The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-04-29
FORTY. sixth CONGRESS.
Debate In the senate ON the Pendleton
RhI To Admit Cabinet 0fIlcers 70
seats On the Floor.

WASHINGTON, April 2s-Mr. Davis, Of Illinois.
presented q Joint memorial OF the Illinois Lagis-
tors TO press the passage OF q bill to indemnify
tho several States for. certain swamp lands.
By Mr. WIliams oi Kentaeks,,As1 A, bin b for The
for the coinage Of e.. god and silver bulldog a.,, =,
Missouri certain Is lapds e aid i1 the eonstTue- H
BY Mr.. pendleton-A bill to establish schools
for the Indians in the Indian Territory.
DO certain clauses Of the snndry civil appro-
priation account of last term, and briefly ex-
planned Its provisions.
The Chair announced the next business as
the bill to allow members OF the Cabinet TO oc-
eupy places upon the floor. Of the Senate and
tiipate In debate on matters relating to. the
business Of their respective departments. Sec
tion q Of the bill prescribes the rules and regu
latfons touching the manner In which the In
formation shalt be asked Of the departments
and In which It shall be given.
Mr.. Psndieton addressed the Senate In favor
OF the bill. Hs wanted to make the heads OF
apartments directly responsible 70 Congress:
They are creatures. of the constitution aud not
q the Exseqve They ore a9t 81 II
time and labor. Now when a communication Is
addresssd to the head e dsgar,me49t Y i may
force Of clerks to make this reply. and when It
comes few members read it. A verbal answer
gould ba rendered i'll FIVE minutes, and would
Us mOE6 ehtlSiHGGDTy. 1U6I5 IS ID INV, hDtGCtSa
in 1878, which provides that heads OF depart-
ments shall communicate with Congress by lot
ter or in person. The present indirect method
ef arriving at department information would
not be tolerated by business men In their deal
ings with each other. The proposed law would
also check secret communication between m M
bers OF Congress and Cabinet officers. 1t is not as
charged. q British custom. but a universal one,
praetteed In all civilized countries. Mr.. PEN
dleton pronounced an eloquent panagyric upon
the champions Of English freedom, naming d
score Of them. Whit they have secured We have
as a birthright and should maintain.
Mr.. Morrill, followed In q lengthy speech on
the other side He said that to saddle these
Cabinet officers with these new duties would
change their functions radically, -Four days in
poses. be legislators The strain would be- too
great. and eventually there would have 60 be
two sets of secretaries, one for Legislative and
the other for departmental work, 1t WAS an
idea borrowed from England. In the early
days Of the republic Madison had expressed
himself pontediy to the effect that heads of de-
partments could not communicate with Con-
gress except In writing. The proposition. he
thought was calculated to destroy the distinc-
tion bet eeen the Legislative and executive
functions of the government.
On motion Of Mr.. Pendleton the bill was laid
upon the table.
Mr.. Harris moved to take UP the yellow fever
bill as tho pending order for tomorrow.
Agreed to.
On motion OF Mr.. Wallace a bill was passed
providing for the publication and distribution
of u s,1pplement to the Revised Statutes.
AT $40 .. m. the Senate went into executive
session, and at 6 :f3 p. m. adjourned.
The House WIS not In session.