing the constitution itself
Is il the object OF the senator 10 qualify himself for trying
the articles OF impeachment What would be his siua-
tion and what the situation OF the Senate (shoud this
resolution pass il impeachment shall be instituted
II would TO be the object OF the senator TO qualify
TO sit in judgment the President when he 10
be publicly aaigned But il Is the duty OF the House TO
their truth in advance. The House "the grand in
quest OF the nation and the Senate has 'he sole power
TO try all impeachment" This very distinction taken
BY Major Barry, in the OF the deputy postmaster at
Putnam, Ohio. He wholly refused the information 10
the committee OF The Senate, OF which Mr. Grundy
chairman. but promptly communicated il TO committee
OF the House, OF which Mr. Connor chairman, say
ing;
"a similar call made by a committee Of the Senate
whose aut oy inquire into the motives aud
which might have influenced department Of the
tive branch OF the In the exercise OF power
vested In II by laws could not recognise Bnt
there difference In the authority the two houses from
committees the call has cmanaied. The House of
constitutes the grand inquest for npeach
Inen and, when acting in view Of that object right
fully examine into the Inducements which presented
the Postmaster General Tor making removal appoint
ment, and his motives for performing such act And
although have not been apprized o such object in
calling for these papers, yet presuming In this that the
the powers OF tho committee, have thought proper the
present occasion to furnish the whole Of the
ence required by their resou,on without excepting any
Gong Rg. Commiffees. No. lO3. NJ $50