The Portland daily press., 1867-04-19
Remarks of Senator Fessen6en,

last on the question of adjournment, Mr..
Chandler of Michigan intimated that Mr.. Fes-
senden would vote for Copperheads or traitors
rather than adjourn and have the offices up-
filled. This brought Mr.. F. to his feet, who
slid
Mr. President-The Senator from Michigan
Is ever trying to hit at me in some way
know his blows are not Very severe. They
strike wide butthey Go not, many OF them, pro-
duce much effect. have said no such thing
intimated no such thing-as that should vote
for improper men, or for Copperheads or trail
tors, and ii the Senator means to say that L
ever did he states what is not true In any
sense. No such inference can be drawn from
anything said except by man who is deter
mined to draw wrong differences. Take tho
second look at it and see if any such inference
can be drawn from what said. The Senator
cannot lind 1t. 1t was not said or intimated
in any shape. said, sir, what say now, that
in my Judgment it is the duty OF the Senate to
stay here until these offices are filed; and I
said, moreover, that if the President sent in
proper men-men that we ought TO vote ior-I
should vote for them. 1 said nothing and inti-
mated nothing about Others and when the Sem
ator puts that out to the country / repel it
with the scorn and contempt feel Now, sir,
the Senator must not be too hard upon us in his
late position OF leader on this sideofthe chamber
When he assumes it he at least must be req
sonably generous, and at any rate confine him
self to facts and TO proper inferenees drawn
from what Is said by other Senators. Sir, L
think the Senate has got to STAY here properly
until all hope OF agreeing with the Presidens
on these appointments is lost 1 think the
country will hold us responsible il we desert
our posts am as anxious to retire as any
body But what have we done? We have
passed a tenure of office bill which prevents
what has hitherto been done-the President
from filling the offices in the recess so that in
some cases the duties of the offices cannot DO
performed by any one. We have passed that
hax INr, st
we undertake to 90 away as long as he
is making an effort by sending in
names here TO fill the offices, without
doing it L say the responsibility is
The advice that is given upon that subject in
my judgment is bad and very dangerous.
advice, and if my friend the Senator,
from Pennsylvania is willing TO take
the responsibility for Pennsylvania, let me say
to him that think he will find the response
bihty weighty one. L know he is ready to
take 1t when he says he Isl but / think that he
VIII md that he is not so able TO carry it as he
supposes. There are other parties concerned
in this question besides the President and the
Senate, and these parties are the people of tho
country who want these offices filed You
may talk about shutting up post office in an
important town because we cannot agree with
the President as to who shall be postmaster,
but what will the people of that town say when
they cannot get their letters aud their newspa-
pers? These little matters have very impor-
tant effect upon the public mind, let Inc say TO
Senators, and however they may talk about
| political effect in throwing the responsibility
| upon our shoulders, let me say to Senators
that wnen lt comes to a matter of personal m
convenience to every man, woman and child
In any important town and city in this Union
its people VIII hold everybody responsible who
had any part in the matter, and say that it is
more important to the country that the
office should be administered than that
the President should blame the Senate
fha prn~t "
cannot escape our share of that response
bility IN my judgment; especially can we not
escape 1t If we do not Il the custom house Of
hces where the revenue is collected, and leave
the question who shall collect 1t mooted
question, and a difficult question TO be met
Ihe opinion expressed before express now
in its full length and breadth. say it is tho
duty OF the Senate to stay here until we come
to an agreement with the President, on these
matters, or until 1t is manifest that there is no
possibility of our agreeing. Let us look at the
facts and see how they will stare us in the
face. The President removed between 4,000
and 1000 officers, as was stated here in debate,
and at this day there are some 30 or GO offices
that ore not filed perhaps not so many-cer-
tainly not more. The rest have been filed
and filled with men who have been confirmed
BY this Senate. What is the inference? That
the President has nominated nearly COO men
who were acceptable to the Senate. i do NOT
mean to defend the President for his action in
turning out these men. / find as much fault
with 1t as anybody i am ready to STAY here
as long as anybody to keep out improper per-
sons, but am unwilling that the argument
should be turned against US, and against me-
am unwilling that the friends of the Presi-
dent should have it in their power to say:
Look; out of nearly 5000 men the President
mas nominated, 1000 were acceptable to you"
Every day that he sends in names we confirm
dozen or more of his nominations. When
that is going on can we say that the President
Is not making an effort to agree with the Sen
ate? Do we take the position that ne mas no
right to an opinion ON the subject Wnen ne -
the person appointed by the Consututlon to
| make nominations to ofhceY AS long as no
continues to send men-men that we do not
approye-we have a right to reject them; but
what advise is that should try in good
faith To secure the filling of the vacant Offices
and wait with proper degree OF fpatience until
that object is accomplished, or at least until it
is obvious to the whole country that we cannct
agree and that the fault is not upon us. In
my judgment that time has not vet ar
rived. From the very nature of things
from the very nature of the case it is
obvious that there must be difference
The President is no longer our friend He il
no longer acting with us. We must accent the
situation. We cannot help it and must DO
our duty in the best way we can-malse the
most and best we can out of it. Sir-I think
the advice that gentlemen give to adjourn to-
day at four o'clock-three hours .and a half
from now-with some forty or fifty offices Of inn
portance untitled is bad and dangerous advice.
1t is but short time since we raised our salary
to $5OOO We have taken care to pay our
selves we'll 1 am not responsible for that, but
with others accepted the situations; but having
done it my time is, and ought to be at the SER
vice of the community that pays me, and neith-
er my personal convenience, nor any whim Of
mine, should lead me TO desert my post until [
can do it safely to the best interests OF the
country. Sir, this is a matter of indifference
to me rs much so as to any other Senator. I
have no more interest in it than any other in
~ \ ohall
long as / can; and if the Senate vote me dow
l shall go home, and gladly 60 home, with the
rest OF them and be willing to take the conse-
quences.
AT late educational meeting in Mile-End
A. g A ..