Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1865-01-09

, utive lays down the rule that Congress has
no power over this subject, but that 1t Is
purely an executive question. 1t is not a
, question whether the Senate has passed
this measure of ours, or not, though l be-
4 lleye the Scuate has not acted on it at all +;
it is not a question whether the resolution
has become q law or not; 1t Is question be-
, tween the Execntiveand Congress as to tic
7 power Of Congress over this and other mat
|, ters of foreign nature. ~
If the gentleman will only read the learn
ed report of the chairman of the committee
, on Foreign Affairs, he will find that from
February o, 1921, when Henry Clay made q
J; motion In the House ofRepres entatiyes With
reference to recognizing the Governments
of Spanish America, rnnniug all the way
through our history down to the Bill FOR
which the gentleman, from Massachusetts
voted himself, to recognize the black re-
publics of Hayti and Liberia, Congress. has
always expressed itself by bills, resolu-
tions and appropriations, upon these qlles-
tions of International cOncernment. And
yet my colleague from Ohio says that he
would vote again for the, resolution of last
session as to Mexico and MaXimilian and in
the same breath says that }he would vote,
and did vote, to table the resolution, which
declares ''that Congress has u constitutional
right to an authoritative voice in declaring
and prescribing the foreign policy of the
United States, as well on the recognition of
new Powers as in other matters" How
can my colleague be consistent? lie says
that he would vote for resolutions connected
with foreign affairs, and yet he votes to dis
card resolution which declares our power
to interfere in such affairs! leave it to the
logic of my colleague to get ont OF this di-
lemma IN which he places himself. T'
This resolution reported by our commit
tee is not obnoxious on any ground except
this, that it would seem in some way or
other to strike at one of the Cabinet officers
of the Administration. This is the only
ground, venture to say, upon which gem
tlemen can defend their votes, and ,ane of
the members upon the other side pat 1t up
on that ground.
What has become of our independence as
body? What has become of that old par
lamentary dignity and fearlessness in crit
icism which belonged in the past to bodies
of this nature, bodies for deliberation and
debate? Are we to bow to the Executive
in every behest which lie may make?
The discarded resolution goes on to say
''that it is the constitutional duty of the
President to respect that policy" The
''duty of the President" that includes all
his clerks, his chief clerk and all his Cabi-
net officers, so called.
ted for this resolution if it were modified
so as to read 'the Executive Department"
The gentleman from Pennsylvania (Alr.
Stevens) said that. But the word "EXecu-
tive" or "President," includes all these Off
GERS: and there is no reason for tabling the
resolution except this, that it strikes at the
policy of the Secretary of State, or the
President for whom he speaks. And what
is that policy? A policy which humiliates
In, fh,.n .lf ii.
policy which placed us before France on
our knees. with our mouths IN the dust;
which told the Emperor of France that we,
the Congress of the United States, had no
voice in this matter but that this Govern
ment would humiliate Itself In the dust be- |
fore foreign Power, and allow that Power |
to overturn all the cherished traditions Of
our nation, and to place aud to perpetuate
throne upon this continent. Not such, |
sir, was the old policy uf - better days OF
this Republic, when another policy and an |
other party ruled in this country.
was opposed to the eXcusing of my col |
leage on the committee on Foreign Affairs, |
because we need in this House fair, bold, |
open discussion from men like himself who |
dares TO have his own opinion, even though |
his opinion may not coincide with THAT Of |
the men in power. Let not this House, by |
its vote, cringe before theeXecutiYe power |
Letltstand up in its own self-deiense and for |
its own privileges for its own self-respect, |
and its own dignity. Let it emulate some |
thing of the dignity and sclf-respect of the |
old parliamentarians of the better days of |
England, when men dared to 30 to the |
Tower, when men were drawn and quarter
ed because they criticised tie royal prerog-
atives which were unconsttutionally eX-
ercised. hope my friend from Maryland |
will never have to 20 TO any Bastile, and
will never have to be drawn and QIartcred |
for any opinions that he may hold. But |
do believe that he is of that fearless mold,
havingru counter to the sentiment Of his
own state, having belonged to organiza-
tions that had good deal of physical and
mental pluck about them, that he dare tell
the truth even to the men in power. He
did it last summer. And although did not
approve of his position then, nor of the
position of the Executive, which sought to
overthrow the privileges and powers of the
House; although did not believe that
Congress had any power to reconstruct
States any more than the Executive had,
yet L did applaud his bold courage IN
speaking out for the rights of Congress in
that regard, rs do to-day applaud his fear
less criticism in that report Of the conduct
Of the Secretary of State. 4g
What the gentleman from Massachusetts
(Mr. Dawes said with regard to myself
and of the great difference be-
tween the member from Maryland and my
self, no one appreciates more than do; and
! throw myself in an attitude of perfecth hui
before such demi-god as the
gentleman from Massachusetts. Laugh
teri He has the advantage, which j have
not, of being member Of the 1eXt Ho Use
of Representatives. He is plumed for a
fight in the next Congress. Let him wear
bis plume, but let him wear it gracefully
| have nothing to remark in regard to that
gentlemans antecedents. / may, at some
other time, have occasion to do that as fear
lessly as speak in favor Of another mem
ber of the same party-the same who now
asks to be excused from service on the com
mittee OH Foreign Affairs.
/ hope, Mr.. Speaker, that the House will,
by its action on this question, sustain its
own dignity; and with that shall be con-
tent.
The House refused to excuse Mr.. DAVIS
rom service on the Committee on Foreign
Affairs; and few days later, he again Of
ered the foregoing resolution, which had
,een tabled, when it was adopted by de-
,isive vote: The House thereby sustained
is own dignity, and, in effect, censured the
Executive Department of the Government.
DelnnO's Seat TO be Contested.
We are authorized to. announce that the
light of Columbus Delano to hold seat in