The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-03-19
THE FORTY-NINTH CONGRESS-
Continuation of the Debate Concerning
the Senate's Rights as to Papers.
Mr.. Brown Supports the Position Assumed
by the President, and Mr. Spooner Argues
in Favor Of the Republicans.


/ THE SENATE.
Mr.. Brown Argues In Favor OF the Presi-
/ dent, and Mr.. Spooner in Opposition.
| WASHINGTON March I8-The Chair laid be-
fore the Senate q concurrent resolution Of the
Legislature of Virginia protesting against the
proposition to place foreign ores on the free list
Referred.
Mr. Cullum called up his motion of yesterday
to make the interstate commerce bill special
order for March 30
| Mr. Platt would not object to the motion, but
thought the Senate should take up the bill for
admission of Washington Territory when the
present unfinished business should have teen
disposed of.
| Mr. Cullom's motion was agreed to.
| Mr. Hoar called up hts motion of yesterday, to
make the bankruptcy bill a special ordar for
March 81, saying, however, that he did not ex
pect to antagonize the interstate commerce bill.
| MIR. Hoar's motion was agreed to-yeas SO,
| nays Ia
| Mr.. Allison called ur the urgent deficiency
BILL and the Senate concurred with the House of
| Representatives that some Of the items making
| up the sum expended for the obsequies of Gen.
Grant were not properly of the urgent de6cen-
| cy" character. The remaining Senate items were
| also insisted upon
| On motion of Mr.. Dolph, the Senate took up
and passed bill to grant to the Astoria & Win
nemuca Railroad Company the right to construct
bridges over navigable water-courses
The Senate passed a bill to authorize the Bell
ingham Bay Railway and Navigation Company
ington.
The Senate also passed, without debate, the
bill providing for commission of five persons to
investigate the alcoholic liquor traffic, its rela
tons to revenue and taxation, and its general
economic, criminal, moral and scientific aspects.
The Senate also passed the bill providing for
the study in the schools of the Territories and
the District of Columbia of the nature of alco-
holic stmulants and narcotics.
The Senate passed bill to remove the charge
of desertion from the records of the Adjutant-
general of the army against soldiers who re-en-
listed in the late war without having received
discharge from their first regiments, provided
the Secretary of War shall be satisfied that the
re- enlistment was not to secure bounty.
Mr.. Logan called up his bill ito increase the
efficiency Of the army 1t was amended aud
ordered reprinted.
At o'clock the unfinished bushes was placed
before the Senate being the resolutions report
| ed by Mr. Edmunds. from the judiciary commit
tee, expressing the Senate's condemnation of the
Attorney general for refusing to furnish papers
called for by the Senate.
resolutions, as follows: "And in all such of
removal the matter Of confirmation shall be
| considered in open session of the Senate"
Mr.. Sewell, occupying the chair, remarked:
| 'The amendment will be printed and lie over"
[ Mr.. Brown then took the floor in opposition to
| the report of the majority of the committee.
| He said it seemed to him that there was but
single question at issue between the President
| and the majority Of the Senate That question
was, had the President, without the advice and
consent of the Senate, the power to remove
| federal officer when, in his opinion the public
| interests required such removals Mr.. Brown
argued at some length to show that the Constitu-
| ton conferred the power of removal on the
| President alone, and that as the Constitution
| was the supreme law, that settled the question,
| 40 matter how many acts OF Congress might
have been passed in violation of it, He read
| from the Constitution and from speeches of dis
tipguished men, and cited opinions Of the Su-
preme Court in support Of his position. The
Senate, he said, had no more right to demand
| of the Presidentthe evidence on which he acted,
| Or the reasons for his action, than 1t
had to demand of the Supreme Court the
| reasons for its decisions, to demand of
| the House Of Representatives its reasons for
passing particular bill It had more power
over the subject than had the President to ask
the Senate for its reasons for rejecting nomins
| ton. The attempt was naked, bald usurpation
on the part Of the Senate Mr. Brown main
tanned that the tenure-of-of6ce law, which he
termed IAN absurd law, was palpable violation
of the Constitution. 1t attempted, without
thority, to limit the legitimate power which the
Constitution conferred on the President in max
| ing removals from Office In conclusion, Mr.
Brown said: The people of this country consti-
tute the high court OF appeals and it is the judg-
ment of that high court not that the President
has used the power Of removal, but that he has
failed to nse it with sufficient energy. there
is any charge against him in the popular mind it
| is not the charge of commission, but the charge
Of omission-not that he has made mistakes In
Ns.,k~,. aIe
doubtless he has made somel, but that his mis-
take has been that he omitted to use the power
in sufficient force When the people of the
United States called him to the high and respon-
sible position he now fills, and placed in his hands,
as great trust, the executive power of this gov
eminent, they expected, in carrying out his
policy that he would put in Office and retain in
Office as his assistants persons OF ability and
integrity, who concur in his policy and ar
ready to render important and faithful service
in carrying it into execution. It was not the in
tention of the people that all the executive
offices Of the government should be filled with
political spies schenning how they could soonest
overthrow the administration, and sympathizing
with those who, from the outside, make war upon
/ the President and his friends who are attempt
ing to sustain his policy, which is intended to
advance the best interests Of the country. Let
the President exercise the power conferred upon
him by the Constitution, and remove from Office
those who are not in accord with his adminstra-
ton, and get ready to do faithful service in aid
ing to carry out his policies. and fill their places
| with honest, capable men who are the friends of
| the administration, and the universal acclama-
| ton of the Democracy and the honest masses of
the people Of his country, will be "well done,
| good and faithful servant" The people-the
| high court of appeals-to whom alone the Pres
| ident is responsible for the manner in which he
exercises his discretion in the matter of removals
| from Office, will order nonsuit in the great
case of George Edmunds & Co., Republican man
ayers of the Senate, vs. Grover Cleveland, Pres
| ident of the United States.
| Mr.. Spooner took the floor In support of the
majority report. He said he would make no
attempt to disguise the fact apologize for it,
| that the fortunes of the Republican party were
| very dear to him. He would not attempt to
deny that he wished that the party might, here
! and elsewhere, reap every fair party advantage
which might be taken from the plumbers and
shortcomings, il any such plumbers and short
comings there were, of this administration. "But