Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1867-04-19
beOxfurN 9mOtrat
PARIS. MAINE. APRIL Is. 1867.
United States Senate and its Secret Ses-
Sions---The Russian Treaty.


digui6ed bOav shoald shut its dOOrs against
the people. resolve tbeuselves into secret
conclave. And there transact business in
which the Whole o.eossry = Interested. sud
then forever ksep ihose lSr whOn they leg-
isla;e. snd 20 whom they Are responsible. IN
She DARK. a. Go even thng. except naked
results. Is absurd aud Ansi-dcmocraiie.
There nav be occasions When The pabhS
good tequircs secret scs-1ons. but they are
exceptions Ani not The rEle. Ia casting
our eyes over The telesraPhie reports oi The
daings Of Congress. a. Ne receive tAcm
t-on dan to day. vixen that BODY Is IN scs-
sion. nothing Is morr coramon. IN the SEQ
ate. ibAn wLat they cal % executive scs-
siOns-~ Much hat Is done n these Dark
lantern o0nclAves. he people never knos.
The rule that rrqsirrs al nominations 20 be
acted upon in private. may have it, uses.
bot u certainly IS not free from abasc.-
Why should not The people kro9 ~hst .
said and done. relating % ths sPPoinimeui
Of those Who arc % execute the izwsf We
c0nccde that soa.cfslnes. VIXEN scn2tors de-
ssre - discuss the eharacter ard gaAlfca-
lions q candidates. II may be e1Pedi,nt 10
DO Il IN secret. Al any rate. the rae nak-
inc AL discussions aad action uPoa s1ecu-
tive nominations private. shoul1 b. 80 Car
modified a. % give TIC people fbe yeas aad
nays. The ProPle have a rigG % kasr
how thcir senators rote upon az these lai-
ters. and % concc2l this iact from tL,u
sight. . Sinking a responsibility unworthy
Of the men and the h.gh posision 90 ~hieh
tbey have been eLrvated by the Tc0psc.
Whatever nAy be thonshf or sad N refer
ence 10 the eSPedisney or justiec o. secret
legislative action upon questions relating 70
ESecutsvo appointments. We helieve th4i
there can b. tEt enc oPsnIon a. 20 anotAer
part ~ he sane suhlect. 70 Shich Ne De-
sire nov 70 cal the attention Of the Pabl.c.
We mean The rstiGcation Or rSjoction "a
Execuiivc TREATIES 18th other nations.
These are al~Ays questions IA ~hi,h lie
people Of tie whole country base direci
and vial interest. SAr-ri oniy an degres
Accorllng 90 thc aaasnitg1e 81 the sabjcc;
iavolycd TIE rsLe Of tie Senate usaking
a. action relating % the ratiGcaiion ~
ssch treaties soorf. - = disregard Of tie
rigLts Of the people a. = party 10 the oon-
tr@et- EKccsiiFe treaties require a too
thirds vote Of The Senaie 10 raiiiy ti-raa.
and a : lie people add not thsir senators
something about them before thcy are act
Ell uP0a. Tie Old Ashburion treaty bv
wbich Name ~as robbed Of about one Al iri
part Of her territory vas discussed snd rat
i1ea IN secret. and the frst notice tie peo-
pie Of Name had vas 20 wake Up one morn
ING and 6nd Der domais voted a-ss pas, ali
redemption. Foreign treaties ecnerauy
involve large amount OF uooey. ana for
tins reasOa. II no other. the discussion IN
the senate sbouid b. pubiic
The Treaty viii Rs--i. ju.t passed. Las
depleted the NAlional Treasury q nor,
tbAa sven Millions % do.iars. aud yet sscb
has been The hot haste and he secrecy -iih
which the whoie thing las been rusbel
through. that not one MAJ in Ten tboasand
kn0~s whether u - = good or lad trade
for oar government. o. whether or not ~e
g. any equivalent. al that AM body out.
side q a cOriupt Executive and O conrlave
OF Seuafors knows about 10 - ruror. This
mystic agent frst told the people IL vas
bal treaty for us-one of Johnsons a
Scsard's trIcks % draw away public affen-
tion iron the many sins q their alnlin.s.
trafioa. ard thai Mr.. Ssmner and q large
majority ~ the Scnaie would rrjoct &C. We
next beard Seward vas giving u,arnif-~-i
pubhe sniertaiuncnts ard tbe senate v,re
swinging round the circle IN favur %
rAtihcation. TIE iaica news = tat ~
teafy has been ratified. ooiy Senators
voting against ii. Nov - sd - nor al
this q mos; diEn'6ed proceci.ags Iiov
mnch more On accordsscc with The fl.eorv
q Ger government ani the genius % or
institu'ioas :. -oss'5 have ben 90 have hsI
thc Scnsie discuss the qurs,i1n Of the rs,i-
fcaiion % this Treaty openly. so ira, d.
people could hsvc known something ai.out
IT, merits ard iIcn been in a position fa
have heid thsir senators rr-ponsill, fsr
thsir action IN re premises Al the real
sovereisus IN This county, are permitted %
knor q that fhs senate have hsrtered auay
sever uiiHiors ~ dollars Pr q froren. bar
ren region cf territory avay up fora-,is
the North pole-and that - - one o. Arl5
Johnsons W. 70 Se-a-d's trades D.
nay have been one 81 fl,. b-st .rcriss or
government ever made. h1t g. the 'tlr-
nov stands. add uiih thc rtt rrs uo- Lave.
it looks more IKE an Effective h.-..
jocky~ concern. ia whieh te people of o.
United Sta,cs have been cheated AZ arv
rsfe BE- shows the folly % fhis system of o.