Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1882-08-30
NO 2O4.


he did not accompany it with the understand
ing that when there grew up a dispute about
one nomination he accompanied it with q
repeated declaration thar the Senate had just
As clear a right to confirm or reject as he had
| to nominate, that each was absolute within
| his own sphere.
What the President asked was, in a certain
nomination which became of great interest
throughout the country; what the President
asked was that the Senate would either con-
firm it or reject it. 1t was demanded that it
should be Withdrawn; the President declined
to do it, and said the nomination is before
YOU Senators. deal with it in your discretion.
have no right TO ask you to confirm it.
have no risht to ask you to reject it, but |
have right to ask you that you will do one
or the other. because the constitution gives
me the right to ask that. (Applause.) Where
the anslog, varies is that Gov. Plaisted want
ed to strike the Grand Heroic and parade
himself as the shadow of the late President
Garfield.
President Garfield nominated William f.
Chandler. the present Secretary of the Navy,
for Solicitor General, the second office in the
law department of the government. next in
rank TO that of Attorney General, and after
contest in the Senate the nomination of
Chandler was defeated. What does the Pres
ident say inasmuch as Gov. Plaisted has put
himself in a parallel line? Did he turn around
and say to the Senate, Well, yoa rejected
Chandler and will not pay Phillips dol
lar? You cant force upon me a Solicitor
General If he had been playing Plaisted he
would have said YOU have got to take Chand-
Ter for Solicitor General or there shall not be
another so long | am President, So
Plaisted saws: You have got to take my law
partner or David Il. Hastings for reporter Of
decisions of this State or there shall not be
any reporter paid out of the treasury of
Maine
Now did President Garfield ever take such
an absurd and silly position as that? Why,
Chandler was rejected bv political vote, not
by a vote that ever did dscredt or dishonor
to him. 1t was a political vote made by men
who did not want him to interfere as they
thought he would interfere to actively in
Southern affairs. They combined solid
democratic vote against him and defeated
him, and left Mr.. Phillips in the Office Of
Solicitor General where he is to-day, but /
am not aware that President Garfield ever
refused to nav him his salary.
The Governor has written a letter lately;
| have been looking over it, and | took an
extract from it. want to call your attention
to it. Now this is what Governor Plaisted
solemnlv writes in his letter accepting the
i
the boys say, for the Council Under the
constitution of Maine the Council is no part
of the executive power of the government.
The Council has no part even of the appoint
ing power or the pardoning power or the power
to draw a warrant where they have qualified
negative upon the Governor" That is what
Gov Plaisted saws
1.-The Governor shall nominate and, by and
with the advice and consent of the Council,
shall appoint all civil officers" That is the
appointing power.
Now he says that the Council is no part of
the pardoning power. Let us see what the
constitution says:
"The Governor shall have power, with
the advice and consent of the Council, to re-
nit after conviction. all forfeitures and pen
alties, and to grant reprieves, communications
and pardons except in cases of impeachment,
upon such conditions and with such restric-
tions and limitations as NAV be deemed
proper, subject to such regulations as may
be provided by law, relative to the manner
of applying for pardons.''
He cannot pardon for the slightest possible
offense unless the Council votes that he may.
Now, he saws they have nothing to do with
drawing warrants The constitution says:
mo money shall be drawn from the treasury
but by warrant from the Governor and Coun-
Council say so. If the Council had been, l
will not say as mean, if they had been as
fairly revengful seven men / could pick
out in the State of Ohio they would have
said, ''You are trying a game that two can
play at, and if you say you will not permit a
warrant to be drawn to pay the Reporter of
Decisions of the Supreme Court, we say we
will not permit one to be drawn to pay
your salary" and he could not have got
dollar, not a penny.
But we are less aggressive people down
here, and the republican party is better dis
ciplined to the observance of law and
they very properly refrain from playing the
Governor own game upon him.
Now. still further, even when you come to
swear IN Legislature, very important pro-
ceeding as 1t occurred in 1SI?-sO, the consti-
tuition says "The Senators and Represen-
hves shall take and subscribe their oaths and
amrnations before the Governor and Coun-
Gil, not 'beiore the Governor.
When you come to the Secretary Of State
ana dehne ms duties, "ue shall attend the
Governor and Council nowhere the Cover
nor alone.
And, even where the legislature, in the two
orahches, proceed to the exercise OF power in
aaaressinR an omcer rom the oench, as they
duufesseu w OOuDufv DAVIS from the supreme