National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1881-04-15
The Courtesy of the Senate. /.

There IS q foundation In reason and
decency for the courtesy of the Senate +"
in the various forms in which it prevails.
For example, if a Senator is nominated
to an Office by the President he is at once
confirmed without reference to COM
mittee, on the ground that he is already
known to the Senate, and that no ques-
ton can properly be raised as to men,
Der of the body. This is a courtesy of
the Senate" Under it Messrs. Blaine,
Window, and Kirkwood were confirmed.
Had eitherof them resigned before being
nominated he could have been subjected
to whatever opposition Senators chose
to make without any violation of the
courtesy of the Senate.
In the matter of nominations within
State the courtesy of the Senate "
assumes that If the two Senators of that
State say they are informed in regard to
any given nomination they are to be be-
ieved over and above all other inform
ants, save only, probably, in case where
the Presidents own State is involved.
No Senator can vote intelligently on
any nomination until he has some in
formation from a reliable source. Of
course the fact that the President has
made a nomination is priDaa facie evi-
dence of its fitness. But if the Presi-
dents judgment ought to be conclusive
upon the subject the Constitution would
not have provided for any reference of it
to the Senate. That instrument provides
that the President "shall nominate and
by and with the advice and con-
sent of the Senate shall appoint" !"
&c. By sending to the Senate
any nomination the President virtually
says, Senators, how do you think this
man will do for the place to be filled?" or,
"Do you think such and such an incum-
bent ought to be removed and Mr.. So-and-
so appointed in his placer" This de-
wolves upon the Senate the duty
of discussing the matter. The first
question naturally arising is, Who
knows the nominee? Being from one of
the States, the Senators from that State
are appealed to. They are presumed to be
truthful and respectable men-so runs
" the courtesy of the Senate" If both
agree the other Senator'S believe them,
and act accordingly. If the two Senators
differ, then each Senator judges for him
self which is correct Who better than
Messrs. Dawes and Hoar could satisfy
Senators as TO the fitness of Massachu-
setts nomination? And so of Edmunds
and Morrill, for Vermont, Platt and Haw-
ley for Connecticut, Hale and Frye for
Maine, and so on to the end. Whenever
both Senators from State approve or
oppose a nomination "the courtesy of
the Senate" treats their opinions with
respect and follows their advice. 1t is
common to extend this courtesy to the
opposition Senators to the extent of treat
ing with great consideration their opposi
ton to a nominee on account of unfit
nessor any other than political objections.
The courtesy of the Senate is simply
the faith reposed by Senators in each
other in matters whereof all cannot be
equally well informed. The Senate does
not fight the Executive when it says to
him: "We do not think this man had
better be appointed; or, "No; we ad-
wise you to make no removal at present"
We have alluded to this subject to call
the attention of our readers to the SIM
plicity of it. We see great and infuen-
tial journals discussing the Senate as
tyrannical and usurping body because
it does not abdicate its duty by blindly
and indiscriminately advising and
consenting to all executive nominations.
The present Executive is too well versed
in public affairs to accept the interpreta-
ton put upon senatorial independence
by the clacquers of men who may, by hook
or crook, succeed in securing his nomina-
ton. He is too well schooled in the
claims and rights of the House and Sem
ate to desire to be dictator to either as
to the duties imposed upon them by the
Constitution. What we have said refers
to the general usage and rule ofthe Senate,
and has no special application to any
particular case.