The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1881-05-14

NNAANNNN ARNhN
serves to the United States the right of pro-
hbiting the introduction of Chinese labor
at its discretion. AUGUST
From OUR REGULAR CoRREsPoNDENT.l
WASHINGTON, May 10, 1881.
SENATORIAL oouRTEsIEs.
Mn. EDiToR,--so much has been said of
late about Senatorial courtesy, or the "cour.
tesies Of the Senate" that something con-
cerning that branch of the government and
its ways may not be inappropriate. The U.
s. Senate, both from the organic nature of
the body and from its customs, represents
the conservatism and dignity of the Ameri-
can people. To be member of that body
is regarded an honor second only to that of
being President Of the nation, and it confers
influence almost as great. The Senate is
often fippantly spoken of by writers for the
press in tone of criticism for its "heavy
dignity" yet, after all, this feature instead
of being a subject of criticism, appears to
thinking people, one of congratulation. The
Senate is the permanent legislative body of
our Government, and while party politics
divides its members, as in all other bodies,
there is still limit bounded by courtesy,
and partisanship does not have the sway it
exercises in the lower House. The rule of
courtesy is an unwritten law, nonpartisan
in it's nature and possessing equal force and
effect with any constitutional or legislative
provision. For an illustration of the re-
straning influence of this reign of dignity
and courtesy, we may refer to the late dead
lock. With all the exciting conditions at
tending this contest, it has been kept with
in reasonable bounds. In the House this
same state of affairs would have produced a
roaring tornado.
But there is one direction in which this
senatorial courtesy extends wherein its re-
suits are not of unquestionable property.
This is with reference to nominations by the
President for Federal offices. 1t is all very
well for Senators TO defer to one another,
but courtesy which permits one or two
Senators to almost veto a presidential ap-
pointment seems to be decided stretch of
polteness. The practice of it has grown
into system which amounts to usurpation.
By it Senators are enabled in large de-
gree to control the power of appointments
to Office, lodged by the Constitution with
the Executive. 1t was in the days of An
drew johnson that the Senate commenced
n To 10
ly no member of that body had ever dream
ed of laying claim to. The Senate went
long way ahead OF the House in originating
measures trenching upon the powers of the
Executive and invaded first one and then
another of his prerogatives, until he was
rendered completely powerless, and no nom
ination he made had any chance of conGr-
nation unless by previous understanding
with the Senators representing the State in
which the Office was located. These were
considered as legitimate war measures, or
emergency measures, but Senators have been
10th to surrender any of the prerogatives
thus taken to themselves. The tendency
OF human nature is to acquire more, rather
than to surrender power. And while the
Senate is evenly balanced between the two
parties, with the Executive Department in
the hands of the party that has controlled it
for twenty years, it is good time to con-
slider whether the practice that has prevail
ed is a correct one. President Hayes thought
it was not, and acted accordingly, though
with but indifferent success. Gen. Garfield
evidently also thinks the appointing power
belongs to the President, and his troubles
are just beginning.
In other directions the courtesies prevail
in the Senate are more admirable. One is
in reference to promotions on committees
When new Senator is assigned to a com
mittse his name is enrolled at the foot OF
the majority or minority.--according to his
politics and as those above him retire he
goes up. For instance. when the Democrats
got control of the Senate it was easy for
anybody to determine what Senators would
become chairmen ofthe respective commit.
tees. The highest name among the Demo
Gratis on each committee was promoted to
the chairmanship in all cases expect those
where the same Senator occupied that po-
siton on more than one committee. This
Courtesy" contributes largely to the we'll.
ordered dignity which the Senate maintains,
because it prevents any scramble for prefer
ment-and nothing is more undignified in q
statesmen than that, The rights allowed
the minority in distributing the committee
patronage Of the Senate is also a feature un-
known in the House. The method of OBJ
tanning more eligible seats is of the same
quiet, digniGed order that prevails in other
matters. In book kept for that purpose
the Senator has his name entered as choos-
ing a certain seat whenever the present oc-
cupant shall retire. Sometime vacancies do
not occur as expected and the applicant must
wait. Senator Logan applied for Senator
Kirkwood's seat some days before any, body
else knew the latter was going into the
Cabinet. This shows that Logan is up to
snuff"
There is never any competition in the
Senate for the right to the floor, On the
contrary, willingness to yield to another
is always observed, and foreign ministers
and diplomats after noting the decorum that
works the United State Senate have inva-
riably pronounced. it the most dignifed and
courteous legislative body in the world But
few alterations or scenes of violence have
ever occurred in the Senate or on the floor
of that chamber. One of the most notable
was the attack of Brooks, Of South Carolina,
upon Charles Sumner, and in this case the
attacking party belonged to the other House.
l saw stated some time ago, and the para
graph was published throughot the country,
that Judge Orr, Of Mississippi, had pos
session of the cane which Brooks used in his
assault upon Mr. Sumner that be had OBJ
tanned it from ex-senator, orr,of South Caro-
lima, who got it from Brooks himself, and
the cane was described as being of hickory
with heavy silver bead. Captain Bassett,
! the venerable doorkeeper of the Senate.