National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-03-20
PROCEEDINGS or CONGRESS-.
"H0NEsT PARTISANSHIP IS HONEST
CITIZENSHIP"
Senator spooner CritioIses the Prcsi-
dents Idea of "OTcnSive Partisan
ship'-An Amusing Incidont-Private
Bin Day In the House.

amusing incident occurred in the Sem
ate yesterday. A communication from the
Secretary Of the Treasury was laid before
the Senate by the president pro tenn, and
when It's reading was begun, it was dis
covered thatit was in reply TO resolution
adopted in executive session. When the
words executive session. were read, CHER
Clerk Gilfry quickly stopped reading,
folded the document, and returned It to
the president pro TEN. Senators looked at
each other in surprise. Mr.. Platt asked IL
the communication was marked "execu-
tive" and, upon being Informed that 1t
was not, said, sin that case II is for the
open session. Mr.. Cockrell took the
same view, saying that II 1t were not
marked "Conndentlal"thc open session was
entitled TO IL. The president pro tenn. Mr..
Sherman) asserted very emphatically that
the communication was executive busi-
ness" and would be submitted to the Sen
ate I'm executive session.
The chair then placed before the Senate
the resolutions reported from the Judiciary
committee regarding the refusal Of the At
torney General to furnish papers called for
by the Senate.
Mr.. Spooner resumed the floor and con
iions reported by the majority Of the
committee.
lie expressed regret for occupying, under
the heat OF debate, so much Of the time Of
the Senate on this question. lie had on
Thursday tried to show why, under the
constitution, the President does not pos
sess the power to remove officers without
the consent Of the Senate. Referring TO the
tenure OF Office law, he said IL was passed
in times OF great excitement, but 1t had
received the careful consideration Of Con-
Cress. OF the men who participated in that
debate, Mr.. Morton aud Mr.. Sherman ar
gued that II was impracticable, but be.
lieyed IL was constitutional. Fessenden,
Carpenter, Henderson, and Trumbull be-
lieved I'm its consttutionalty.
lie maintained the consttutionallty of
the tenure OF Office law, and cited the fact
that the President had always stated to the
Senate his reasons for the removal of a
director Of the mint. Even President
Cleveland had stated to the Senate his rea-
sons for the removal Of the last director Of
the mint.
The Republicans, Mr.. Spooner continued,
expected to go out on the incoming OF the
present administration. lie (the speaker)
did not claim to be an orthodox civil
service man. He believed an admnistra-
tion had q right to FIJI the offices with its
friends. This was called the "spoils sys-
tem,n but Mr.. Spooner denied it. 1t was
proper, he said, that an administration
should be held responsible for the conduct
Of the public business, and 1t should
properly feel the weight Of that responsi-
bility. What, he asked, was there about
politics that should be offensive to the peo-
pie Of the United Statesg He wanted every
man In an honest, proper sense to be a
politician "Divorce the offices from poll
tics Put machines In offices | do not
believe in IL myself" said Mr.. Spooner
lie denied that the 10,000,00O voters OF
this republic could be 'debauched' by the
idea Of office. Had IL not been for Presi-
dent Cleveland's civil service declarations,
and his expression Of purpose not to re-
move men who were faithfulto their public
duties, thousands Of ofllceholders would
have resigned. Honest partisanship was
honest citizenship. Under the Presidents
idea Of 'ofIensiye partisanship" the new
Democratic oilceholders could be embalmed
and laid away, and their wives allowed to
perform the duties Of the Office, In order
that there might be no suggestion that the
ofllceholders could by any possibility be
"ofTensive partsans." Laughter. Every
man susp0ilded had right to know why
Ire was Suspended.
=, ;ar. Spooner had letter from a sus-
pended ofllcial-a man who had entered our
Mexican army as n drummer, and threw
away his drum on the battle field and en-
tered the thick Of the fight with a musket
in his hand. That man had, In our late war,
risen TO the grade Of major general. Sus-
pended by President Cleveland, that gal
liant man and faithful soldier and citizen
could not ascertain-nor could Mr. Spooner
ascertain for him-whether the charges filed
against him-on which he had been sus-
pended-involvedh his personal honor or not.
Mr.. Spooner did not suppose the Presi-
dent meant to submit his fellow-citizens to
serious injustice; but the system he had
adopted in the matter of suspensions In
evitably tended to cast shadow on the
honor of honest men. Papers that were
held as secret to-day might become public
when the person affected by them was in
his grave, with no power in his wife or
children TO disprove the false allegations.
Mr.. Spooner did not desire TO see the ad-
ministratiOn embarrassed. The man who
wished to see the administration fail was
too mean to be taken into account; but
some method should be pursued to protect
honest men from the unjust imputations
under which they were compelled to rest
by the method adopted by the administra-
ton.
Mr.. Salisbury said he was unwilling to
content himself with silent vote on the
question before the Senate. The President
had sought no controversy with the Senate.
can side Of this chamber as to a matter
that was not within the jurisdiction Of the
Senate. When the President was elected IL
was the object and intention Of the people
that he should adjust the offices at least
more nearly between the political parties
than they had been. The President and
his administration had proceeded with q
caution and forbearance unparalleled In
the history OF our government. When
Congress met only 643 suspensions had
been made out Of some $1,000 or 1900
offices subject to the direct con-
troll Of the President This
was very small percentage.
had never been exercised for the last fifty
years. Yet President Cleveland's nomina-
tons had been allowed to slumber for now
three months without action. Why? Be-
cause the Republican side Of the chamber
had set. to work deliberately, premeditately
he would not say with malice afore.
thought-to devise some scheme to forestall
the President, to prevent the removal OF
their partisan friends from office. The real
controversy was that the President would
not permit private papers to be sent to the
Senate.
Mr.. Salisbury contended that the tenure
of Office act was unconstitutional, and con-
tended that the constitution could not be
Overriden by an act of Congress. Neither
could the President disassociate his consti.
tutional functions from the presidential
Office, The constitution placed the power
OF removal solely In his hands. Parties,
Mr.. salisbury continued, were necessary to
free government, and a minority party
could always exercise q most salutary in
huence on the conduct Of public affairs
and on the action OF the majority party.
Our Republican friends therefore occupied
aposition where they could be of Invaluable
service TO the country. Mr.. Salisbury re-
membered that when he first entered the
Senate there were but eight Democrats In
oNA aVtaIan Ra1 th.-x
made by them on the Republican majority,
and the effect Of those assaults In re.
pressing extravaganza, II the Republicans
would now abandon their factious policy
they could restrain every improper tend
ency on the part OF the majority toward