Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1886-03-19
ct ARLINGTON tanaara
Washington Letter.


W,~HtSoroS, March Z. 1856.
The administration has shown the
courage II its convictions during h.
week. hy launching three aRRressis.
documents upon the Senate The
hr., was tho Presidents mes,agc
ou tie rght ~ Ito senate
t. sla,e tie Information on which
b. mado Official changes. The
conI also was = message from
the President condemning ~ very
positive terms. tho outrnges coin
miiteo on tho Chinese IA The far
West, aud urging Congress 10 re
inbutse tho victims for their pecuni-
ary losses. The third document wns
u decided letter from the Secretary
of The Treasury on the Silver pol
icy Of tho Administration. ~ which
Le shoss no dirl o,ition Ia cnn,pro
mise with the silver men He lie
arr,bes The ,Cortr he has made Ia
force the standard dollar into circu
ls,ion. that Congress may see that b.
has tired To carry out its purposes ia
good faith. The s,stsmen, he makes
IN regard TO this should at least top
the talk indulgod IN hy some thai
the dollars do no, circulate because
thu Treasury officials secretly ure
the machinery ~ the Department
against the coin.
While Sera,or Beck may not
agree with tho Administration on
tho silver question. he ~ with 1t in
tho controversy with the Senate.
Fad be. IN regard to ,be coveted
appointment papers. No one has
any right 10 them but the persons
who wrote them. Mr.. Cleveland
can return them 10 their writers 20.
morrow. II he desires 10 do 40. and
no one could prevent him. The
Senate could no. make tho people 10
whom he returned the papers. toll
what was In them"
Since the President sont his mes
sage 10 the senate IN regard 10 it's
demand for papers. there has been
no doubt M TO wha, lac IN going To
do He holds that the quosii, n Of
removal II Que ior him alone, aud hc
will not send the papers. II IL not
that tho Senators aic misunderstood
and misrepresontod that they com
plain. On tho contrary. IL il he.
cause they ara thoroughly understood
and ." thoroughly exposed. But
say they. acts Of suspension ought
10 be public and tho reasons for
them explained. While this is
true. the custom and tbs law Of tho
Government do mol require IL. The
Law should require IL. but IL does
not, and the Senate does not wish il.
The Senate avoids publicity aud
fsars u. The senate has refused
publicity. II does not want the
country 20 know all the facts and
reasons In these cases. II wants 10
have u portion Of thom given in
secret. 10 be manipulated In secret,
10 BE- made the basis Of political
maneuvers. which cannot be fairly
met because they are plotted and
perfected in secret.
The subject IL The chief topic Of
conversation nj both end1 Of the
Capitol. and II Ia noticeable that the
Presidents frank and strong state.
ment Of his determination not TO be
misrepresentsd or forced TO surrender
hts rights or responsibilities has in.
crossed admiration for him.
There has been q good deal oil
commen. upon the loss Of temper
over the Presidents communication,
exhibited by the usually placid. up.
demonstrative Senator from Yer.
mont, Mr.. Edmends. The Senate
wss Ia secret session when the Presi-
dents private secretary arrived with
The message. business was suspen.
ded when II was learned what he had
brought with him. and the docu.
msnt was laid before the body, Sen.
sior Harris proposing ,ba, II 10 read
with closed doors. Senator Kenna.
OF West Virginia. and Van wyck, OF
Nebraska, sharply demanded that
tho doors be opened. After a brief.
debate the doors we're thrown open
tho correspondents filed their gal.
lery. aud the news spreading rapid.
ly. people from other parts Of the
Capitol hastily made their way to the
Senate. Extraordinary stiffness pre-
vailed on tho floor, and tho scene
was unusual Tor tho reason tina,
every Senator on both sides Of tho
Chamber listened eagerly.
Chieftain Edmunds sat with bis
eyes closed. his chin on his breast.
His hands were folded across his
knees and twitched ncrvousiy dur.
ing tho reading Of tho mes.
sage. At tho close. Senator
Harris sprang TO his feot with q mo.
ton that the document lie upon the
table and DO printed. Mr.. Ed.
munds arose to dispute this motion
in q voice that betrayed his intense