Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1886-03-24

t political parties can only be managed gu
. cesstully upon the principle, that where Ii
. party in power have the right to remoy
those who are opposed to them in primo
pie, and to place in power those who al
equally good and honest but agre
with them in political principles, tbs
J power shall be exercised. l think tina
other things being equal, it is right I
: make such changes. 1 believe that it
/ proper that the Executive of this natio
; should have his subordinate officers i
: harmony with himself in political opinion
Not only his Cabinet, but those in respoI
sibls positions. other things being equa
should be men who agree with him in hi
general line of policy"
Then speaking of the act of 1867 psrticr
J ly, Of which he was seeking to aid the re
peal, he says:
ut makes the President o common in
former. That is the character in which i
places him, that Of a common iniormer t
i-form the Senate in regard to the delin
quencies, the inethc;ency, or the corrup
ton Of an officer, and the Senate is then :,
proceed to the trial. 1t puts him in 20
sition that is not honorable to his higl
character, and one in which be should
never be placed"
Idesire to read simply in passing th,
following observations of Mr.. Morton also
Therefore, sir, all these constitutions
arguments denying to the President che
power Of removal and insisting that thai
power ID vested by the Constitution in the
Senate and President Jointly, are of no
more importance than q mere display Of
Chinese fireworks in the presence Of a real
battle"
Now / desire to read few extracts from
sPEECH MADE BY Mr.. SHERMAN,
of Ohio, who was in Congress in 1867,
when that act was passed, and also in
Congress in 1869, when the act Of 1867
was modified Speaking OF the PROPOSE.
ton TO suspend the act Of 1867, Mr.. Sher
man said:
why, sir, if it ought TO be suspended
for one year it ought to be repealed. II
there is any object whatever for this Law to
accomplish it ought to exist during the
next recess of the Senate. The whole
power is to be transferred to General
Grant for one year. He may remove any
one for any cause whatever; and then,
after everybody that is in is turned out,
the doors must be shut on all future
Presidents all future administrations
Is that what the Judiciary Committee
mean? Suppose that at the end of four
years the people of the United States, the
common masters of Us all should change
their mind, aud General Grants admins
tration should not NEE, their approval,
and some other administration should come
in, would you then deny to the new admin.
isration power which you concede to
General Grant for one year? Why, cir, the
public voice and the public judgment would
denounce that as partisan Legislation, and
all the power, all the authority Of the great
Republican party could not defend and
maintain such doctrine"
That is precisely the doctrine
WHICH TIE SENATOR HIMSELF Is UNDER.
TAKING TO DEFEND.
The Senator from Ohio raid farther:
IF this act ia repealed removals may be
made without the consent OF the Senate,
and the only question the Senate will act
upon in that case will be the question Of
the confirmation Of the new sppointee."
Speaking OF the act which was in force
at that time, and OF the necessity that the
Senator should furnish personal intorms
ton touching removals and appointments,
the Senator from OHIO said:
But if you ask me whether the incum.
bent Is guilty or not guilty under the ten
ure ofofice act can not answer without
a knowledge of details only known to ex-
ecutive officers charged with public trusts
They are the proper persons to Judge OF re-
movals and the cause OF removals.; we are
the proper persons to Judge of the standing
and character Ct persons appointed to
office"
Speaking Of the enforcement OF the
teuure-ofofice act the Senator from Ohio
said:
Now, in my Judgment it can not, with
due regard 10 the public interests, be pIac-
ticalled enforced What has been our ex
perience within two years in the revenue
service2 After We adjourned two years
ago many csses of fraud arose in that ser
vice. What was the result2 When we
came back here we were net with piles OF
documents which the President Of the
United States sent to us; various papers
showing that certsin officers OF the Govern
ment had performed acts which in his
Judgment amounted to misdemeanor,
crime, etc, and for which they were sus-
pended. He gave rs specific facts end
evidence These CAGES we're referred to the
appropriate committees. What we're we
called upon to examiner We had to take
up and carefully read piles Of papers and
examine each particular case, like chan.
celor or a Judge Of sssizn Every sus.
pended officer commended that be was the
most innocent man born since the time OF
Adam
AND THEY 10 VT
de demanded tribl aud copies of charges
and proof and formal hearing before the
com mittees Of this body, he converting US
into a court and Jury to try his particular
case. If we would not try him why de-
mand charges aud evidence? II the ten.
ure-oEoffice act was right in principle we
were bound TO examine each case to see
whether or not the accused officer was &C
cording to the language Of the Jaw, guilty
of misconduct in office or crime, or had
become incapable or legally disqualified.
The result was that some of the commit
tees of this body could not transact their
business"
That is precisely the attitude in which
we are sought TO be placed now:
These cases we're referred, and after
great delay were reported UPON. 10 one
H. onopa.l NOS tria1 nOvipted and