St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-03-10
In Refusing to Furnish the August Body
of Which He is a Part With
Public Papers.
Cleveland Given to Understand That Oon-
gressiOnal Jurisdiction is Broader Than
the Presidential.
The Executive Accused OF withhold
Documents to Conceal Mo-
tives of Removal.
MIR. Thurman the Best, the Greatest
and the Noblest Democrat in
the Country.
consideration of Prerogalives

audience. Though he was not 10 speak
until , O'Clock, every seat IN the galleries
was filled before the Senate met at noon.
and all the afternoon crowds stood IN
the lObbieS of the gallery waiting for some
one TO come out and make room for one
more inside. Mr.. EdmundS can make
more powerful speech than any other man,
equally devoid OF the graceS OF oralory,
who is now, or has been for many years III
public life, and he never went beyond the
point he reached to-day. He has strong.
but not very pleasing voice, which seldom
changes from a conventional key and style.
He is very Ound-shOuldered, and he rarely
uses a gesture. His language is plain, his
words the common. everyday words OF the
street. the shop or the hreSide. His Illus
trationS and comparisons are few IN numOer
and homely. He is not an orator, but he
is the
MOST VIGOROUS TALKER
in the country. Almost every senator was
in his seat, and the sofas ana the chairs III
the rear OF the desks were hlIed with repre-
sentatlyeS or others enjoying the privilege
OF the senate floors. Senator Edmunds be-
gan at , o'clock and spoke for two and a
half hours, receiving from first to last the
closest attention from every one on the
senate floor and in the galleries. There is
putting thing and force in h way OF
expressing himself that much more graceful
speakers might well envy, and he made for
his side of the controversy the best argu-
ment that can be made. When Mr. Ed
munds spoke of Mr. Thurman as the best,
the greatest and the nObleSt Democrat IN
the country, there was a rumble OF applause
through the senate, which the president
pro TEN made no effort TO Subdue. Occa-
siOnally Mr.. EdmuddS
INDUCED IN SARCASM
at the expense OF the president or the mi
nority Of the judiciary committee, and this
was the more effective because SO seldom
used. He affected temporary inability 10
remember that famous phrase, ''lnocuous
desuctude," but managed TO recall it often
enough TO ring IN the changes on it and to
translate ''desuctude' into "disuse," for
the benefit of senators who were not accus-
toned 10 such sesquipedalian words. Mr..
Pugh rose to reply when Mr.. Edmunds
concluded but it was then 4:S0. and
Senator Harris suggested that the reply be
postponed until tomorrow, and this was
easily agreed to- There is the greatest in
terest to see how Mr.. Pugh will succeed in
his response. The Democrats can hardly
be said to have any men who are match for
Edmunds, ingalls, and perhaps one or two
others, but Pugh, Butler, Morgan and Vest,
If the latter gets well enough, will make a
very good showing for the administration.
IN MIR. EDMUNDs' OWN WORDS.
WASHINGTON, March 9.-The Edmunds
resolutions referring to the action OF AttOr-
ney General Garland in refusing to trans
init certain papers 10 the judiciary commit
tee came up in the senate to-day and SEN
ator Edmunds opened with an exhaustive
,JI A frar fropaVa1 rapnarlyS
cedentS and the functions of the executive
and legislative branches Of the government,
he came to the direct consideration of the
Duskn case, maintaining that the act of
the president did not remove Duskin, but
simply withheld from him the duties and
emOluments of the Office. Continuing he
said:
II is not for the president TO determine
what papers are relevant. That is discre-
tionary with the senate. l do not think the
WarmeSt administration man would say that
Il is any part of the duty of the president or
head of a department TO determine whether
official Information in the department, which
is required by either house OF congress, is to
be furnished or withheld according to the
opinion of the officer called on, and that it
would or would not be useful TO them in
their deliberations. The papers called for in
this case are papers filed in the department.
and the law makes the attorney general. and
u.
pers and requires him TO preserve them.
Every paper addressed to the officer eXercis-
ing the official function of suspension upon
that topic must be an official paper, no matter
HOW VILE OR FALSE
It may be. 1t does not belong to the man,
whether president or attorney general, but
TO the officer in his character as an officer.
The attorney general gave no hint that any
part of the papers called for were private or
unofficial or even confidential. Public papers,
official papers, were called for, and such
papers only were spoken of in the response.
But the papers were refused because they
would not only give the facts. but would en-
able US TO understand the reasons of the
president for exercising his official act.
Therefore, the proposition was that the SEN
ate, being called on in the exercise of its
jurisdiction to judge of official conduct of
Duskin, the president having already been
called on, within his jurisdiction TO pro-
nOunce a judgment on a similar question
about the same man, the senate could not
have the papers because, II they did, they
would disclose the grounds on which the
president acted. If that is not d proposition
which would stagger the credulity and amaze
the understanding of any intelligent man in
government of law or in government of
reason, / am quite unable to comprehend
what would be. All the operations of the
government are executive, and has it come
to this that because the president is the
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
ing as TO the facts and circumstances relating
TO the execution of the laws. because, if they
did they might be able 10 comprehend the
motives of the president in carrying out the
law. Why, such statement is shocking. yet
that is the logic of tins whole thing The
jurisdiction OF congress is infinitely broader
than that of the president. His is executive
mower. Congress made the laws and when
the constitution commands him to give con-
gress information on''the state of the Union"
ggal,o Il haf hoS
10 the universal power of knowledge Of the
two houses of congress in respect TO every
operation of the government and every one
of its officers. That is the estate of the
Union" The state of the Union is made up
of every drop in the bucket, of the execution
of every law and the performance of every
officer under the law. There is no one thing,
no one subject that represents the Estate of
the Uuion.' 1t is the condition of the gov
ernment and every part OF 1t, not only its
legislative parts-about which the president
could communicate no information without
impertinence, for the constitution has de-
clared that the two houses are to regulate
themselves-but he is to give to congress-
and is positively commanded to do so from
time to time information on the
STATE OF THE UNION,
and that IS because congress is entitled to
have it every time they call for it, And he
violates positive command OF the constitu-
tion when on o constitutional call in the regu-
lar way he omits to do it. That is the reason
why, since the beginning of the government
when either house is seeking for information,
supposing that there might be a question as
TO the propriety of an undue disclosure of
some confidential fact which they were en-
titled to know, had usually left to the presj-
dent TO send the information just then or not.
according to his judgment. And so main
tain that either house of congress has a right
TO know everything that is in the executive