The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1886-02-17

what money had been expended by
their department III lie Telephone
suit NJ, Lamar replies otter
careful inquiry, that tbifty:Rye
dollars for printing, &C., was the
only money expended IN his de.
partment, while Mt. Garland says
no money has yet been expended
in his. Counsel has been retained
for the Government suit, but no
money has yet been paid the coun.
sci.
10 an executive session Of the
Senate Yesterday, Mr.. Edmunds
presented a protest signed by citi.
zens Of Vermont, against the con.
trmation Of a collector Of customs
in that State. The objection to
him was that he had appointed a
deputy whore reputation, it was
alleged, was not the best Senators
Beck and Butler thought that was
a flimsy preLext and said If every
Republican official had been held
responsible for all bis deputies,
there would have been many rejec.
tions.
Senator Sherman made an attack
in open session upon the Prpsi.
dents attitude with regard to Civ.
ling "reaeons" aud Senator Ed.
munds expects to do the same next
week. Senator Hoar and Others
who are candidates for the Presi.
dency in 1888 are only waiting for
the semblance Of an excuse to score
the Administration in public
They feel it is high time to arouse
the Republicans to the fact that
they are actually losing the post.
Offices. II is true this is not a
great issue, but there is nothing
greater on hand just now.
Either wilfully or ignorantly the
real issue in the pending contro.
yersy between the Senate and the
Executive has been misstated by
certain Senators and certain parti.
san papers. The attempt has been
made to place the Administration
in a position which il has never
taken. 1t has been assumed that
the President is DESTROYS Of conceal.
ling his reasons for removals; that
he desires to make a distinction
between private and public papers
between executive and legisla.
tive papers. From his official re.
plies TO the Senate through the
members Of the Cabinet, the clear
inference to be drawn is simply
this. AS the Chief Executive Of
the Nation be has in his possession
certain papers which public in.
terest demands him to Withhold.
Expressions Of opinion on the
subject Of the relations between the
President and Senate are drawn
now on very strict party lines
among Senators and Representa-.
tiyes. Both sides appear to recog.
nize the fact that the battle can be
indefinitely prolonged.
There is growing opinion that
it is time to consider Presidential
nominations in open session. Some
say a great step towards true civil
service reform would be taken in
this way. Nominees can be assail
ed in secret session without being
allowed to know The names of their
aCcusers, while on the other hand,
unworthy nominations can be con.
frmed without making anyone an
swerable for the offense. They
claim open sessions will remedy
both grievances by compelling the
best appointments, and by assuring
them Of a fair hearing before the
Senate.
And indeed it is an open secret
tina! most unworthy nominations
have been confirmed in the past on
personal considerations and by foul
bargains. There is an unwritten
law Of so,called courtesy allowing a
Senator to decide the fitness of any
nominee from his state who had
already been dictated BY his desire.
In this way, a crowd of ptrjurers,
forgers, ballot, box suffers, thieves,
and all manner Of infamous charsc.
tiers received high Offices under
Hayes, as rewards for the great
fraud of 1876. And in the public
service under Grant, and his Re.
publican successors many others,
equally corrupt, were conspicuous.
D.
nEHC rnu,anHc.