The Portland daily press., 1867-04-13
XLth O0NGRESS---Exeoutiva Session
> WASHINGTON, April u.
cENATE

WASHINGTON, April II.
SENATE.
The Senate is engaged in long discusso
on the question of adjournment. Some Sena
tors maintained that if the day is now hxe'
the nominations would be facilitated on TN
part of the President. Others said that tn'
President was derelict in his appoihtnenC !.
If he continued to delay, and the oenaie ao
journ, leaving offices vacant, on MN "o'io res
the responsibility.
The President laid before the Senate com
muncation from the Governor OF Massachu
Sets enclosing an attested copy OF the resolu
ton OF that Commonwealth ratifying the pro
posed amendment as the 14th article of tb
Constitution of the United States. Laid N
the table and ordered to be printed
The Senate then resumed the considerable,
OF the resolution that the Senate. on Satnrda
next, at four o'clock, adjourn sine die.
Mr.. Sumner hoped the resolution would b
postponed uhtll tomorrow as the Senate wa
not now IN condition to fix upon day
There was still much executive business t
transact. There were many vacancies, and i
was the duty of the Senate, so far as the,
could, to see that they were filled
MT. Howe asked the Senator to explain how
by remaining here, they could have these filled
IL was said yesterday there were fifty vacancies
and that some of the offices had been vacant
nine months They should have been filled
before now. He was not disposed to remain
mere countenancing such delay. he agai1
asked the Senator from Massachusetts how
these vacancies could be filed by the Senator.
remaining here.
Mr.. Sumner replied-By rejecting nomina
tloRs which were bad and confirming those
winch were good. He feared that there would
be comparatively few good ones. He should
90 an ne could to insure the appointment o.
good officers who are on the right side, who
agree with Congress and who sustain the policy
which Congress had declared.
MI. Morrlll, of Maine, said he did not sec
now day for adjournment could be fixed. He
caused to be read for information resolutions
which he had prepared, that the President o.
the nited States be requested to inform the
Senate whether he had any communications
to make requiring the advice and consent OF
the Senate, and, if amy, what time it would
suit his convenience TO transmit them, so that
the Senate may fix day for adjournment. He
said they did not know out only presumed that
many more communications were yet to be
made, and considering that the Senate had
been here five months, they had right t.
know what communications, if any, the Presi-
dent intended to make. They We're convened
IN extraordinary session. What was the occa-
sion for this session? Ii any at all existed at
the commencement of an administration il
was usual to call an extraordinary session. bat
this was not now the case There was no in
auguration when the present occupant of the
Presidential Chair attained that place. When
they left here after the first session of the 39th
Congress, the offices were filed, but when they
returned to Washington they learned that
many of these officers, to whose appointments
the Senate gave their consent, had been re-
moved by the President. They were now in
the fifth month OF the session, during every
day of which the President had an opportunity
to communicate 10 the Senate the nominations
OF those whom he appointed to Office during
the vacation de would not stop to comment
upon the Presidents duty, but it was an I'M
doubted fact that many offices absolutely va
caut were kept open in violation OF law, be-
cause the President had not even sent the new
appointments to the Senate. He repeated that,
under these circumstances, they had the right
TO inquire whether the President had any more
communications to make, and how long he
would require them TO be kept nere
MIR. Anthony said that the Senate never was
and never would be ready to adjourn until
they fixed day. Ii they had not power to
extend the time, should necessity require
there would be some force in the objections
which had been urged. When the President
received notice he would have ample time to
send in his nominations, and the Senate could
act upon them all in a single day. If they
could not confirm them, the adjournment OF
course could be delayed
The debate was held at great length, many
Senators participating, but developing no i'm
portant facts not already stated. The debate
was concluded at a quarter to four O'Clock
when the question was taken and the Senate
agreed to adjourn sine die next Tuesday after
noon at o'clock.
The Senate then went into executive session
and afterwards adjourned.