Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-03-25
SENATOR M0RGAN'S LOGIC
PRESIDENTS COURSE
WE'LL DEPENDED.

WELL DEPENDED.
VsshiugtOn's Participation in the Ex-
ecutivs Sessions of the senate-A BY
pothettcal Question to illustrate the
stand Assumed by the Senate-1he
Failure to Confirm Unjustifisble.
WARRINGTON, March 24.-In the Senate
to-day Mr. Logan's bill, to increase the
number of enlisted men in the army, was
again discussed until it was displaced at
O'Clock by the Judiciary Committee
resolutions on Attorney General Garland.
Mr.. Morgan took the floor in opposition to
the majority report. he entered upon an
exhaustive analysis of the question, not
only as it effected the immediate case un-
der consideration, but the mutual rela-
tons generally of the Executive and
Senate. In the course OF his remarks he
instanced a case in which President
Washington had once come and sat in
executive session with the Senators. The
President had still, under the rules of the
senate, right to sit with the senators IN
executive session. suppose, Mr.. Morgan
said, that President Cleveland should
come and So sit with the Senate.
POSSIBILITIES OF QUESTIONING.
What questions could we ask him?
Gould we compel him to answer questions
that we could not compel Senator to
answer? Could we compel a Senator to
answer such a question as this! "HaYe
YOU in your custody a paper sent you by
apv person addressed to you as q
senator OF the United States that
relates to the conduct IN office
OF a B who was suspended or removed
hv tie President? If SO produce it."
The .-tUe ,pt to enforce the rule that would
permit such question, Mr.. Morgan said,
would either fill the jails with Senators
after exhausting the power of habeas cor
pus, or would bring about dissolution of
senate by reason of the cause suggested
By Mr.. Webster failure of the Senators to
meet for the performance of their func-
tiOns).
WHERE II WOULD END.
If the President were asked such
question, and he should reply that he
must decline to answer because not
bound to do so, and believing it against
public interest, there it would have to
end. The pretended object in the present
case was TO expose the papers in the
Duskin matter; yet if the Attorney Cen
eral should send here any papers on file
against Mr.. Duskin, the Senate would i'm
mediately close its doors and keep the
people from seeing them. 81 am firm
friend Of executive sessions" Mr.. Morgan
continued, "because the safety, decency,
and peace of society requires that very
much thar we are compelled to ascertain
and discuss about men should never be
heard in the public deliberations of the
Senate of the United States"
AN UNwELCoME DUTY.
1t is an unwelcOme and often trying
and disgusting duty that we must per-
form in hearing accusations OF crime and
immoralities against men in Office or seek
ing Office. Our methods of trial are en-
tirelV eD pdTte. The evidence we hear is
almost exclusively secondhand, or hear
say, and often malice in its most vicious
form turks in the darkness OF this cham
Der in order to defame the innocent. II
we should open the doors and hear accu-
satiOns we would Oitentimes cOnsign a
man to iniamy by prejudgmenr or force
court to try him with The judgment Of
the Senate against him on an eJ pdrte
hearing.
CRUEL DECREE.
1t would be cruel decree against pub
lie peace. against private character and
common deceEcy to uncover TO the world
what must be uncovered to the Senate IN
the performance of the duty given us by
the constitution which we are sworn to
support. Let US not" continued Mr..
Morgan, "periorm those disagreeable du-
ties in open session. If we must perform
.or the benefit, not Of the Senate but for
ne benefit OF the peace, welfare and
lecency Of the country"
Referring to the determination Of the
majority not to confirm nominations
When papers about suspensions are not
furnished, Mr.. Morgan said the Senate
might as we'll in a Il of passion declare at
an end all intercourse with the President.
The attitude of the Senate could not be
justified.
THE POWER TO oBsTRUCT.
The Senate, Mr.. Morgan SAID, had no
power to prevent the President from per-
forming his constitutional duty. II could
reject mis- nominations il 1t thought fit,
put could do no more. Whatever the
resident might do iL was the duty of the
senate to ulhll the functions marked out
lor IL by the constitution. The senate was
ia no position TO assert that the President
Aau not done his duty. If it could
aot show that the conduct OF the
resident in some way c0nlicted with
me powers Of the senate that should
tnd the controversy. Mr. Morgan wished
Tue country to understand that when the
senate should hereafter be in secret ses-
zion and could not keep this government
10 uue course Of action and ministries IT.
vas because the Republican majority
would not permit it. They were trying TO
7eJ reasons for the Presidents action
-ometniug With when they had nothing
10 10, and the people recognized the fact,
lhoush it was endeayored ingenIously to
cover itup.
THE sENATE's CLowNIsHNEsG.
~ lne country could be expected TO re-
haIu VITA amusement anything done by
5ue senate the people would certainly
!eukh at the JUat pas made 10y the Senate
~ tuls matter. Mr. Morgan discussed at
some length the question OF constitutional
.tAlis on the Presidents powers 10 snow
.Nal they did not Affect his power Of re-
.loNal, aud that his discretion in tnat re-
34pect was absolute. That it was purely an
lAecu' i've function, Mr.. Morgan said, wss
S.loWn by the plain fact that it implied the
@stclse OF force when that was necessary
10 dlspossess an Objectionable Officehold-
~, " was not 10 be supposed that the
institution gave Congress power Of im-
I.lClmnnl by a fMn.l u .rla Nnfn II lhnf