The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-03-18
THE FORTY-NINTH CONGRESS-
The New Electoral-Count Bill Comes Up
and Is Passed in the Senate.
Continuation Of the Debate on the Edmunds
neutrality-suspicious. Between
Mr.. Beck and the Vermonter.


THE SENATE.
Passage of the Electoral-Count Bill-Bout
Between Book and Edmunds.
WAsHsNGToN March 1.-THE Chair laid be-
fore the Senate letter from the Secretary of
the Treasury, transmitting report Of Special
agent Spaulding in relation to the fraudulent
amportation of Chinese into the United States
Referred.
Mr.. Wilson, of Maryland, presented joint
resolution of the Legislature of that State, urg-
dng Congress to take steps to put the coast de-
2enses in an effective condition. Referred.
Mr.. Cullom moved to make the interstate
commerce bill special order for next Tuesday
week
Mr.. Plumb Directing. however, the matter
went over
Mr.. VanWyck offered the following resolutions:
Resolved, That the committee on public lands be
directed to examine the nature and extent of the al
legged and destruction of timber the public
lands adjoining the line of the Northern Pacific rail-
road, particularly the Montana Improvement Com
pany and what If any, additional legislation is
Bary to protect timber on the public domain; and
power 10 send for persons and papers is hereby
granted.
The resolution was agreed to.
The Chair laid before the Senate the new
electoral-count bill, and Mr.. Hoar addressed the
Senate on the bill.
AT the conclusion of Mr.. Hoar's remarks the
bill was passed without division.
Several messages from the President were
laid before the Senate, one Of them being un-
signed, but which was received" said President
pro tenn. Sherman, Sin due and official form.
The message, on the suggestion of the Chair.
and on motion Of Mr. Cockrell, was returned to
the President for signature. The Chair also
laid before the Senate letter from the Secretary
of War transmitting list of claims on file from
officers and enlisted men of the army for private
property destroyed in the service The papers
were ordered printed.
Mr.. Aoar gave notice that he would tomorrow
move to make the bankruptcy bill special order
for the Wednesday after next
The unfinished business, being the Edmunds
resolutions reported from the judiciary commit
tee, was then laid before the Senate. and Mr..
Dolph resumed the floor and continued his re-
marks in favor of the majority report of the
committee. Mr.. Doph reviewed the history of
the legislation OF Congress on the subject of re-
anovals, to show that the power did not lie ex-
clusively with the President. He also quoted
from speeches of Webster, Calhoun and other
statesmen In support of his position. He also
cited decisions of the Supreme Court. to show
that the power Of removal was incident to the
power Of appointment. Hence, Mr.. Dolph ar
gued, that as the President and Senate ap-
pointed, the President and Senate should re-
move. Mr.. Dolph had heard it said in this de-
bate that the Senate had entered on this contro
versy with the President for the purpose of
keeping Republicans In Office He, for one, dis
claimed any such motive. There was no desire
to raise any question with the administration
He did not believe there was Republican Sem
Ator in the chamber who was not willing to treat
tho President precisely as they would treat a
would go further. If the President would say
that there were charges against a
suspended officer, and if he furnished
these charges to the Senate and asked
the removal of the officer, Mr.. Dolph, for one
would consent to the suspension. provided the
pause were reasonable, even though it might not
have been sufficient cause of itself to warrant
removal. But 1t was different matter when
the President says to the Senate: II have re-
moved A. B.. and appointed G. ID. l will not
state what charges are made against A. B., and
will give him no opportunity to defend himself"
Mr.. Dolph characterized as most extraordinary
assumption the Presidents statement that the
papers on file in the departments were not Off
cal papers, but his private papers, which he could
destroy If he chose. 1t was strange that papers
on which official conduct was based, or which
were intended to influence official action could
be regarded as private papers-papers which had
placed ON the department files. The power of
the Senate conferred by the Constitution. was
not to be waived by that body. s8It was public
trust not to be abandoned. by the Senate at its
WILL
Mr. Coke followed. He contended that the
power of removal rested with the President
He must have power to remove incompetent
officials How could he carry out the policy an
nounced by the people in his election, without
agents in harmony with his purposesf How
sould he comply with the injunction to 'take
rare that the laws shall be faithfully executed
unless by securing men of his own selection TO exc
cute the lawsl The papers called for he main
tained to be private papers. Mr.. Coke contrast
I'd the course of the Senate, when Democratic,
with the course of the present Senate, saying
that the Democratic Senate had not attempted
10 embarrass the Republican administration.
Mr. Wilson, of Maryland, also opposed the re-
port Of the majority, He commented on the
fact that the oficeholder Duskin had made no
complaint, but that he assumed that he was sus-
pended for political purposes.
Mr. Beck did not wonder that Duskin was not
here for himself. Everybody knew. Mr.. Beck
said, that Duskin was nominated ia March, 1851,
and the Senate did not see fit to confirm him.
He was again appointed after the adjournment
of the session, and nominated at the October
term of the same year, and the Senator from
Vermont Mr.. Ednfdnds had not felt justified in
even reporting him to the Senate for contirma
tion.
DIR. Edmunds rose, as matterof duty, to q
question of order The Senator from Kentucky,
he said, was violating the duty of a Senator in
respect TO proceedings in executive session.
Mr. Beck denied this. The records and the
public papers, he said, showed three nominations
of DusEin, and it was because the Senator from
Vermont knew that he was unworthy that the
papers were asked for, because he expected to
entrap the department.
Dir Edmunds insisted that the Senator from
Kentucky was out of order, and asked the Chair
to decide the question.
The Chair was of the opinion that the Senator
from Kentucky could the distinction, and
would no doubt observe the rules of order
Mr.. Beck said he would do 80. He would not
speak OF anything that occurred in executive ses-
sion; but repeated his statement as to what the
record and the public papers would show-that
the Senator from Vermont did not see fit to act
on the nomination.
Mr. Edmunds again insisted that the Senator
YVES ont of order. and asked the Chair To anfnrna