Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-12-22
ALIrTLE FLURRY.

Ii is confessed that there isconsiderable
opposition in the Judiciary Committee of
the United States Senate to several of the
| gentlemen nominated by the President for
Judges of the United States Circuit Court,
and that much dissatisfaction prevails IN
the Senate on the subject. II was in def
ference to The Senators lodging these com
plants, that Mr.. Trumbull, on behalf of
the Judiciary Committee, wrote polite
note to tie President, asking that he
furnish the committee with the names of
the persons recommending each nomi-
nee for Circuit Judge. The President
replied, in courteous but very decided
terms, declining to furnish the informa-
tion requested. MIR. Trumbuil then called
for an executive session of the Senate on
Friday, and endeayored 10 pass resoh-
ton calling on the President, officially, to
furnish the facts, which he had already
declined to furnish under the rules of the
Senate. This action of Mr.. Trumbull
was authorized by the Republican MON
bers of the Judiciary Committee. OF
this episode the Washington correspond
ent of the Cincinnati Enquirer writes,
Dec. 10, as follows:
''Some very interesting developments
have transpired regarding secret session
of the Senate on Friday last, which pre-
sent the President in fiat-footed opposi-
ton to that body in the matter of the APP
pointment of the nine new Circuit Judges.
It appears that on Friday morning the
Judiciary Committee of the Senate
deemed il important, in view of
the pressure made from influential quar-
tiers against the confirmation of at least
five of the nine Judges, to pass unani-
mously a resolution calling upon the Pres
ident to send in all the letters of recon-
mendation, Endorsements, etc., in each in
dividual case, that the committee might
see if the influence in favor of the nom
inees was as strong as that made against
them. This was brought into the
Senate by Senator Trumbull, Chair
man of the committee, who APP
pealed to Senators to pass it at once, and
asked them at the same time to observe
fully the rule requiring such matters TO be
kept secret. 'Let us, said he, "see il
we can't do something to keep the pro-
ceedings of executive session out of the
newspapers at least once" 1t required
unanimous consent to pass the resolution,
but single objection was made, which
carried it over till the next executive ses-
sion. In the brief debate it was claimed
that the Senate had no right TO call
ON the Executive for information
and reasons in the matter of
his appointments; but, on the other hand,
members of the Judiciary Committee de-
clared that the Senate was made by the
constitution coordinate branch of the
Executive in this very particular, and it
had just as much right as the President to
know the reasons for making appoint
ments. 'FIndeed," said one Republican
Senator, ''events of the past two years
have demonstrated that the Senate should
act as a check on the Executive" The
President, said another, had been furnished
reasons for withdrawing the nomination of
these Judges. But as stated, the resolution
lies over, and in the meantime personal
application has been made to the Presi-
dent by the Senators for him to send
down the much needed documents. This
he has positively declined to do, and it is
said that the reply to the refusal will be
the rejection by the Senate of some of
these Circuit Judges. Members of the
Judiciary Committee say that Judges Saw
yer of California, Brummond of Illinois,
and McKenna of Pennsylvania, were re-
commended by no one, but were selected
bV the President"