Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-02-02
SECRET SESSIONS Oh, THE SENATE.


Their Origin and History.
ExcLUsIvENEss OF THE sESATE-FoNDNEss FOR
PRECEDENT-AN EFFORT TO HAVE THE SESSIONS
OPEN.
An effort will be made In the United States
Senate at an early day to abolish secret sessions
or at least modify the rule so as to limit them
to such questions as majority may determine
proper to be considered in secret. Under ex-
listing rules two Senators can close the doors of
the Senate at any time. even though all the
others regard 1t as unnecessary.
THE ORIGINAL RULE.
adopted February Goth, 1874, is still in force as
follows:
"On motion made and seconded to close the
doors of the Senate on the discussion of any
business which may, in the opinion of a Senator,
require secrecy, the presiding officer shall di-
rect the galleries to be cleared: and during the
discussion OF such motion the doors shall re-
main closed"
The only changes from the original rule is
that ''cose" is substituted for shut and "Sen-
ator' for member Under this rule Mr.. Ed
munds once closed the DOORS though fully
three-fourths OF the Senators present were OPP
posed to it.
THE PUBLIC EXCLUDED FROM ALL DELIBERA-
T1oNs OF THE SENATE.
For some years after the organization Of Con-
gress in 17o9 the public were excluded from all
deliberations of the Senate and that body sat
regularly with closed doors. The first effort to
change this mode of procedure and permit the
people of the country to know what that august
! body did and said was on the 3Oth of April,
| 1870, when motion was made THAT the doors
of the Senate chamber shall be open when the
Senate is sitting in their legislative capacity, to
/ the end that such of the citizens of the United
States as may choose to hear the debates of this
house may have an opportunity of SO doing"
| But SO little respect did the "fathers Of the
republic" have for the people that they rejected
this proposition outright. At the two subse
| quent sessions the same motion was repeated,
/ only to meet. on each OCCASION the same fate as
when first submitted. On the 18th OF April,
| 17gS, motion was made to admit the members
! OF the House of Representatives to attend the
debates Of the Senate when sitting in it's legis-
| latlye capacity, but that sense Of exclusion
| which has clung to the Senate and is still so
marked feature of the body, prompted the
rejection of this proposition A yea and nay
| vote was taken. resulting in the defeat of the
motion by vote of ayes to 16 hayes.
THE FIRST OPEN SESSIONS.
| It was not until the 9th of December. 1895,
that the Senate formally consented to open it's
| doors to the people, though the rule quoted
| above in relation to motions to close the doors
was adopted February co. 1794, simultaneously
with resolution permitting the doors to be
opened. On the date first named december 9.
1880 the following was adopted:
Resolved, That In conformity to a resolution
of the Senate OF the United States, passed the
Goth day of February, 1874, the gallery of the
Senate chamber be permitted to be opened every
morning, subject to the restrictions in said resO-
luton mentiOned;"i. g., to be closed ON motion
| having q second.
| AN EFFECTUAL CUT OFF.
| Since 1868 the motion to proceed to the con-
sideration of executive business has been one of
those that can be made while aquestion is under
debate, and is the second in Importance. The
motion to adjourn is first in order while debate
| is pending, and next comes the motion to pro-
coed to executive business, which, when carried,
closes the galleries and puts the Senate In secret
| session.
RULES FROM 1889 TO 1914.
resolution adopted August Dist, 1889, was
| as follows:
| a. "ResOired, That when nominations shall be
made In writing by the President OF the United
States TO the Senate, future day shall be assigned,
unless the Senate unanimously direct otherwise, in
/ taking them into considerations; that when the
President OF the United States shall meet the SEN
ate IN the Senate chamber, the President Of the
Senate shall have chair on the door. be consid-
cred as at the head Of the SefaIf anu his chair
| shall be assigned to the President OF the United
states; that when the Senate shall be convened by
| the President Of the United States to any other
place, the President OF. the Senate and Senators
shall attend at the place appointed. The Secretary
OF the Senate shall also attend to take minutes OF
the Senate. That all questions shall be put by the
President OF the Senate either in the presence or
absence OF the President OF the United States: and
the senators shall signify their assent or dissent by
| answering, riUa rOce, aye or no."
On the Sd of January, 1920, the two following
paragraphs were added TO- this rule: ,,.o,t,
! 29 "When acting on confidential or executive
business the Senate shall be cleared OF all persons
except The Secretary, Sergeant-at-ArmS, and Door
Keeper, or, In his absence, the Assistant Door
keeper"
| the President OF the United States to the Senate
shall be by the members thereon kept secret; and
all treaties which may be laid before the Senate
shall also be kept secret until the Senate SHALL by
their resolution, take off the injunction or Sc
| crecy."
And on May 10th, 1874, another addition was
made as follows: ..-...... ,...-.
| ~ "Any officer or member OF the Senate con-
victed OF disclosing for publication any written or
printed matter directed by the Senate to be held In
confidence shall be liable, If an officer to dismissal
from the service OF the Senate and In the case OF
| member to suffer expulsion from the body"
THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES IN THE
SENATE.
1t is forcible Illustration of the fondness for
, precedent. even when it leads into absurdities
that the rule, as quoted above is still main
tanned with few immaterial changes, even in
| Guiding the clause, "When the President Of the
! United States shall meet the Senate in the
Senate Chamber for the consideration OF execu-
| tive business" though that custom has long
been abolished. In early days the Presi-
dent actually met the Senate, and in executive
SESSION ADVISED WlCn them upon nominations;
but Jefferson abandoned the custom that took
the President to the Capitol. and substituted the
more sensible and equally efficient one OF send
| ing written communications.
THE RULE OF THE SENATE NOW IN FORCE
| and only adopted few days ago reads:
l. "When the President of the United States shall
meet the Senate in The Senate Chamber for the con-
siderat1on OF executive business. he shall have
seat on the right of the presiding ODTcer. When
the Senate shall be convened by the President of
the United States to any other place, the presiding
officer OF the Senate and the Senators shall attend
| Of the Senate"
The other paragraphs are simply repetitions
ofthe old rule prescribing who shall be present
latiOns of the injunction Of secrecy. Under the
rules treaties are required to be considered in
! executive session.
| CONSIDERATION OF NOMINATIONS IN EXECUTIVE
SESSIONS.
| For some years past there has been a grow
| ing sentiment In the Senate In favor of doing
away with executive sessions, unless under Cir
| cumstances and conditions peculiarly calling
| for secrecy. The original rule In relation to
nominations was adopted August 81, 1859, and
provided that
a. "When nominations shall be made In writing
by the President OF the United States to the Senate
| a future day shall be assigned, unless the Senate
unanimously direct otherwise, for taking them into
consideration"
| 1t was amended January Sd, 1920 by the ad-
| ditiOn of the following:
{2.) Gan Information remarks touching or con-
corning the character or qualifications of any per