Weekly commercial herald. (Vicksburg, Miss.) 1884-18??, 1886-06-04
THE CONFIRMING POWER.

Gov. Hill, of New York, Sharply
CrltIcizes the Action of the Senate
Power to Confirm Appointments,
New YORK, May 3l.-The New
York HeralG this morning publishes a
four column interview with Gov. Hill.
ln the course of the interview the
governor spoke in regard to the con-
irming power Of senates, both State
and national, as follows: II have
thought long and deeply on this whole
question. have considered 1t apart
from any collision between myself and
the senate of the State. but not with
out consideration Of the pretensions Of
the federal senate in its action against
Mr.. Cleveland and other presidents.
The time has come for a
thorough, sweeping and radical
reform. The oligaIchy and
aristocracy in our national system
are represented by the senate Of the
United States. The obstacle to hemo-
geneous and responsible administra-
tion In our state system is the senate
of each State. In both the pause Of
ihtolerable senatorial pretensions re-
sides In the confirming power. The
remedy is the immediate and total
abolition of the confirming power. The
substitute for it should be direct ex-
ecutive appointments, with full right
in tae executive to move for cause, as
well as those whom he appoints. The
senate, national or State, has never
been an interviewer in this bus
mess, except with bad results.
Can you give one instance?
Hale century ago the federal
senat, for reasons of partisan rancor
alone, rejected great New Yorker as
minister to England. The people
elected him president as rebuke to
his rejectors. Half decade ago the
final result of the play Of violent
passions between the senate and the
president, on the latter's selection Of
his own agents, was the assassination
of the chief magistrate. The confirm
ing power has been used always only
to be abused. 1t does not reject bad
men-it rejects good men to keep bad
men in. 1t does not work as htlp
or enlightenment to the president or
government-it works as a ball and
chain on both. 1t makes. in the federal
senate a series cf as many
presidents as there are representatives
of States in that bodyg m
atoTs Office brokers and Executives the
bondsmen Of such office brokers. The
duty of executives i, administrative.
They should have the right to appoint
and remove their agents in admins
tration. The business of senators is
participation in legislation. They
should be free to attend to it. Now
they claim, in affect, to be assistant
president and assistant governor, and
seek to make elected presidents and
elected governors subject to them.
Presidents are chosen by the people
indirectly, but really Federal senates
are chosen by subsi diary elections iu
State legislatures. Senators are
not amenable to public opin-
ion, for 1t cannot reach them
They use the confirming power tC
abuse it, to strengthen, and at times tC
enrich themselves, and that satire or
all free and responsible governments
known as secret sessions, a menact
and an abominatiOn to decencv anC
liberty. On the ruins of the courtesy
of the senate let us build the rights o.
the people and crown them with tn,
principle of the freedom and RESPONSE
bility of the executive. whom the|
elect to do their will and who shoult
have the power to do it through agents
Of the member selett d by himself.
trust this will be lnade an issue by tn
Democratic party in its next nationa
platform.