New-York tribune., 1886-03-19
MIR. SPOONER'S ARGUMENT
THE SENATE SUSTAINED BY THE LAW
ARRAIGNING THE PRESIDENT FOR NOT oBgYIxG r,
his ACTS BETTER THAN HIS WORDS
TBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRrBUNE1


| TBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE !
WASHINGTON, March 1S.-The speech NJ b
day in the debate the right Of the President 10
hold papers from the inspection OF the senat. ...
delivered BIZ Senator spooner The young Wlseo,,,
Senator had already given promise OF the metal that d,
| in him, but even his most devoted admirers Ata A.,
expect him distinguish himself in the conspepor.
manner that he did to-day. He occupied tho at,en,n
OF the nearly three hours and Yielded ov
motion into executive session OF the ,rn
upon his voice lie will finish his speech O.rnorro,
ThrOu ghout the delivery OF hsremarks he had ara
apprecave audience both the floor Of the seuatc On,
in the galleries The conspicuous merit OF the sbesoh
that It completely escewed the political aspess NJ
the case IL brought back the discussion to tie r,
Issue the fact that the Senate had demanded 10 ea
certain papers on c in tho departments and that tho
chiefs OF these departments. by direction Of the Pres
dent, had refused to send them. Speakers n,
the Democratic side OF the House nv
spccious pleading had sought to obscure this
issue. and to impute reasons to R,pub!ie,n
Senator'S for the attitude taken by them for which the,
ground. The fact that lr. spooner delivered hi,
remarks without added the effect that they had
upon his audience.
Senator Brown. OF Georgia, preceded the wscOu.
sin Senator I'm a short, dry constitutional argu.
ment He had but senator-Ir Morgau-to h.ten
him. aud he went TO sleep after Mr. Brown had
spoken fifteen minutes.
When the resolutions OF the Judiciary Committee
taken up to-day Mr. Van Wyck offered amendment
to them the following:
And in all such cases OF removal the matter Of col-
trmatiou shall be considered n open session Of tue
Senate.
Mr.. sewel occu ylng the chair. remarked: "The
amendment will be printed and lie over"
Mr. Brown then made argument against the report
OF the majority OF the committee which he said: 'Tns
people Of this conny constitute the high cOur: OF appeals
and the ud gment OF that reh court not that the
President has used the nower Of removal but that he
charge against him in the popular NINA i not the
that he has made mistakes IN making appoint
ments removals from office doubtless he has male
somc but that his mistake been that he omitte 20
use The power with suliciept force. The
people (the high court Of appealsl to whom alone the
President is responsible for the manner IN which
ercses his discretion in the matter OF removals from
Office, viii order nonsuit in the great case OF George
f. Eimumds aud Company, republican manager ot tbs
Senate Grover Cleveland President OF the United
Mr spooner. who followed. said, in part:
The fortunes OF the Republican party are yer dear to
me viii not attempt to deny tnad wh tntt mat
vantage which may be taken from tue binders tni
shortcomings any such there are. OF this Admu,ra-
ton but trust that do not forget and sha not for.
get that am senator Of the United states a. we
Republican, and that rs senat II my rst duty always
il to the people aud that have no rlsh 10 take action
here to party interest which would he harm.
have authority to deny for every upon this side
of the chamber the statement SO often made on the
10 nairass hlnpgI po OF eyecnttyc funcf,ons
suppose Duskn in office, would the President re-
@ s & o1 ~ .up,e rhat The senate vans the paper,
for any purpose within It's jurisdiction II X lads
peusabe orderly conduct Of the Government that
n1ncrs wanted nv either house OF Congress win,cd
Tor purposes within Tie jurisdiction Of the House calling
for Them Has TO this, that the senate must.
with Eastern salaaD approach the door OF The Depart
ment bound disclose, hrst 10 the Attorney GeAeral
and then TO President, the precise
RRndeT RndeG'I penalty of not receiving them at all
one much confusion in TINS debate is con.
with removals. suspension does not mean removal
II IS very different thing. To suspend an 3iheer
causes temporary cessation OF ms funcohs. 10 re-
move causes a permanent cessation. 10 suspend the
Of ha0eas corpus Is one thhs; 70 oOltertte u IS
is nor removed officer; for the Senate
firm his successor tho suspended man returns 10 The
office The supreme Court mas so DECIDED lne
President has declined TO furnish the papers
called for. because. forsOoth, they would enable
the Senate TO see the reasons Tor the sasp1nsloh-y
would enable Us to that lie had exercised Tue power
OF suspension wantOnly No power could be 80 danefods
to the Republic thus asserted by the Pres-
dent that papers relating 10 the puOhc Dushtsso on the
files OF Government hts private papers, 10 De re-
moved from the n les buried n the cellars OF the White
House carted off to Buffalo, II he chooses, merely be-
ncnson n the mere tact that the President has ed
on the papers makes them his private property ana
shuts ont te light of from all the public
offices in the country then IL rests with any cher
executive lock the door upon the House and Senate
The term innocuoas desuetude proyokes a smile.
but there IS nothing to smile This government
ofiaw ana Am sorry the Chief Executive OF the le-
public should have used slch words ol any ia" mat
stands on the statute books IL u DANGEROUS thne
when the President OF the United states with au oath
registered Heaven take care that the laws SHAH
be faithfully executed" sends message 10 the senate
saving that a has fallen into irmess disuse
though the statute remains the books IL ever th"ro
en there was Of pect for law now,
wuen In many states thOughttu. men are turning
blanched the future. How can the people be
expected to yield cheerful obedience TO tue statutes
when the first citizen OF the Repuhlc-himself charged
with their executIOn-s heard asserting that statute
can harmlessly al dlsuse Bnt the President does
not believe sstemeut-his acts nave been better
than his words, he sent In large numOrr or
nominations OF to take tho places OF Officers -us
pended by him under the authority OF the very act 70
which reference has been made.