The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1886-04-07
THE SENATE AND THE PRESIDENT

had to pay for the game ali the same.
THE SENATE AND THE PRESIDENT.
We expected very little from the present
session of Congress. We have not been disap-
pointed. This result does not spring from
any unwillingness of the Democratic party
to carry out the useful measures of reform,
upon the pledge to which they attained
power. 1t is due solely to the state of parties
in the two Houses. One, the House of Rep
resentatives, nearest to and most recently
chosen by the people, is largely Democratic
the other Republican.
The composition of the Senate was very
little affected by the last Presidential cleo
ton. 1t is composed to day for the most
part of persons holding over in terms com
mencing before that event. These gentlemen
are opponents of political views past and
gone, obsolete and discarded by popular
judgment, but still having a certain place
and force, like that of spent ball. in legis-
lation. The late political upheaval did
reach the Presidency and one branch of Con-
gress, it did not even touch the other.
The Republican majority in the Senate of
the United States has. under these
circumstances seen fit deliberately to
abandon all questions of National import
ance or permanent utility and to occupy
itself solely with the consideration of the
action of the President in the distribution of
executive patronage. They have discarded
the role of useful legislation and even profit
able debate to play the part of petty partisans
Iul1 kl.ar foIc
assumed, of statesmen and jurists. They
have chosen to occupy many days at an
enormous expense in calling public atten-
ton by a prolonged debate and weary,
wordy resolutions to the conduct of the
President concerning the removal of a
District Attorney IN Georgia and other subor-
dinates in the civil service The modification
of the tariff, the relief of land and labor from
unjust taxation, the reconstruction Of
American commercial and shipping
interests, the defenses of the
seaboard, the improvement of rivers and har-
bors, those untaxed, free waterways of trans
portation, must all be postponed to the con-
sideration of the overwhelmingly important
matter as to how John Jones, Esq, good
Republican, came to be removed from the
postoffice at Henpeck or Halfway. These
last are the mighty themes to which they
have chosen exclusively to direct their own
labors and the public notice. The Republi-
can members of the United States Senate
charge that the President was engaged to re-
move no one without cause. Is it shown at
all in any of the voluminous debates herein
that he hos rnada a ramovaI uitbout cauaa9
Not at all. They demand, further, that he
shall furnish them with the reasons for re-
moval. Did Mr.. Cleveland ever pledge him
self to do this? In no wise. Neither he nor
any other President has ever given the
reasons for remeval-unless voluntarily.
The uniform practice, even according
to Republican presidents, has been to give
or withhold such reasons as the chief magis-
trate deemed best. The Senate has nothing
to do with removals. Such a claim would
take executive power and duty from the
President and vest it ia the Senate. With
appointments the Senate is concerned. 1t
may either advise and consent to, or decline
to confirm them. This is the extent of their
authority. And how is it exercised? In
secret executive session. Can the Senate
then lawfully seek to strip the President of
that privacy in relation to removals which
they themselves exercise respecting appoint
ments? Now these official condolences in
use ever since the formation of the Govern
ment, of the President on the one hand, of the
Senate on the other. have been and are
quite independent of each other. We quar-
rel not witheither, but both should be care
fully observed and mutually respected. Ne
intrusion is justi6able by one department
upon the other. Neither Jackson nor Lin
coin nor the President of any other period
would have cared a straw about these reso-
lutions of SeiKl anal censure. The power of
removal must fesf somewhere The officer
who uses it must judge of the reasons and
answer to the people for his acts in so doing.
To hold that there is double-headed ex
ecutive-one department to pass upon res-
sons for removal and another to make re-
moval actual-would be such an arrange.
ment, to say nothing of its inconvenience
and impraeticability, as would GER
tainly have been specially men,
toned if it had in any way
been contemplated by the provisions Of the
Constitution. There is no allusion to such
two-headed magistracy in that instrument
This power rests then with the President.
Removals are to be approved or disapproved
only by the ballot Of the electors; appoint
ments are subject TO approval or disapproval
by the Senate. We feel confident that the
masses Of our people will confirm removals
much faster and more freely than the Senate
will confirm appointments.
The recent resolutions of the Senate in
attempted censure OF the President, the re-
suit most loudly trumpeted OF Republican
action during this whole session, notwith-
standing their highdown phrase and gaudy
msgniloquence. will be regarded by plain
neonle of the couufrv an A very old trite and