Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-03-27

creature called by geologists <pter0dactyl,'
or winged reptile, which is lizard with
feathers on its tail.
PTERoDACTYL IN POLITICS.
ut appears to me that the political sys-
tenn that illustrates in it's practical opera
lions the appointment by the same admin
lstEation Of Eugene Higgins and Dorman
b. Eaton can properly be regarded as in a
transition epoch and characterized as
''pter0dactyl in politics. 1Great laughter
Like that animal it is equally adapted to
Waddling and dabbfing in the slime and
mud OF partisan politics and soaring alOft
with loud cries into the gliEtering and
opalescent empyrean Of civil service re-
FORM" Great laughter and applause on
the noor and in the galleries.
EDMUNDs' CLOSING SPEECH.
Mr.. Edmunds said there was very little
left for him to do in closing the debate
after the exhaustive exposition made by
the Senator from Kansas MIR. Ingalls).
The present President, he said, had no
mission except to execute the law.
When he came into office he had
come in on the profession that the great
mass of administrative functions in the
government should no longer be stakes
for which political gamblers should play.
If the administration had waited it would
have had all the offices in the course of
its term by the usual exigencies and ex-
pirations Of official terms. The trouble
was that If the Presidents sentiments
on civil service were sincere, as we must
assume them to have been, he did not Sc
lect advisers who IsvOred it.
SCORING THE CABINET.
or all seven Of his principal advisers
there was only one who did not believe
that the mission OF the Democratic party
was to get every once in the government
as the result of an election, and that
that was what an election was for.
Coming to the question Immediately
before the Senate Mr.. Edmunds said it
was simplywhether the twOHouses of Con-
gress had the right to to see papers effect
ing the business of the government.
What the Senate asked for was not the
motives or reasons but the official facts
concerning the state OF the public ser
vice.
"If,' said Mr.. Edmunds, 'syou took
out of this very presence at this moment
the influence of Executive patronage to
be given to Senators and their friends,
there would not be Eve votes in this cham
Der against any one or all the resolutions
proposed by the Judiciary Committee.
QUOTING SCRIPTURE.
"There is the grip and the OK be-
lieve, as the Scripture says, knows his
udSlCI bbdlis duu OOuy
Edmunds said, ''who had henehman or
friend who was not in Office or being in Of
fee was liable to be turned out, who would
vote against bis party, to say that there
should be revealed things told to-day by
the Senator from Indiana Mr.. Harrison F;
the Senator from lllin0is Mr.. Logan J,
and the Senator from Kansas MIR. In
galls) would find that the lines of pOliti-
cal preference would fall in other places
than theirs"
Mr.. Harris inquired of Mr.. Edmunds
whether the third resolution meant that
In all cases OF nominations to fill Vacan-
cies caused by suspensions, etc., in which
papers have been demanded and not fur
nished that the Senate should refuse to
consider such nominations altogether, or
that it was the duty OF the Senate to re-
iect the nominee without inquiry as to his
merit or his qualifications because papers
had not been furnished.
AN AFFIRMATIVE REPLY.
Mr.. Edmunds said that when papers or
information were necessary to the Sem
ate's action and they could not be got,
then 1t would, under the resolutions, be
the duty of the Senate to refuse to agree
to what the President proposed and for
the reasons stated.
MIR. Harris reminded Mr.. Edmunds that
the only question put by the chair to the
Senate when acting on nominations was:
"Wlll the Senate advise and consent to
this nomination. What was required
of the Senate by its duty, Mr.. Harris said,
was action, not non-sctiOn.
Mr.. Edmunds said that when the nec-
essary information was withheld the Sem
ate was not called upon to act.
OPEN SESSIONS.
The question was then on Mr.. Van
Wycks' amendment providing that sin
all such cases of removals the matter of
confirm ations shall be considered in open
session of the Senate"
Mr.. Butler thought that il there ever
was a time IN the history Of the Senate or
government when the injunction OF secre-
cy should be removed from the proceed
ings, this was the occasion. The Senate
had been talking about the star chamber
proceedings of the President and attack
ing him because he had not seen fit to dis
close to the Senate the motives which
prompted HIM, and at the same time it had
been closing its doors on nominations
which be Mr.. Butler) would be very glad
TO have discussed in open session In order
that the country might understand the
reasons and grounds assigned by the ma
jority OF the Senate Tor refusing 10 confirm
nominations.
AN AMENDMENT DEFEATED.
AL the bukRtSblUu VI ulIs NIEs
Van Wyck modified his amendment by
emitting the words ''Of confirmation"
Mr.. Hoar raised the point that the
amendment was not in order, inasmuch as
it changed the rules Of the Senate, and no
notice had been given OF it.
The President pro TEN. sustained the
point of order, aud an appeal, taken by
MIR. Butler, was laid upon the table by
vote OF 81 yeas 10 % nays-a strict party
vote, except that Messrs. Van Wyck and
Riddleberger voted with the Democrats.
The vote is not considered a test OF the
strength Of the proposition for open ex-
ecutiVe sessions, since the Republicans
who favored the principle voted to table
the appeal, and the Democrats who OPP
pose il voted against tabling II.
Mr.. Harris having demanded separate
vote upon tho resolutions, the first res0-
luton, adopting the report Of the Com
mittee on Judiciary, was adopted by
vote Of 30 yeas TO 2G nays.
The second resolution. condemning the
refusal OF the Attorney General to send
copies OF papers called for by the Senate,
was adopted by vote Of ~ yeas TO %
nays.
Against the third resolution, declaring
10 the duty Of the Senate 70 refuse con-
frmation, Mr.. Gray raised the point that
Il changed rule OF the Senate, and was
not In order.
The President pro tempore overrulee
the point OF order, and Mr.. Gray appealed
from the decision.
POSSIBLE IMPRISONMENT.