The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1886-03-27

eminent should be exercised by the
men OF his own party the nation would
nave been content, and hereins was
founded the justification that the ma
lorlty of the Senate could use in de-
handing that no action should be taken
IN connection with these proposed re-
moyals from Office until there had been
satisfactory assurances that injustices
had. not been done. If it were under
stood that these removals were made
for political reasons. the country
would be content. The Republican
majority in the Senate would be
content. The President had declared
that there should be no changes in the
offices where the incumbents were COM
petent for political reasons. but they
should be allowed to serve their time.
Like Il o e that were grinding at the mill :,
one had been taken and another left.
Some Republicans had been suspended
and others retained. What was the ir-
reslstible inference of the logic of the
situation. in view of the Presi-
dents action, except that every
suspended man was suspended
for cause and not for political
reasons
Mr.. ingalls, alluded to the celebrated
| circular issued by the Postmaster.Gen-
eral which he characterized as the most
thoroughly degraded, detiled, execrable
and detestable public utterance" ever
made by any official. 1t was an invita-
ton, he said, to every libeller. every
anonymous slanderer and scurrilous
defamer, to pour sewerage into the
postotfice department. The Postmaster
Generals reply to the resolution of the
Senate, introduced by himself (lngalls),
showed that S,645 fourth class Post
masters had been removed in particu-
lar by an administration pledged to re-
move men only for cause. This was
twenty eight removals for every day in
the year, and counting seven hours to
days work, it was four removals an
hour and one for every fifteen minutes
for every working day for twelve
months. (Laughter.) sThat was nom
partisan civil service reform.
Mr.. Cockrell inquired how many
fourth-class postmasters there were in
the county.
Mr.. ingalls, did not know.
Mr.. Gockrell said there were $4,000,
and OF those only about 5000 had been
removed
"Well," said Mr.. ingalls,, "the admin
istration did the best it could; angels
could do no more" Laughter.)
He suggested that Mr.. Cockrell curb
his Impotence and impetuosity The
Postmaster-General would get there in
time. One for every fifteen minutes was
not so bad. "How many do you expect?"
This number. Mr.. ingalls, continued,
did not include the many who had
resigned or whose term had expired,
and this was in but one department.
How many in the other departments,
ii RI
Of Justice. lanshtor) was unknown,
therefore the friends of the administra-
ton sdould be consoled.
Mr. Logan said that the Senators had
Travelled far in the debate and discussed
many topics disconnected with the ques-
ton before the Senate. The only ques-
ton was whether the Acknowledgement
should furnish the papers relating to
the conduct of district attorney. This
government, said Mr.. Logan. is based
on the will of the people and the people
should have all the information that
they thought their representatives in
Congress should call for The President
calls these papers private" but the
moment he places the papers on the
files of the Department, they become,
by his own act, public papers. Could the
President mean that tomorrow he could
box those papers up and send them
to Buffalo? Or that he could at any
time hereafter take them away? Could
he leave them there for ten or fifteen
years and then make a demand of
government for them as private
papers? If that was an argument, it
was one that it was impossible to sup
Mr. Harrison followed in support of
the majority. The policy of the present
administration, he said, had been with
out precedent and would be without an
imitation. Secret charges have been
accumulated against the reputation of
men, and what was more, against the
reputation of women, and were acted on
in the dark. A proclamation of the
President has been that mere differences
of opinion were not to operate against
the men, but the feast was like the
feasts of the old story, to which men
were invited for the purpose of assassi-
nation.
Mr.. Edmunds, in closing the debate,
reviewed the whole question carefully
and commended that the two Houses of
Congress had the right to see the papers
affecting the business of the govern
ment. IF" said Mr.. Edmunds, "you
took out of this very presence at this
nOLneuI Tie influence OF Executive pat
ronage to be given to Senators and their
friends, there would not be five votes
in this chamber against any one or all
the resolutions propose by the Judiciary
committee.
The question was then on Mr.. Van
Wyck's amendment, providing that in
such cases of removals, the matter of
confirmation shall be considered in
open session of the Senate. Mr.. Van
Wyck made strong speech in advocacy
of its amendment.
Mr.. Logan said he would vote for the
but for the fact that it
was thought that it would encumbe-
the resolutions.
Mr.. Hoar raised the point that the
amendment was not in order, inasmuch |
as it changed the rules of the Senate,
and no notice been given of it.
The President pro tempOre sustained |
the point of order, and an appeal taken |
by Mr.. Butler was laid upon the table
yeas 81, nays %. This was strict party |
vote, except that Mr.. Van Wyck and |
Riddleberger voted with the Democrats. |
MIR. Harris having demanded a sep |
arate vote 1nOn the EdmupdS roeoiu