National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1881-05-05
The Presidents Letter to Senator
Dawes.

Dawes.
The Constitution of the United States
declares that each House of Congress
shall choose its own officers. The same
instrument defines the powers of the
President. 1t also guarantees to the citi-
zen certain privileges, among the most
precious of these being freedom of
speech and of the press. The constitu-
tional majority of the Senate have agreed
upon candidates to be voted for for the
offices of that body, and have only been
prevented from carrying out their will
in the matter by the filibustering tao
tics of the Democracy. In selecting
candidate for the Secretaryship the
choice fell upon the editor of THE
NATIONAL REPUBLICAN, who had served
in that office from June, 1868, to March,
1879, when he was superseded by Dem
ocrat merely on political grounds. In the
enumeration of the constitutional powers
of the President there cannot be found
with the Senate in their choice of officers
necessary or his dissent important. The
Senate does not nominate and, by
and with the advice and consent
of the President, elect. Nevertheless,
it is stated by well-informed persons and
published in the newspape pers that Presi-
d ent Garfield has addressed letter to
Senator Dawes, chairman of the Republi-
can Senate caucus committee, remonstrat-
ing against the election of the caucus
nominee for the Secretaryship, alleging as
his reasons therefor that the latter
has, as an editor. written and pub
lished articles concerning his Of
fetal acts which he regards as
offensive. The letter may never come to
light, but the spontaneous manner in
VIII ich its alleged contents meet the eye
in the newspapers creates an impression
that it may have been written as the
basis for the press dispatches, the publi-
cation of which render the exhibiting
of the letter itself unnecessary. If this be
true, it is not only an improper interfer
ence by the President with the powers of
the Senate, but it is tyrannical effort to
punish citizen for exercising a right as
high above executive control as is the
right to life or liberty.
The President is neither King nor Car.
The rights of the humblest citizen rest on
as secure a foundation as does any power
with which he has been clothed by the
people. His nominations for Office are
proper subjects of criticism in the press
and elsewhere, and Senators may favor or
oppose them as their judgment may die
tate.
THE NATIONAL REPUBLICAN has ener-
getically discussed the nomination of
Robertson as collector of the port of New
York, believing it to be one of those
blunders said to be worse than crime
We stand by every syllable we have said
on the subject. We believe, if persisted
in, it will either destroy the administra-
ton or the Republican party in New
Y ork. So believing. it is our right and
duty to say it.
The President may bestow or withhold
official patronage, and is, therefore, sup
posed TO be powerful. If he asks Sen
ators to punish the editor of this paper
for daring to differ with him, the infer
ence Will be that he presumes upon this
power to enable him to direct them |
in their votes for their own Off !
GERS. The Office of Secretary of the |
Senate is a most agreeable and honorable
one. Eleven years of faithful service in
it was regarded by the Republican Sen
ators as a passport to reelection. But |
the editor of The REPUBLICAN must not
be expected to submit his opinions to an
censor before publication in
order to be eligible to the place. He will
present his honest opinions in plain Ian
yuage and stand or fall by them.