National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-03-10

But was the statute in dsuse9 The com |
mittee on the judiciary, from the time OF |
the passage Of the act and he might state |
also for all time before, as he had learned by |
the examination Of old papers in the secre. |
tary's office, had been In the habit In respect |
TO appointments Of calling upon the Attor- |
ney General for all the information that he |
had, and, when IL came TO the law respect |
ing removals as well as appointments, OF
calling for everything regarding the pro-
posed suspension, and from the day Gen.
Grant came in down to the present time the
committee had had regular practice, that
II had pursued without exception, Of never
acting upon q removal (unless some mem
Der had personal knowledge which made
the call Unnecessary without calling upon
the Attorney General for all the information
I'm his possession. No new practice had been
established, no change had taken place on
the incoming Of this administration.
The minority Of the committee said that
no such spectacle as the judiciary commit.
tee was now presenting to an astonished
world and an astonished and injured Presi-
dent and Attorney General had been pre-
scented In the Democratic times. "Let us
sce,n said Mr.. Edmunds. ION the 4th OF
March, 1879, the Democrats had majority
Of this body. Their committee on the
judiciary was Mr.. Thurman (chairman),
Mr.. Mcdonald, Of Indiana; Mr. Bayard, of
Garland, OF Arkansas lpresent Attorney
GeneraD; Mr.. Lamar, Of Mississippi present
Secretary Of INTERIOR; Judge Davis, OF llli-
nois, and Messrs. Edmunds, Conkling, and
Carpenter" Referring to the committees
letter book, Mr.. Edmunds said; 81 do not
know but that II is private and CONFIDENTIAL
but / will take the liberty Of reading II
[laughterl, even If It gets to the ears of the
Attorney General and the President Of the
United States.o
Mr.. Edmunds then read copy of letter
from Mr.. Thurman, as chairman of the com
mittee, to the Attorney General, dated March
"a, 1870, calling for "such information as
may be In the possession OF yourdepartment
concerning the following nominations, to-
gether with any suggestion you may be
pleased to note.n "On the 18th of April,n
continued Mr.. Edmunds, "there came in
horse OF different color-the same kind of
an animal that we have here now. VI Laugh
teri Accordingly on that day this letter
was written TO the Attorney General:
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF THE. UNITED
STAIEs-Sir; Under thG direction Of the H.,
honor to request that you will communicate
to the committee any papers or information IN
| your possession touching the question OF the
| propriCty of the r,mOrM emphasis by Mr. Ed
| munds) of Michael Shaiier, chief justice of the
| supreme court of the territory of Utah, and the
appointment Of David i. Corbin to the Office.
ALLEN q. THURMAN, Chairman.
Alas for the Democracy Of those days.
| Laughter. Think, Mr.. President, Of the
| infinite idiocy, the unpatriotism, the usurpa-
| ton Of that number OF five senators OF the
| United States Of the Democratic party as
sailing Republican Attorney General and
n Republican President with the insulting
and impertinent inquiry as to papers and
information touching suspended officer
| whose successor was nominated to accom-
plish his removal. And yet those men were,
In their day-in those times-among the
headlights Of the Democratic locomotive.
| Laughter There was Thurman-his light
Is put out renewed laughterl-the greatest
Democrat In the United States Applause in
blest one and the bravest one-for he had the
courage not long ago In your state, sir, to
denounCe the Democratic frauds at the bal
lot There was Thurman, and there was
"Joe" McDonald-a name familiar in the
west as in the east as the embodiment OF up.
right Democratic pluck and constitutional
law; and there was Garland, whom we all
knew here, the leader on the Democratic
side Of the Senate, full and running over
with constitutional and statute andreported
law, knowing his rights rs q senator and as
q member Of the committee and knowing
his duties; and Lamar and then all the rest
OF us on this side, joining in what the
| present President oil the United states calls
an impertinent innovation of his rights II
asking for papers. Mr.. President, If Iwert
going to be rhetorical / should say JUS
there, ooh, Shame, where is thy blush ~
But that was not the only instance Mr.
Edmunds said. The same chairman OF
many occasions had called for that sam
class Of information and got 1t.
In conclusion, 1t did not seem to Mr.. Ed
} munds that the Senate could fail to get tn
| papers on the ground that tile statute o.
, the subject had become obsolete, or gon
into state Of "innocuous desuetude.
Laughter.
The President himself had sent to tn
Senate Gi3 instances of obedience to tina
law--643 nominations made under it-ant
Mr.. Edmunds therefore took it that the Law
was still in force.
Mr.. Pugh rose to reply to Mr.. Edmunds
Mr.. Harris inquired whether he (Mr
Pugh) would not find II more convenient Il
speak tomorrow than at this late hour.
Mr.. Pugh said he was ready to reply now
but If he commenced he would keep tn
Senate later than its customary hour TO
adjournment
Mr.. Harris then moved an executive SEES
/ sion, and the motion being agreed to, tn
Senate at 4;27 p. m. went into executiv
, session.
About o'clock the doors were reopene,
and the Senate adjourned.