Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1886-01-21
EvADING sENATEINou1R1Es
Discussing The Senate's Righte-Omciqs
Who NAV tie UTNircct,lu

part OF Cabinet officers in replying tore.
quests for information concerning T.
movals and appointments. Senators Fl.
munds, Logan, Harrison, Mandcrso,.
Hale and Others expressed their views a
the subject, The discussion was not an.
mated, and there was no difference 4
opinion IS 90 what should be done. TN
statements sent out from here giving tn
public the impression that there is a con
test going on between the President and.
the Senate on this subject are Imaginative.
the Senate has not asked, and will not
ask the President his reasons for the re-
moval OF any person, Some of the Sena-
tors, however, have asked Cabinet officers
to transmit for the information of com
mlttceS any papers ON file concerning the
suspension of certain officials, such, for
instance, as the postmastcrs at Philadol-
phia and Albany, and The appointment Of
their successors. This is in accordance
with the practice heretofore and in az
cordancc with the rights Of the Senate as
maintained by both Democrats and Re-.
publicans, 50 far as known no absolute
refusal to comply with this request has
peo" made. But the matter was taken
"hd'r ad'lSvn'out by the Cabinet and as
Il result such letters rs The following from
the Interior Department have been re-
turned to the Senate:
SIR: | have the honor to acknowlcdre
receipt OF your communication calling
Tor information as to the reasons for the
suspension of Henry Ward and the an.
polntment of Morris A. Thomas as Lsdian
inspector. In response | have the Honor
To forward herewith the information in
my custody concerning the appointment
81 Morris y. Thomas. | have no in
formation as to the Presidents reasons
for the suspension of Mr.. Ward.
The papers thus transmitted relate
solely to the fitness of the appointees and
say nothing about the character or
qualifications of the officials displaced or
the charges made against them. Such a
reply leaves the Senate in possession of
no information that would enable it TO
Judge of the need of legislation to cor.
rect any abuse that may have led to the
removal Of al official, and does not per.
NIT OF the Senators ascertaining whether
or not the spirit or letter of the Civil
Service Act has been violated. The
Senators also object to these stereotvped
replies because they contain a false as.
SCrtiOn.
'Ihe reasons for the suspension or
removal Of officials have not been asked.
requests have been made for such in.
formation as is on file in each case. In
numerous instances officials have been
removed on charges supposed TO affect
lhelf integrity and the substance of which
have been published in the newspapers;
but they have had no opportunity to re.
ply. For instance, a judge was suspend.
cd IN Montana while sitting on the Bench,
and he had to adjourn the court and dis,
charge the jury. He was not permitted
to even know the reasons for this extra.
ordinary action. 1t of course was n
serious reflection on his character. and
unless he has opportunity to show the
pubic that it was done solely for politi.
cal reasons he will suffer a g~rievous in
Jury. The Senators maintain that they
have a right TO examine all papers ON file
III such cases, but this fair request they
are met with the practical refusal of the
cabinet officer to permit such an exgmin.
alton.
In many instances nj replies have been
made to requests for information. In
their caucus to-day the Senators said that
they did not see how the Cabinet could
nave reached any such conclusion as is
reported in the newspapers. 1t was
wholly inconsistent with the reform pre-
tentlons of the Administration and was
manifestly unjust to the officials removed.
II they were suspended for political rea-
sons then the Senators do not care an
parently to 30 further than to have that
TACT known in order to relieve the re-
moved officials from any unjust sus.
picionS.
Senator Edmunds maintained, as he
has always done, that the Senate has the
right to diIcct any Government officer ex-
cept the President to transmit for its in
formation any papers On file in a depart.
ment. In passing Il resolution for the
purpose of gaining information of that
character the Senate always directs" a
Cabinet officer to send the papers. If
only makes ~'reque'ts' of the President.
1t was agreed to-day that if the Cabinet
officers continued to refuse to give the
information, that resolution should be
passed directing them to do so. In that
position the Democratic Senators agree
with the Republicans as to the rights of
the Senate. If the Cabinet officers refuse
to comply with the objection" of the
senate, then a conflict of authority is in.
cvitablc.
There is no intention and never was on
the part Of the Senate to call upon the
President for his reasons for making re-
movaIS. But many Of the Senators are
determined that men who have served
their country h0norably in civil life, as
well as on battle fields, shall not be sub
jcctcd to injustice now by being sent into
private life with a pretcncc of charges
been made against them. Ii is
not Il question of Offices, but one of
and injustice, and it is a question
that would never have arisen had not the
President proclaimed over and over again
removals would not be made for
political reasons only.
Modes Of Procedure for Claimant Against
the L. T., ". a. G.. II. II.
The following decree in the case of the
Trust Company, of New York,
VS., the East Tennessee, Va. & Ga. Rail
road Company, was filed recently in the
United States court. 1t is ordered that
disputed claims without regard to
amount against the Receiver, arising out
Of his operation of the Respondents
railroad in the Eastern District of Ten.
nessee, shall be presented to the court by
intervening petition in this case, briefly
forth the facts, and in all cases
The D~ntitiCu shall ho recommended L..