The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-04-07
rsa conrtesx Of the Senate.

No agree with the Ctnc,nnau CV"'u
e;ok the New York Times, and other jour
,.,s ,ha. the " courtesy Of the Senate" ~
,h., nbrase Is understood by Mr.. CoSxLINd,
cannot too soon become thing OF the past
Docs the reader know what Mr.. CoSKLISo
means when he says the President does not
respec, the " courtesy OF the Scnaie"F AS
onr Cincinnati contemporary answers TINS
one.,ion, the phrase has come TO mean tna'
the President must make no no"li"a''o"
that does not first have the approval OF inc
sena,ors Of the State In which the once "
no sl,ed IL exercised. II means the snoor'
dina,ion of the Executive to the seoa'oriS'
will, and the practical surrender OF a pre-
rors,iye which the Constitution vests IN tue
President.
We quote from the commercial
"Tbc time Is now favorable TO test tue
value Of this senatorial pfeiensloh. Wnen
4, comes 10 pass that senatorial committee
,,,ay s,ranele a nomination by refusing 10
renort II 10 the Senate for action, or ueleat
n because senators have not been consumer
about IL and their views ascertalned peioie
the appointment Is announced, tDefe Is
eyery reason an issue should be made ana
the right and power OF The President 10
nominate upon his own judgment defer
mined. We have had sufficiently offensive
nar,de OF this senatorial assumption, ana
Ibe time has come to put limits upon IT,
If there is any such courtesy OF The sen.
ale involved in the words Of the Feoera'
Constitution which say how nominations
are 10 be confirmed. II IS high Time ihaI
sixteenth amendment TO that instrument
were prepared by Congress for ratihcatioh
by the Legislatures Of the several STATES.
TIE President is authorized to make APP
poiniments to all important offices "Dy anu
with the advice and consent OF the senate.
But il was never understood in the Dest
DAYS of the republic that those words meant
the same thing a. "by and with the au-
wire and consent OF the two senators III
whose State the Office is to be exercised.
This latter is the meaning that Mr. CONk'
LING gives to it--Mr. C0NKLING, VINO askeu
last fall for the man that could Dfaln lhe
southern dog II he broke bis cham ana got
loose--Mr. CoNKLING, who lords it over ms
Republican associates as II he were ihoeeu
monarch OF all he surveys.
Mr.. HOAR said recently that the deciara'
ton on the part OF the Democrats OF Inc
Senate OF a purpose TO remain in Washing
ton and filibusler until next December was
essentially reasonable. lie meant that as
the Constitution required the business OF
the country 10 be done, 1t was treaSonaDle 10
pos,pone il for the purpose OF filibustering.
he forgot that his denunclaiion fell wlihfull
force upon the heads OF his own party assocl-
,,ies in the Senate, and touched not those OF
the Democrats. But never mind that. we
beg leave to remind Mr.. H0AR that he Is
vni,ty of treason to the Constitution and
pofiury also who, having sworn to advise
the President according to hi best iudg.
ment. abdicates his high office In favor OF
the senators from particular State. Ii
sn,clt well be that the two senators from q
given State were the least reliable OF all the
Presidents advisers in regard to the offices
10 be filled in that State.
Messrs. WITHERs and JOHNSTON sat to-
pe,her in the United States Senate for six
wears. How many appointments N Vlr-
GINA did Mr.. CONKLING vote to reject be-
cause they were opposed to ihemy How
many 10 South Carolina because WADE
HAMPTON and Mr.. BUTLER opposed them
How many in North Carolina because RAN
SON and VANCE opposed them!
Bat the custom would be indefen>ible II 1t
had been an impartial one. The "courtesy
OF the senate" cannot coexist with due
regard to the requirements OF the Federal
Constitution. Let it be done away with at
once and forever.