The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-12-15
SECRET SESSIONS.
Senator Van Wyck's Shrewdness-The SEES
sions of the Early Congresses,

sions of the Early Congresses,
Washington Special
When the Mexican reciprocity treaty was I'M
der discussion in the Senate, at the last session,
Senator Van Wyck got up one day in open Sen
ate, and moved that the discussion of the bill be
with open doors. Senator Edmunds was in the
chair, and he nearly tainted at the violence done
senatorial dignity by the honorable gentleman
from Nebraska. he recovered in a moment and
ruled in Vermont winter tones that the motion
was out of order-it should have been offered in
executive session. To-day Senator Van Wyck
returned to his gallant attack upon senatorial
fiummery but he had learned wisdom by his ex-
pertinent at the last session, and instead of max
ing attack in front, he made flank move
ment, and managed it so well that he was not
only not called to order but Senator Edmunds
announced it would be printed if no objection
was made, and none was made. Of course,
there was objection to its immediate consdera
ton, and it went over under the rules but this is
the usual course, from which there are few ex
ceptions.
There is fine piece of irony in the senator's
first preamble where he sets forth that tire
King of Spain had made the Foster treaty
public to such an extent that it had been cabled
to a New York newspaper, and in the further
statement that this publication occurred before
the same was presented with becoming solemnity
and secrecy to the Senate" Instead of directly
raising in open session the question of publicly
debating the Spanish treaty, Senator Van
Wyck's resolution merely directs the committee
on rules to provide an additional rule for the
consideration of a reciprocity treaty in open
Senate. In this form Senator Van Wyck ac-
complished his purpose without violating the
rules of the Senate, even as construed by Sen
ator Edmunds.
The regular sessions of both branches Of Con-
gress were originally with closed doors. Grad
ually the public were admitted, secret sessions
being reserved for special OCCASIONS and steadily
growing more and more uncommon until they
have long since ceased to be employed by the
House, though that body has the right to empty
the galleries and close the doors and impose the
injunction of secrecy on its members at any
time. In the Senate, secret sessions for the
consideration of nominations and treaties survive
but the rule of the Senate under which any two
senators can have the doors closed for regular
legislative business. have so nearly become obso
lete that when Senator Allison and another SEN
auor invoked it last summer in the interest of
the proposed appropriation of $3.50 600 to be used
by the State Departments secret-service fund
to aid in negotiating a treaty with Nicarauga, a
number of senators had wholly forgotten it, and
it had to be read to them to refresh their recol-
lections.
The State Department did not get that secret
service or corruption fund, because the consent
of the House could not be secured, but it nego-
tiated the treaty all the same, SO that we have
got what the $3.50, 900 was to buy, have saved our
money, and have not been guilty of subsidizing
members of the government of friendly nation
The history of secret sessions of Congress war
rants the expectation that senatorial secrecy will
not long survive in the case of commercial treat
les, and will probably be wholly abandoned ult
mately as perfectly useless anachronism.