New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-01-28
UyL1 TIE P4pIRs BE uIrHHELD1

WILL TIE PAPLRS BIZ UITHHELDF
If President Cleveland should direct any
member of his Cabinet to refuse to comply
with the resolution of the Senate calling Tor
papers on file in a Department he VIII assume
serious responsibility. Aside from the legal
ASPECT of the case such n course would be re-
pugnant to every instinct of justice ana falr
play. After his election the President made
tho following public declaration:
There il a class OF Government positions when are
NOT within the letter OF tho Ciyil Service statute, but
which are 80 disconnected with TIE policy NJ hn admins
traton that the removal thereirom Of present ucum-
bcuts in my opinion, should not be made during me
terms FOR which they appointed, solely on partisan
grounds and for purpose Of putting in their places
those wha are In political with the appointing
lower"
Following up that declaration member OF
the Cabinet two months after the inauguration
sent out a circular stating that removals would
be made only for cause and must be justil-
able The cause must be established by
affidavit of Il "persOn of unquestlon'd
crcdDility, OF by some documentary evidence
These papers the circular stated would be
@carefully brcfcd in the Department. such
is the officially declared policy Of the Admins
tratiOn concerning removals. If 1t has been
adhered TO no subordinate officer disconnected
swith the policy Of the Administration has been
aremoved from Office solely on partisan
grounds The ~ju,tihablc cause for such
removals Is ostcnslbly contained in "Docu-
mertary evidence carefully bricfcd in the De
partmcntsn An official suspended before the
expiration of his term has thus gone out Of
Office with n stigma upon his reputation. lie
has not been permitted even 10 know what
I;.bb no pl
The law declares that it is the duty of the Sen
ate to advise and consent to removals ~
well rs TO appointments.
Now the question ut issue between the Prcsi-
dent and the Senate u.s. shall that document
airy evidence carefully bricfcd in the Depart
mentsr be withheld from the Senate Z Shall
all the precedcnts of the past in that regard,
from the foundation of the Government up 10
the present Administration be overturned and
shall Congress DC deprived of official intorma-
ton which may prove of value to 1t in pro-
viding against future abuse, of public trusts
The assumption of any power on the part OF
the Administration 10 withhold these public
documents would be something extraordinary.
1t Is not question of abrldging the Presidents
right to make removals. But every fair man
will deny N cause to be "justiliablc that
seeks to brand anothcr's reputation, and strike
him down in the dark without n chance even to
know the character of the documentary evil
dence J" on which he is accused If the Presi-
dent will remove these suspended officials from
any stigma by acknowledging that the cause OF
their removal has been solely on partisan
grounds then IL is not likely that the Senate
will persist in its demand for the documentary
ut n nhspucp q
avowal it is hard to believe that the President
will direct Cabinet officer not to comply with
the reasonable demand made by the Senate.