Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1886-02-27

any OF the executive departments there
OF, does not exist, even though such pa
pers might relate TO what is ordinarily
an executive Junction II that function
inlrlnged upon any duty or function of
the representative bodies, that in the
very nature OF things, Congress is enti-
tied to these papers
Aqualliication ol this general right, it
is stated, NAV under our constitution
exist in the case of calls by the House Of
representatives for papers relating 10
treaties, etc, under consideration and
not yet disposed of by the President and
Senate. The committee, after a careful
research, states that within the foreign
limits there is scarcely in the history Of
the government until now, any instance
OF a refusal by a head of department
or even the President himself, to com
municate official facts, and information.
when the request was coupled with an
appeal to the discretion Of the President
IN respect OF the danger of publicity to
send the papers; if IN his judgment il
should not be incompatible with the
public welfare, Even in times of the
highest party excitement and stress, as
in 1896, and 1914, it did not seem to
occur to the chief executive of the Uni
ted States that it was possible that any
official facts or information existing Ell
her in the departments created by law.
or within his own possession, could ex-
'ept as before stated, be withheld from
ither OF the Houses OF Congress, al
,hough such facts or information some
lines involved men in trouble and deli
ate matters OF foreign affairs as well as
ometimes the history and conduct oil
Ulcers connected with the administers
ION OF affairs. One instance of thi.
haracter, occurring in 1926, is cited.
When the Senate was considering
whether the United States should be
represented in the Congress of Canada.
IN this instance, the President decided
that the Senate itself should determine
what would be considered in open SEES
sion.
After citing other instances of SINH
lar character, it is stated that President
Tyler, during his administration, sent
message TO the Senate in which he
said, referring to a call for Information
which had been made on the Secretarys
of War and Navy; "While l cannot
recognize this call thus made on the
head of the department as CONSTANT t,
the constitutional rights of the senate.
when acting in its executive capacity.
which in such cases Can only properl,
hold correspondence with the President
Of the United States, nevertheless from
IN anxious desire to lay before the SEN
ate all such information as may be nee
essary to enable it, well and fully un-
ierstanding, to act upon any subject
which may be before it, l herewith
transmit communications which have
oeen made to me by the Secretarys Of
he War and Navy departments in ful
answer to the resolution of the senate.
In giving this instance, the report OBJ
serves that it will be seen that there wa,
no intimation of denial of the riebl
of either House of Congress in the ex
escise of its general jurisdiction, to have
through the North, and to burn. north
ern cities, thereby involving our sol,
diers families in the horrors of an
uncivilized warfare that appalled, the
christian world. Therefore, be it
Resolved, By the department en-
campment OF Indiana, to carry out one
OF the tenets of the grand army of the
republic-top protect the flag unsulied-
we can but condemn the use of the flag
to honor Jacob Thompson or any one
who aided or abetted him to inaugu
rate such unholy and savage warfare.
The rule requiring resolutions to be
'elerred to a committee was suspended
n this case, and the resolution wa,
'dopted, unanimously. This evening
here was a camp fire which was largel,
tttended.
The PAYNE investigation.
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