Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-06-23
TuEsDAY..............JUNE 81. 1885
consrrninr Appointments.

Confirming Appointments.
The Constitution OF the United States
requires that certain offices OF the
Government shall be filed by persons
appointed by the President by and with
the advice and consent Of the Senate.
The fathers Of the republic intended
of course that the Senate should ioro'd
or veto such appointments only as were
not at TO be made. 1t is our theory
that it was never for moment sup
posed by the trainers OF the cons'l'u-
t;on that the Senate would have either
the time or the disposition to examine
into the character Of all the nominees
of the President. However that may
have been. the fact is that it would be
impossible in the nature of things for the
Senate to scrutinize closely the charsc-
tiers and qualifications of all the men
nominated by the President to I'LL offices
which are to be filled by and with the
advice and consent Of the Senate.
The Senate must first of all perform
ito legislative duties. Its next session
will not last more than six months, or
one hundred and fifty-six days. or
these twenty:.six days will be Sundays
and twenty-six Saturdays--days on
which the Senate rarely sits. Subtract
ffty-two from one hundred and fifty
six. and it will be seen that if the Senate
were to 60 into executive session every
day. it could confirm not over one hum
dred and four appointments during the
six months, provided q discussion was
had in each case Of the merits and
qualifications of the appointees; for the
Senate continues in executive session but
an hour or two at time, as a general
rule.
Take the case Of Mr.. KELLEY. How
many hours will it require to make
speeches denouncing him as an "unre-
pentant REBEL" and how many more
hours to reply to such speeches? Can
the Senate afford TO devote week to
every nomination for foreign mission?
Why, General LAwToN's case, if he
had not periodically declined the
mission to Russia, might have occupied
the Senate fer three months. There
are hundreds and hundreds Of offices
coming under the rule which requires
nominations of certain classes to be ap-
proved by the Senate. To how many
of these can the Senate devote q day?
If the Democrats choose to be OBJ
s.ructionists, the Senate might be rem
dered utterly powerless in the premises.
But the Democrats will not be OBJ
structionists. There will be no occa-
sion for it. The Republican senators
have good many favors to ask of the
President Of the United States--not as
many as the Democratic senator's, but
enough to render them unwilling Il
offend him by making factious opposi'
ton to the confirmation of his nomi
nees.
And, after all, what good object
nay, what party or partisan OBJ
ject--couldth Republican senator's gair
by refusing to advise and consent
to the Presidents nominations? Non,
whatever. The rejection of one nomi
nee would give the President an oppor
tunity to nominate another good Demo
crat for the same Office. Therefore, i
the Senate should reject one NOMINEES
for each Office, it would in effect doubl
the patronage of the President. /
would give him chance to reward--o
rather o chance to try to reward
thousand friends instead Of five hun
bred, or two thousand friends instead Q
one thousand, seeing that the officer re
moved or suspended by the Presiden
is not restored to place by the refuse
of the Senate to confirm the new nom
nee's appointment.
Probably, therefore, the Republican
Of the Senate will make fight over
few Of the appointments, having an cy
to the making Of party capital, b.
will confirm nine tenths Of them wit
out hesitation or delay.