Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-05-10
SENATE PROCEEDINGS.


navigation, floods and the health of the city,
and to report at the next session what steps,
II any, should be taken with reference
thereto. Adopted.
Mr.. Kellogg offered a resolution calling
| on the Postmaster General and the Secre-
| taries of War, Navy, State and Treasury for
| the names of all clerks and other employees
/ in their respective departments, together
with the date of their appointments, the
| State to which each is charged and the per-
/ sons on whose recommendation each was
| appointed. On objection from Mr.. Ferry,
/ the resolution was laid over under the rules.
The Senate then, on motion of Mr.. Dawes.
| at 1910 went into executive session, and
| when the doors were opened, at 1890, ad-
jOurned until to morrow.
THE 'sTAR" ON THE SITUATION.
| The Star to night says 1t is expected in
/ political circles that the present week will
| be one OF excitement. II is not thought
/ that action on the Robertson nomination
can be delayed longer than Thursday, and
to-day caucus is being held by
/ tue Republican Senators to reconsider
the action of the previous caucus. So long
as the decision Of the last caucus remains in
/ force Senator COnkling has a great advan-
/ tsge in so far that he can delay the
report In the Robertson case, and just now
/ delay is advantageous to him.
| The Democrats are not united as to what
! course they will pursue, nor are the Repub
cans. With some DemOcfa-s the question
/ arises whether the Presidents move is to be
! accepted as a personal warfare on Senator
| COnkliDg, or whether by his act he is threat
/ eniDg the Senate, and srrogsting to himself
/ the rigAt to coerce that body, or influence
/ it through the use Of patronage.
/ Some Of the Senators, aside from politi-
| cal affiliations, held that the question at
! issue is not whether the Pres;dant or
! Senator ConkliDg shall triumph, but
/ whether, by the implied threat the Presi-
/ dent has made, he is to assume that the
| executive power shall dominate the dis
/ tinct legislative power OF the government.
! The matter hence is settling itself down
/ TO a question of rights OF the Senate in
! cOntTadition TO the rights Of the President
/ and under the Constitution.
| The Presidents friends say exultlngly,
! ''Gen. Garfield has made up his mind to be
! President" This is all right, undoubtedly,
! say these Senators; but in asserting such a
/ claim he must not forget that the Senate
/ has rights delegated to it by the Constitution.
/ One of these rights is that of consenting to
| the Presidents appointments. That is, If
/ it sees fit, and it clearly has the hight to
/ to say, "You must confirm this or that
man, under pain, il you do not, of execu
/ tive disp!easure," is threat which, II yield
/ ed to, Will destroy the coordinate branches
| Of the government
On this subject Senator Conkling said
/ yesterday to a Southwestern Senator; Il an
/ tic pate within three years there Will be an
/ uprising of ;he peopleto resist the encrosch-
ment OF executive power. /, for one, intend
now to resist all such encIOschments,
/ no matter who is President" Then there
are Democrats who reason in this way. They
/ say: "The President is in a dilemma. He
/ cannot get Judge Robertson confirmed un-
/ less he has Democratic votes. Now it is our
/ duty to take advantage of the complex situ-
/ alton and help ourselves This they can
/ do, it so happens.
/ Said leading Democrat: "Just now the
] Democratic mind is considerably torn up
/ with respect to Malone and the position
/ the President bears toward him. The
President, it is reported, has semi officially
declared that outside of the Gorham Rid
| dleberger contest, he is with Malone in his
efforts 10 break down what is called the
/ Bourbon" Democracy in Virginia.
| 10 short, this means he favOrs an alliance
with MshOne, the can destroy the Demo
cratic party In Virginia. With the patronage
Malone may be able to make inroads
on the Democratic strength, but without 1t
he would be powerless."
Now, say the Democratic leaders, If the
| President proposes to knife US by giving
| Malone the Federal patronage with which
to disrupt our party, it is none OF our affair
to aid him in his present dilemma. Rather
/ it is our duty to go to him and find out
/ definitely what he intends to do, and II he
/ will not give US satisfaction to stand aloof
/ from him in the present quarrel, aud let the
/ Republicans fight it out among themselves.
! They say, If we turn in and help the Presi-
/ dent, what assurance have we that after
| having tTiumphed by our votes over Conk-
/ ling he will not dismiss US without thanks?
Said q prominent Democrat last night: Il
4 know that Senators Hampton and Butler,
/ and one or two others are ac-
lively working to induce the Demo
/ Gratis to vote for Judge Robertson's
! confirmation. This they do because of
/ personal dislike to Conkling, and because
/ OF their dislike they are so impatient TO
/ humiliaie him that they fail to see the ad.
! vantage the situation presents to the
/ ID Democrats"
ANOTHER REPUBLICAN CAUCUS.
I The Republican Senators held another
/ caucus this afternoon to decide what course
| should now be pursued with regard to that
/ class of executive business which was left
| temporarily unprovided for IN the pro-
gramme adopted last week. Although the
caucus was In session until six O'Clock it
| finally adjourned without reaching the point
of action or subject under consideration.
At an early stage of the proceedings
resolution was submitted proposing to dc
clare. SIS the sense of the caucus, that 1t is
inexpedient for the Senate to take sc,ion at
this session upon any contested nomination
TO fiji an Office not now vacant. This gave
rise to a long debate as to the respective
rights OF the President and the Senate,
and the courtesies due from the one to the
other. About four o'clock Mr.. Conkling
took the floor and proceeded to make
spsech. which occupied the remainder Of
tne caucus session. 1t WAS devoted TO
history OF the nomination OF Judge Robert
son for the New York COllectOrship, and to
: cornnrehensiye statement of the reasons
WHY this nomination was particularly objec-
tfoDabIe and offensive to him. In the course
of his remarks he entered extensively into
the subject of New York State politics, and
Judge RobeTtson's connection with them,
particularly at the Chicago Convention. de
also gave a detailed recital OF his confer
ences and understandings with the Presi-
dent in regard to the New York nomina-
tions, etc, at various times antecedent TO
the nomination of Robertson, from all
of which circumstances be argued that
he aud the party whom he and
his colleague represented in New York had
been dealt with IN bad faith and treated
most ipjur.ously. Ia relating what occurred
st Chicago Mr.. COnkling informed the
caucus that Judge Robertson, among other
exhibitions Of personal hostility then made
bN him, went so far as TO declare be would
not support General Arthur IL nominated
for Vice President
At the close OF Senator COnkling's speech
the caucus adjourned until tomorrow.
None of the Senators whose position is
doubtful on the main subject of the con-
troversy participated In the debate to-day,
and as no vote was taken on any PROPOSE
tion no indications were afforded as TO what
NAV be the result Of the deliberations to-
morrow.
SENATOR VOORHEES, ON SENATORIAL CoUR-
TEsY"
The Star tonight had an interview with
Senator voorhees, on the subject OF Robert
sons nomination, IN which that senator
says:
awe hear much abont Senatorial courtesy
in connection with appointments ana con
frmations. That is Gll well enough In
proper bounds. try to be as courteous as
any other Senator. AS far as my duty VIII
permit ! gladly Oblige my associates. But,
| like many other good qualities. courtesy
NAV be invoked out Of place. The New
York custom house Is as national in its
Droper functions as one OF
the departments of the government,
ard the Collector of Customs at New York
Is as no ch a national official as member
| of the Cabinet a great commercial port,
Collecting revenue from seven-tenthe, per-
| : rs. OF all the commerce OF the American
neonIe. cannot be regarded as mere ap-
5endage TO the local politics single
| State. The appointment = Cohector OF