The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1886-03-11
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
fhN President Sends a Message to The
Senate Respecting the Question Of
Access to Papsrs
Hearing on Nominations aud hcmoyais-
Ito hrfuses to rGinisl, the Desired
Information neeaa-o It'i.
Confidential. WI

,Hnd, IN his message 90 tho Senate yesterday
respecting the ducaiioiiof access to papers
bearing ON nominations takes the ground
thai the papers regarding suspensions are
not oiic III ana saws for thays reason he has
refused 20 farm iii the desired Information.
Against the transmission Of. such papers
mud documents, the President SAYS, u hAyo
intcrposed my advice and direction. This
has not been done, NJ a. kugResrod In the
committee report report OF kruate .udici.
nry ~ the Duslln oasri uuon the sssump.
uon on my pari that the Attorney Gpnoral ~
HnV other head OF department. the servant
Ot the President and u 10 give or withhold
copies Of Atiocuinouis w his otllce according
To tho VIII Of the ENo0utivc and nor othor'
wise hut because regard tho papers and
documents 4thhcd aud addressed 20 me, or
Intended for fhr use aud nCtiun. purely uu.
onDr'0 nbd private, not iufrcqucntly comb
duni ~, Rnd having reference 10 tho perform.
aucc Of "A duty exclusively mine I cons der
them IN no proper sonso M upon the dies 0f
the department. but aa dopnsitrd there for
my convenience, remaining still completely
under my cquirnl. ] suppose y dcs,fe1 to
take them into my custody M sht do 40
win entire propr ptr, and u saw NJ 10 de-
strny thcin no one could complain"
''Hvun the committee ia ~ report, = the
President saNs. appears TO ronccde that
there may hn with the President, or IA tho
departments papers rnd Documents which,
IN HcCOunt Of the T nnouc nj character arc
grpss reference IN tho report 10 Instances
whore the Hnlisc of Representatives ought
MOTIF succeed ~ nrall Tor tho product on OF
rHpors. Is Immediately followed hy this STATE
rntnt Tho committee feels author lod 10
state. after { somewhat careful research.
that Within the foregoing Limits there ls
tcRrcely ia the history Of this Government,
.unt nov. any Instance Of n refusal b. a
brad OF Rdeparimrnt. or even ~ the pres.
dent himself - cnmfEnn cate nfnC nj facts
and Information A. stnTu'shcd from pri.
Naie and uuoitclai papers. mpiions, views,
reasons and opinions 70 either hOuse Of Con.
gruss whom unrondt onally demanded "
d. To which " the classes thus rc ognzcd do
the papers aud dprnpcuts belong that urc
nov the oh ects of the SeuHtc's quest They
consist ~ letters aud representations id
dressed 10 tho Executive Or Intended for h. :
Inspection they aru yoluntnr y written and
presented ty private citizens who are not In
the least inst gated thereto by ant ollie Hl IN.
vitaiion or NJ all subject t0 ofiic'hl control.
wh le some OF thcm are entitled la Rrecil.
tive consideration. many otthcm aro 80 itrcl'
evant, or IN the light OF other facts so
worthless tifat they have not been Elvou tho
least weight In determining the question 10
which they arc supposed 10 relate
Are alt those, simply because they are pre-.
served, to be considered oficiM ddcumCnts
Rnd subject u the inspect on Of the Senntei
II mol who u 20 determine which bo'ung 10
This ciassf Are the motives Bud purposes Qt
the Senate. ~ they nrn dHy nv dRY developed,
such " would be- satisfied with INV select ont
Am TO submit 60 theirs 81 the risk oi being
charged with making a suspension from
onicc upon evidence whieh4 was not even
cousdcredS Are those papers 60 ho regarded
unic nj because thoy have not only hoen pre-
sen'ed bur preserved IN the public onices3
Thor mature and character remain the
same whether thcy are Kent m the ENceut vo
Mansion or deposited IA tho departments.
There IA no mVstcr Gus POW er OF transnnin.
tiOn n departmental CUSTODY, nor " there
mnFlc in The undeined md sncrcl sdlomnlty
~ department hlcs. II the presence ot these
phpcfH IN ihp puhllc Offices ~ n stumbling
block In tho way Of the performance OF SEN
Atnriai duty. IL can ho easily. removed
Tho papers and documents which have
huun described derive no otiicial character
from anN constltut pnal statutory or other
requirements mAk ne them necessary 20 the
performance OF the oiholnl duty OF the ES-
oCutivc.
II will not be denied. suppose, that tho
Pres dent may suspend n public officer m
the entire absence OF hnv papers or docu.
monts to ald II Official Judgment and disrrc,
ton And am prepared to avow that tho
Cnsoa are moi Few In VIII ch suspensions from
ufiue have depended more upon Oral rcprc-
soutntons made to me by citizens. OF known
good rrpnto. and by members OF the House
vi Representative and Senators OF tho
United states. than upon any letters and
documents presented for nv eNHnlnat on.
I have not feit iust ned IN suspect ~ the
tors. or Ignoring their representations he
cause they were not in party HiflintiQn with
the majority Of the r associatcs; and recall
~
OF Individual mcmbers Identified poliuoally
with the majority In the Senate
while, therefore. am coustrh nod TO DENY
tho Rht Of the Senate TO tho papers and
documents described so farRs the right 10
the same Il based upon the claim that they
are in any yicw OF the subject ONO al am
also led unequivocally TO dispute the right oi
the senate by the aid OF any documents
whatever. or In amy way save through jud
oial process OF trial on Impeachment, 70 re
, Wow or rev sc the act OF the ENecuhNc IN
the suspension. dur ng the recess OF the Sen
ate. OF Federal officials.
believe the power to reinovo or suspend
such officials is vested In the President alone
by the Constitution which In express terms
prov des that ihe executive power shhll o,
vested IN n President OF tho United States ol
Amnrlca'; nnd thm he shall t,ke care that
Nh laws are fnithfuHS executed
II think II viii bc found, the President
continues that n the subsequent discus
sons OF this question there was generally
n not Mt ail mes, n proposition pending 70
In some way ourtal this powcrot the Presl
dent bY leRislnt on. which furnishes evf
dence that 10 lin { such power u was sup
posed TO be necessary 20 supplement 'ht
constitution by such legislation.
Tho first enactment OF this descr pfion was
passed undora stress of pnrilsnnHhlp hnu
political bitterness which Illuminated In Tho
Presidents impeachment This law provided
that the Federal officers to which y apn,e ed
could only bc suspcnded during inc recess
OF the Senate when shown ny evlu,snee s snels ~
-
conduct In Office. or crime, or when lh
cnpahle or disqualified to perform thcll
duties. and that within twenty DAYS atter tht
next meeting OF the Senate II should be th'
duty OF the Pres dent TO report 70 tht
Senate such suspension. with the cvl1onc'
and reasons for his action IN the case
This statute. passed N 1871. when congress
was overwhom ngly md bitterly opposeu
politically. TO the Pres dent. may be regarded
as nm ind icntion that even then II wa
thought necessary by n Congress determinet
inon the suhtugntlon of the Executive u
legislative win TO furnish Itself . law 10
that purpose. instead of attempting TO rcacl
the object intended hy an invocation oil an.
pretended constitutional ght,
The law which thus found It's way 10 on
statute book was plain IN ite terms, ana u
intent needed no nvowal If valid ana nov
in operat on. II would Justify the presen
course Of tho Senate and command tne ops
dcnce of the Executive ~ lis demnnos !
NAV. however. he remarked In passing tna'
under this law. the Pres dent had tho prv
II ge of presenting to the body whlch a.
suined 10 review his executive acts ms let
sons therefor instead of being exclude
from explanation or judged By papers foun
intho departments.
Two years after tho law OF 1877 was passe'
and In less than five wooks efter tne lnnt
Furat ron of President in poht cal accor
With both branches OF Congress, the section
Of the act regulating suspensions from ounc w.