Omaha daily bee., 1884-03-17
YALE7.

uorfh fetters iroWi NaShihB'
only made him a laughing stock among
Nebraska politicians, but they have
shown him to be as devoid OF veracity as
he ia of common sense. His attempt
10 embroil THE BEE in a quarrel
with Senator Henderson over the patron
age problem strikingly exhibits his lack
of Judgment and want of truthfulness'
Taking as his text our recent editorial on
Senatorial Responsibility" he distorts
the views we hold and serves up a mess
of absurd falsehoods about patronage
under the pretense that he was giving
voice TO the views of Senator Henderson.
The article in question which Valentines
valet intorprets as a declaration OF war
lays down the principles which underly
our system of federal appointments, as
follows.
"The national constitution confers
upon senators the power to revise the
Judgment of the executive in the appoint
ment of federal officers. The language Of
the constitution empowers the president
to appoint all civil and military officers of
the Uniteo States by and with the advice
and consent of the senate. Under our
peculiar system the senator's virtually ex-
ercise the entire appointing power, 30 far
as it relates to federal officers within their
own states. The president cannot be
personally acquainted with applicants for
office, and, therefore, it has become usage
to defer to the senators in the choice of
appointees that have to be confirmed by
the senate. This practice places presi-
Dental appointments in the hands of
their representatives in the senate, and
they very properly must stand respons-
IDLE to their constituents for the abuse of
this power. They cannot and should
not be allowed to shirk the responsibility
under any pretext. Civil service reform
cannot be made responsible for the APP
pointnent of dishonest, incompetent or
disreputable men as long as the wish of
senators is consulted in appointments,
and when not consulted in appointments,
can readily enforce itself through the
rejection of improper appointees.
Mr.. Valentines valet interprets this as
a declaration of war upon Senator Man.
person, and then asks us whether sena-
tors are to be annoyed with choosing
postmasters for Fort Calhoun and the
five or six hundred other towns and vii
lagos in Nebraska. OF course not, and
no sensible man ever expects the SEN
ators to meddle with that class of federal
appointments. What we refer to is clear
enough to those, who understand the
meaning of presidential appointments.
There was nothing hostile to Mr.. Man
derson in the declaration, that senators
are held responsible for appointments
made by and with the advice
and consent of the senate. But
Valentines valet is not content
with distorting. He is thrown
into q most sentimental spasm over the
a~llusion made by THE BEE to the per.
emptory request of Laird and Mander.
son upon Register Sweitzer, at Bloom
ington, to step down and make way for
one of MI. Laird's personal friends, not.
w~ithstanding that Mr.. Sweitzer is an eff
icient officer, and has nearly three years
to serve out his term. Mr.. Valentines
valet tells US in q confidential way that
ISweitzer's time expired last year, that Q
poor n armed veteran by the name Of
Laws was to get his place through Mr.
Laird's patriotic efforts, and that SWEET
zer should have gone out without making
80 much fuss. As a matter of fact Mr.
Sweitzer was re~appointed register of thu
Bloomington land Office upon recommen.
dation of Mr.. Manderson's predecessor
There was no arrangement made by tn,
present delegation about his reappoint
ment. His commission is dated Febru
airy 18th, 1883, while Henderson did no
enter the senate until March 18th, 1883
! MIR. Laws, IL is true, lost N leg in the
army and is deserving, but he has beer
provided for long ago, and is now doing
valiant service for his country as registe
of the United States land office at Nc
Cook. 1t is hardly probable tina
the friends of Mr.. Laws would insis
: upon having him appointed register o
two land offices at tho same time. TIL,
party whom Mr.. Laird does want to sub
~stitute for. Sweitzer in the Bloomington
land office is q veteran of the 14Gth Hi
nois infantry, which never did duty out
side of the state of I~llinsis, and wa
: dubbed by the soldiers as ''the feather
bed regiment" He has two arm m,
two legs, is hale and hearty, has a goot
5 digestion, and weighs 200 pounds. Hi
qualifications as q soldier are, however
not 30 much a consideration, as the fac
| that he is the brother.in-law of two mem
Der of the late Nebraska legislature
\ That ought to entitle him to a great dea
: of consideration, and If Laird were United
, States senator, instead of Van Wyck, W,
presume he would have been mustered
in by this time. 1t strikes US, however
, that Valentines laundering valet i
{ either endowed with a very wretchet
Q memory or he has misrepresented Mr.
Henderson in his confidential open lette