Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1885-12-14

During last week long list of presi-
Dental recess appointments was sent to
the senate for confirmation. The senate
shortly thereafter went into executive
session. 1t was not stated, however,
what action, if any, was taken relative
to the nominations submitted. Later
Information upon this subject comes in
the form of special to the Chicago
Inter-Ocean, under date of December
10th, which reads:
The republican senators have decided
to oppose the confirmation of all the
presidents nominations where they are
to succeed republicans who have been
renewed from office. LII the removals
have been made on charges, the presi-
dent will be called upon to furnish spec
ificstions, SO that the suspended officials
may be given an opportunity to answer
| them. If in the opinion of the senators
| the charges are untrue or unjust they
will resist the confirmation of his success
sor. When the superseded official is an
ex-soldier, and is qualified. the republ-
cans will resist the confirmation of his
successor. Where an appointment is
made to vacancy no opposition will be
made.
AS a great many republican officials
have been removed from office under
charges of secret nature it is but
right that those parties be given on OPP
portunity to defend themselves against
allegations rejecting upon their official
and personal characters. Thus far it
has beer impossible for an official re-
moved under charges to procure tran
scripts of such charges or any official
intimatiop of their nature, the various
department heads declining to reply to
letters of enquiry upon that subject.
The sworn testimony of perjurers and
individuals without reputation in theil
own communities may have been as effec
tivein procuring removals as the evidence
of men of standing and known veraoity
The position assumed by the republican
majority of the senate will open up tx
publicity and Investigation the charac
ter OF charges filed and the characters o
, the persons who have placed their name
to affidavits in testimony against theil
nelghbors. There is no impropriet,
in this. If perjury anc
subornatlon of perjury hay
been committed, the guilty atfiant ant
the guilty applicant for Office should b
exposed and made to suffer the penalt,
of violation of the law.
. The senate majority, according to tn
explanation of its intentions above CIV
en-, reserves for more especial attention
and investigation the cases wherein ez
F, soldiers of the war were removed unde
charges. There is nothing violent i
the theory that q man who devoted tn
best years of his life to military service
from purely patriotic motive. shoul
: be entitled to the fullest considerable
of a government maintained by his e.
forts. At least the republican majorit
in the senate SO views the case.
Dakota will watch the coming de
', velopments with interest. Among ii
: officials removed in our territory to Civ
:, place to democrats are Secretary Telle
Marshal Allen, Land Office Registt
: Pease, of Watertown, Land Office
Armstrong and Lowry, of Huron, ar
Mccoy, of Aberdeen, Judge Smith,
the fifth district, and the PRESIDENT
postmasters at Pierre and Yam
ton. OF the foregoing list, ex-Marsh
Allen, Land Officer Pease and the pos
masters at Pierre and Yankton are e
soldiers. The other important appoin
ments in Dakota were made to fill vaca
cies caused by designations or expil
tion of terms of service and the sena
will doubtless confirm such appoir
ments without question.