The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1886-03-18
WASHINGTON.
REMARKS OF MIR. MAXEY IN
TIE SENATE ON THAT
BODY'S ASSUMPTIONS.
BLAND AND THE SILVER BILL
REAGAN AND HIS PET
MEASURE.
SENATE.

SENATE.
WASHINGTON, March 16-The chair laid before
the senate letter from the secretary of the navy,
transmitting information, copies of drawings and
reports of the recent survey of the Nicaraguan
route, made by Civil Engineer \. C.. Mevecal, OF
the navy. Referred
Also, letter from the secretary of the interior,
transmitting information in relation to land grants
At o'clock Mr. Cuum took the floor to speak
upon the Edmunds resolution, but gave way to
Mr.. Morrill,, who then addressed the senate upon
the resolutions,
On motion of Mr.. VanWyCk house bill increas-
ing the pension of soldiers widows was then taken
up, and an amendment agreed to providing that
adjutants general of states p.ay he recognized as
presenting claimants applications under the bill
when the laws of states require those officers to do
so, without expense to the claimants of the gov
ernment
Mr.. ingalls,, in order, he said, to avoid delay in
the passage of the bill as it came from the house,
moved to disagree with the amendments made in
committee. This motion was disagree to.
Mr. ingalls, then said, as the bill had to 90 back
to the house for acti on the senate
amendments, it might as well be amended with
such further provisions as were germaine to It, lie
therefore offered as amendment the provisions of
his Arrears pension bill.
Mr. Butler moved the amending of all amend
ments by adding the substance of the Mexican pen
| sion bill After debate by Messrs Butler, Logan,
ockrell, Ingalls, and jackson, fear became gener-
al that the widows increase of pensions would be
postponed by sending the bill to the house with 80
| many amendments JndUlI WOlllu Involve ueUdte.
A motion was made by Mr.. Wilson to reconsider
the senate's acticn amending the bill This motion
was agree to. All amendments were then dis
agreed to, and the bill passed as 1t came from the
house. 1t now needs only the presidents sigma
| ture to become Law. 1t increases the pensions Of
widows from IS to Sl2 month.
| His remarks were very brief and when he con-
cluded Mr.. Culom took the floor and made long
| sleech.
Mr. Maxey followed Mr.. Cullom. lie approved
the resolutions reported from the majority of the
ne ha
was one of grave importance. The Dustin case had
been merely seized on az an occasion to raise the
issue with the president as to the point involved.
Mr. MaXey inquired where the senate fou.d author
ity to condemn the heads of departments under the
circumstances of the case W&o, 50 well as that
officer, could know the facts of the case; who so
well as that officer, could know the facts on which
his action rested! Referring to Mr.. Edmunds'
hkening of the presidents recent message to com
municaton of King harles l. Mr., Maxey said the
similitude did not exist The fatal imbecility that
brought the king to the block by the semblance of
a court, a court organized to convict could not be
found in the case. He who would attempt to play
the role of Cromwell here would find that this was
not the country for it, The Cromwell had not yet
been born who, in the name of the senate, could
grasp the constitutional powers vested in the ex
ecutive of this republic. However much the issue
might be disguised, he said, the real object was to
ascertain the presidents reason for the suspension
or removals of officers. IL was an attempt to dc
indirectly that which confessedly could not be done
directly. The report of the majority committee
: digniied with the name of committee report
Complaint, he said was made in that majority re
: port that 6i3 suspensions had been made unde
= this administration. The complaint made by the
people, Mr.. MaXey said, was that there had no
+ been ten times 6i3 removals. The Significance o
the election of 1884, as he construed 1t, was tina
the people wanted change from republican T.
: democratic methods and principles and policy
g What was wanted and expected, was
y democratic administration, root stem and branch
t Genuine civil service reform demanded the execu
e tive, who was required by the constitution to TAX
care that the laws faithfully executed, shou
have the selection of honest and competent agent
: in accord with the policy indicated by his election
I I "Strpped of all unnecessary verbiage, the simp
u issue,n Mr.. MaXey said, "was: where and In whom
was the power of removal lodged by the cOnstitu
= tionyn He declared that the power of remoya
was essentially matter of executive power, AM
that the constitution nowhere restricted
the exercise of that power. Ill
went on to argue that the senate had no right b
insist on the production OF papers which went t
u show the reasons for removals, or suspensions
and that the only object of the republican majort
was to keep republican ohiceholders in place: !
was an attempt to control the discretion of tn
E president, but II would fail
Mr.. Dolph then took the door in support of tn
majority report, but before he closed the senat
adjourned
WASHINGTON, March 16.-Under the call of state
the following bills were introduced and referred:
BY Mr.. Oates, of Alabama-Amending the rule
so as to prohibit the speaker from receiving an
NSih
8 mittee to accompany the remains of any decease
n representative, or senator, beyond the corporal
@ limits of the city of Washington.
4 BY Mr. Misunderstanding to the widow of Thoi
:, A. Hendricks, late vice president of the Unite
a States one years salary Of said Office, less amour
q paid him in his life time. Iasa---a-
q II BY Mr.. Reagan of Texas (by request)To prOyid
e for aconference of American nations, on a con
a mon standard silver coin. a sr-.,- -
% Senate bill passed, authorizing tAeofaptrolle
a Of currency to permit the receiver OF a nationl
n hanl IN uea hn Of funda fnr tho nurchase &
d property upon which tina bank holds mortgage
,e or ether evidence of Indebtedness.
ri Mr.. Bland under instructions from the commi
is tee on coinage, weights and measures, moved I
ar suspend the rules, and adopt the following resOlt
tom "rhat house bill $780, for the coinage Q
silver, be mrdo special order for Saturday, th
10Th and 27th instances, Saturday, the Sd of Apri
and the same to be again taken up Tuesday, Apr
g. after an hour for Consideration Of bills reI orte
- by the committees, and 80 to continue from day
day. until disposed of, provided that unless soont
., ordered by the house, The previous question sha
a. ~ be pending thereon at o'c ock, Thursday April
az this order not to interfere with revenue genera
ATTIC bills except on n Th,arsday IN, April
ia brief debate ensued showing considerable o.
40 position to the motion.
8, Mr.. Bland, of Missouri, said the house won
~ ~ stnltfy itself il it refused to go record d
20 m question, and ntimated the silver advocates wou
they're tsey had to '0i keep On congress "s Gi IN Sc
sion all summer to accomplish that purpose.
Mr.. Hiscock offered resolution declaring the
re could be but one affirmative outcome from the d
N. cussion and that was the unlimited coinage Of
eu yer. A motion to suspend the rules and adopt !
as resolution was agreed to. Yeas, 17S; nays,
ul Announcement of the result was greeted will
he round of applause from the silver men. The yt
yn cannot, however, be regarded as test vote, ini
at much as such well-krown ponents OF free col
mt age of silver as Finlsy, of Maryland ahd Balne
ed Scott, of Pennsylvania, voted in the affirmati'
mt while Blount, Of Georgia, Curtis, of Virginia,
Dougherty Of florida, who at first voted In the M
ative, changed their votes at the solicitation
friends. Had not this change been made the II
mo ton would have lacked the necessary two-thiI
l, on vote in the affirmative.
'at Mr.. Reagan. Of Texas, from the committee
das a commerce, moved TO suspend the rules and ado
aS the resolution making the Interstate commei
W. W. bill a continuous order for April 13. Agreed
' Yeas, 1876; nays, "A
The speaker announced the appointment OF
Rowell on the committee on elections, Mr. Hurd
the committee on leyees and improvement Of
Mississippi river, to fl vacancies.
The house then adjourned.