The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1883-05-27
SOME NEW hooks.
The first senate or tie United ststes-Whnt
Took Place In It's secret Sessions.

For light upon the meaning ofour C1ms.itu-
ton we naturally turn first to the debates IN
tho Federal Convention which drew up the in-
strument. and noxt to the declarations maze
by those members Of tho first Congress- who had
taken conspicuous part IN framing our or
yanic law. Unfortunately. tho senate OF tho
United States. during the first 1--WE years OF Its
existence insisted upon sitting behind closed
doors. and but little authentic information re-
specting it, proceedings hns been hitherto ac-
cessible. The annals OF Congress- exhibit only
n bare outline Of tho business transacted In tho
Senate, and for some glimpscs OF the dis-
cussions which preceded legislative action
we have had " depend on few scat
tered illusions in tho published writings
Of John Adams Jefferson. Madison. Waicot.
and other persons Of more or loss prominence
at the time. All Of these Incidental notes Dieccd
together would be far from constituting con-
tinuOus and exhaustive record OF tho words
spoken and tho things done In tho Federal SEN
alto between the years 1889 and 1894 This scri-
Gus gap In the history OF Federal legislation.
this lncuna In tho materials available for tho
Interpretation OF the Constitution IL now to
.ome extent Hlcd up by volume called
Stretches Of Debate in Ne FIRST Senate Of the United
states edited by GEORGE W. HAaRIs and pub
lished In Harrisburg. Pa. Tho basis OF this inn
,ortant contribution to our political chronicles
IS q Journal never before printed which covers
he two years beginning IN April. 1883, and
nnding on March 8. 1871. This journal was
';ept by William Maclay. q Senator from tho
tate Of Pennsylvania. under the impression.
apparently. that he might be called ON BY his
constituents for information relating to pro-
.cedngs In tho Senate. The diarist docs not
undertake to reproduce the precise language
Used. but he evidently aims to set down the
iieas and sentiments ex pressed by tho leading
,peakers on both sides OF every important
question which came up for discussion. Among
the Interesting matters which were earnestly
,iebatod In tho Senate during this period may
~ mentioned tho proposition to confer titles
,pon the President and other Federal officials.
lie dispute concerning the mode Of communi-
alton between tho Houses. tho controversy
,ouching the method OF voting In the Senate
whether by ballot or viva voceb on nomina-
ions sent in by the President. the doubt
whether the sole power Of removal from Office
,vere vested In the Chtef Magistrate. the or
;aniSation OF tho judiciary. the desg-
nation Of the permanent seat Of the
General Government. tho Funding bill.
..nd-what will now be regarded with Pc
.ulisr curiosity-the first bill imposing duties
m the importation Of foreign goods. whereby
the constitutional power Of Congress- to protect
manufactures was necessarily made subject
II Investigation. Tho Importance Of the opin-
ions uttered regarding these and other Ques-
ions OF national concern by Mr.. Macays col
leagues Will DC appreciated when we call 10
MIND that. out OF the twenty-five Senators VINO
met In New YORK at tife opening OF the hrst
congress. eleven had pcen members OF the red
oral Convention. and could therefore speak
with authority respecting the intentions OF the
authors OF the Constitution. ana the purport
which the language OF that instrument had been
supposed TO bear. when we consider how
'uuch cause for regret lay in the vacuum which
was heretofore encountered upon the thrcsh-
old OF our national history. we cannot out
recognize our great oDllgations 70 the editor
and publisher OF this curious and useful book.
NO careful reader OF this journal VIII be like-
iy to question Its trustworthincss. The author
vas maniiestly man OF good sense. SOUND
continents. ana an uprightcharacter. lie was
a patriot OF the school OF Patrick Henry and
samuel Adams; that Is to say. no viewed tho
rentralizing tendencies OF the new Constitution
with considerable distrust. and resolved that
1t al events the large powers conferred on tho
;enerai aoVernmens esouIa ne strieuv ce~-
~truea' ho Ms1 sa,,avSd En-, enc ,hir,aon
'mpnc"y' o. thro,,, ~ ,ha 5io,ie.a
coiohies nav Rri,,sh .ov.rai,n 20 s,hs,i-
'uie Oh ,inohhaoL .rd hr.nd- n.v w
ute =, thair own ons ha ,i.,,,.i NJ. onI,
"a ,n,so,v;no hut with ho,alv ovowod oon,
.n,t tho .fynr,o n, ,n.nv E.d.r.,,st ,oo1ar.
q anc ths forms and renro1uce tho usooas ~
r,ronoan cnnrts II ia CLAIR in,sod ter, ,his
.nurnaI that "a William M,n,,v moro th,n 20
nv otbor man ~. Qua tho f,iInre - tho si,,,
,t,n, NJ r,,1a hv Iohn Adm an,thvp Ia
4, transfor,, ,ha S.n.t, IT. ,,ooi, He ~,
ord. and 70 oortsr th. ridi,r,oms ,it,a -, III,
riohnsss IN Tho ci,ivon Who viii, hanran 20
-, oho.on n, I'm or .ho With, M, h,, aa,;,',t
,a prosidnrtiai os,.o Ua =, ,ras ,vho stoo,;
nth ~ arst oimost oiono In ,h. San,,a ~
,.nonncad Tho Observation-Disclosures, an1 ,ha
,nar;Ii,v -, sao,in, 70 I,an;,,, h.' har.oaJ
i,,.s ma, I,t,aa b., ,ha s,,,y,,,o ~, ..,,,
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.rhi,f Mayistr,,t, '
w. nurnns, 10 NAB. oo,;o ,.o,,
,at nnrtion ~ ,bis ;ournn, I,i,,, raanrJs ,ri,h
nv ,,,,oh han, nnd oori ,,',n,, ,,, ,,uasti,m -,
.itios wos iiscrssaa hoh,nJ tha 60, ,1oors -,
40 son.,a ma ho,v ,h.nI.s ,ai,,,u ~ ,ha ~
.,anna ax.r,aa nv Wao,av NAV ,ha H.. .,
,,anrasent.ttvo. al, hona y, ON oar..n,on, NO.
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