River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1886-03-04

gress was overwhelmingly and bitterly opposed
to the president. may be regarded as an indlca-
ton that even then Il was thought necessary by
congress determined upon the subjueaiion OF
the executive 10 eglslate AZ will 10 furnish itself
a law for that purpose instead OF attempting TO
reach the object intended by an invocation OF
any pretended constitutional right. The law
which thus fOund it, way 20 our statute book
was plain IN its terms and its intent needed no
syowal IL valid aud now IN operation, 1t would
Justify the present course Of the senate, aud
command the obedience Of the executive to its
demand. IL may. however, be remarked in pass-
ing, that, under this law the president had the
privilege OF presenting To the body which as
sumed 70 review his eNt cative acts bis reasons
therefor, instead Of b,iug excluded from explain
alton OF by papers found in the departments.
Two years after the law Of 1867 passed, aud
within less than five weeks after the iuas gura-
ton OF president Ia political accord with both
branches OF congress, tue sections OF the act
regulating suspensions from Office during the re-
cess 81 the senate were entirely repealed. and
in their place were substituted provisions which,
instead Of limi ing the causes Of suspensions TO
misconduct. crime, disability amt disqualified
tion, expressly permitted such suspension by the
the president ''in his discretion" and complete
ly aband jned the requirements obliging him 10
report e. the senate "the evidence aud reasons
for his action. With these notifications, and
with al branches Of the government in political
harmony. and in the absence OF partisan incen-
tive TO captious obstruction, the law as Il was
left by the amendment 81 1869 was much less de-
structiye To executive discretion; ana yet the
great general and patriotic citizen who, on the
4th day Of March 1869 assumed the dnties Of
chief executive, aud for whose freer administra-
ton Of his high office the most hateful restraints
Of the law of iS67 were, on the 5th day OF April,
1869, removed, mindful Of his obligation to de-
fend and protect every prerogative OF his great
trust and aPprehensive OF
THE INJURY THREATENED
the public service in the continued operation OF
these statutes, even in their modified form, in
bis first message to congress advised their re-
peal and set forth their unconstitutional charac-
ter and hartful tendencies. / sm unable to
state whether or not this recommendation for q
peal OF these laws has been since repeated.
u il has not, the reason can probably be found
in the experience which demonstrated the fact
that the necessities of the political situation but
rarely developed their vicious character; and so
il happens that after an existence OF nearly
twenty years Of almost innocuous desuetude,
these laws are brought forth, apparently the re-
pealed as well as the unrepenled and then put
in the way OF an executive who is willing, il per
mitted, TO attempt an improvement in the meth
DDS OF administration. The constitutlouality Of
these laws is by no means admitted. But why
should the provisions OF the repealed law, which
required specific cause for suspension and re-
port To the senate OF ''evdence and reason" be
now in effect applied to the present executive,
instead OF the law afterward passed and uHre-
pealed, which distinctly permits suspensions by
the president ''in hs discretion aud carefrlly
umits the requirement that "cyideuce and rca-
,ons for his action IN the case" shah be reported
10 the senator The requests and demands
which by the score have for nearly three months
been presented TO the different departments OF
the government, whatever may be their form,
have but one complexion. They assume the
right OF the senate to cit in judgment upon the
exercise Of my exclusive discretion ana the exc
cutiye function, for which am solely response
bic TO the people, from whom awe so lately
received the sacred trust OF office. My oath 10
support and defend the constitution, nv duty to
the people, who have chosen me TO execute The
powers o. ii great office and not to relinquizh
them, and my duty to the chief magistracy,
which must preserve unimpaired In all its dig
nifty aud vigor. compel me TO refuse 20 comply
with these demands. To the end that the ser
vice may he improved, the senate is invited to
the fullest scrutiny Of the persons submitted to
them for public office, in recognition Of the con
stitutional power Of that body 10 advise and COL
sent to their appointment.
WILL CONTINUE,
as have thus far DONE to furnish at the re-
quest Of the confirming body, all the informA-
ton possess touching the fitness Of the nom
inees placed before them for their action, both
when they are proposed TO Ill vacancies and
to take the place Of suspended officials Up
on a refusal to confirm, l shall not assume the
right 10 ask the reaso1s for the action Of the
senate nor question its determination. | can
not think that anything more il required to
secure worthy iHcumbents in public office than
a careful and independent discharge Of our
respective duties within their well-defned linz
it,. Though the propriety Of suspensions
night be better assured II the action Of the
resident was subject to review by the SEN
ate. yet II the constitute N and the laws have
placed this responsibility on the executive
branch OF the government II should not be
disturbed. nor the discretion which il involved
reliuquished. It has been claimed that. the
present executive having pledged himself not
to r, move officials except for canse. the fact
Of the suspension implies such misconduct on
the part OF the suspended officer as Injuries
his character and reputation. and therefore the
senate should review the case for his vindCa-
ZION. / have said that certain officials should
not, in my opinion, be removed during the
continuance Of the term for which they we're
appointed solely for the purpose Of putting In
their places those In political afillation with
Ia, appointing power, and this declaration was
Immediately followed by description Of ohi-
cial partisanship which ought not to entitle
those in whom it exhibited 10 considera-
tion. 1t il not apuareAt, however whether the
course thus announced carries with il the con-
sequences described. II in any 'egree the Sug
gestion is worthy OF considerably it is to be
hoped that there may be defense un-
just suspension in The justice Of the executive.
THE PLEDGE WHICH / HAVE MADE,
by which / have paced a limitation upon my
exercise Of executive power, has been faith
fully redeemed. or course the pretense is not
put forth that no mistakes have been commit
ted, but not a suspension has been made ex-
cen. it appeared to my satisfaction that the
gublc welfare would be improved thereby.
Many applications for suspensions have been
denied, and the adherence to the rule laid down
TO govern my action to sueh suspensions
has caused much irritation and irlpatience on
the part OF those who have insisted upon more
changes in the Offices. The pledges have
made were made to the people, and to them |
am responsible for the manner in which they
have been redeemed am not responsible 10
the senate ard I am unwilling 10 submit my
actions and official conduct 70 them for ludg-
meut. There are no grounds Tor an allegation
that the fear Of being found false 90 my pro-
fessions Influences me in declining to submit 10
the demands OF the senate. ! have not con-
-tantly refused 10 suspend officials ana thus
incurred the dIspcasure OF political friends,
and have not yet wilfully broken faith Win the
people for the sake of eng false TO them
Neither the disc, ntent OF party friends nor
The allurements constantly offered Of confirm
atoms OF appointments conditioned upon the
avowal that suspensions have been made on
party grounds alone, nor the threat proposed
"
no confirmation viii be made unless the de-
mands Of that body be complied with, are suf-
dcient to discourage OF deter me from follow
ine in the way which ! am convinced leads 10
uetter government for the people
GROVER CLEVELAND.
Executive Mansion Washington, d. C., March
/, 1856.
When the message had been read
Senator Harris of Tennessee moved that
ID lie on the table and be ordered print
ed. Senator Edmunds Of Vermont
with considerable excitement objected
to this and said:
It reminded him Of the communications
OF King Charles The First to parliament,
and that the president unintentionaIiy, no
doubt. had entirely misstated the question
involved by himself and the senate. !
think | am safe in saying that II Is the first
time in the history of the republic that
any president Of the United states has
undertaken 20 interfere with the delIbera-
tiOus Of either house of congress or ques-
tons pending before them otherwise than
by message on the state OF the Union,
which the constitution commands him 70
make from time TO time. This message IS
devoted solely to a question for the senate
itself, in regard to itself, that 1t has under
COZ Iteration. Ii is a slngulaf1ty l
think it will strike reflective people IN TINS
country as somewhat extraordinary, II.
in these days of reform any thing at al
can be thought extraordinary The
senate OF the United States, in its com
munications to the heads of departments,
not his heads of departments but
the heads of departments created
by law, directed them TO transmit certain
official papers, aud that is all. he presi-