Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1877-11-28
IA YES AND THE RADICAL
,SENA TORS.

iho h"iiiopuiB ""eV'' ~ """''"b
to the approaching breach between
Mr.. Hayes and his Radical brethren in
the United States Senate, remarks:
1t appears from a report of the pro-
ceedings Of the caucus OF Republican
Senators on Saturday Nov. l7tb) that
they have determined "to pursue their
own course independent of the Prcsi-
dent, and to reject such nominations as
are not satisfactory" This is certainly
wise conclusion under all the circum-
stances, emincntly worthy of the pro
found sagacity of the Republican Sen.
ators. II shows that they recognize
the constitutional relations which the
Senate occupies towards the Executive
in the matter of appointments. But
they might have reached this conclu
sion before their foolish and abortivc
attempt to bulLdoEe Mr.. Hayes into
submission to partisan DEGREES which
he well knew they had not the power
to enforce. They have nothing to do
with nominations to Office. That is q
power which belongs exclusively TO
the Executive, though the Republican
majority in the Senate has interfercd
with il for long time. The Constitu-
tion prcscribes that the President "shall
nominate, aud by and with the consent
of the Senate. shall appoint" Aftcr
the nominations are made, and not be.
fore, their power comes into exercise
These repeated caucuscs and confer.
ences on the part of the Republican
Senators to cocrce Mr.. Hayes into sub
mission to their views in regard to ap-
pointments were a high.handed and
unconstitutional attempt to interfere
with the powers and duties of the Ex.
ecutivc, and he has shown proper re-
spcct for the dignity of bis Office in
resenting it. Had the Republican
Senators been confident Of their power
they would not have rcsorted to these
extraordinary methods to bring Mr.
Hayes into harmony with their own
views concerning the manner in which
he should make nominations for office.
1t was because they felt their weak
ness they adopted this policy of min
glcd menace and cajolery. With its
signal failure they fall back upon their
constitutional power from which they
should not have departed, and nobly
resolve "to reject such nominations as
are not satisfactory" This is the
solemn duty of the Senate, to reject
nominations that on Que consideration
may prove not to be satisfactory. But
these Republican Senator's arrogantly
proposed to themselves to dictate that
the nominations should be made on
their basis OF propriety, thus seeking
to usurp a portion OF the Executive
power. As TO what consulate "satis-
factory" nominations there is mani
testify wide difference between them
and Mr.. Hayes, but their power to re-
ject is by no means so clear. Indeed,
it is in the highest degree probable
that with the support Mr.. Hayes will
receive from moderate Republican
Senators, they are and will remain in
a helpless minority. Mr.. Hayes rccog-
nizcs his advantages in Senate nearly
equally divided and he is too clever a
politician to throw it away. Senator
Edmunds and Conkling with oil their
caucuscs and conferences and all their
buster, have not yet succeeded in
rejecting nominations that they de-
clared were not satisfactory. When
they do, make note of IL.