The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-03-27
They Pay Little Attention to Constitutional
Questions, but Expose Democratic Pre-
lenses aud Pharisaical Hypocrisy.
And Hold Up the President and Mr.. Villas
in a Very Unenyiable Light.
Indications that Secret Sessions of the Senate
Will Soon Be Abolished-The Mexican
Annexation Scheme Appears Again.
DEMOCRATIC HYPOCRISY.

special TO the lndIanapotls journal.
WASHINGTON, March &c This was bad day
In the Senate for the Democrats. The learned
arguments and theories about the constitutional
rights and prerocatives Of the President in the
matter of removals from and appointments to
office were swept away by the clear exposition
touching the manner in which officers had been
suspended, the methods used to securs the desig-
nation of successors. and the character OF many
Of those who were thus DESIGNATED made by
Senators Ingalls, and Harrison. These gentle
men paid little attention, during the course of
their remarks to the constitutional aud legal
points brought into the controversy by those
who had preceded them. but devoted themselves
70 illustrating the injustice of policy that re-
fused to acquaint old and faithful officials with
che character of the charges made against them,
that the charges might be answered.
The conduct Of Postmaster general
Villas in inviting persons to secretly
file charges against their neighbors was con-
demned in severe terms, and the refusal of that
official to even answer the requests of those
who were suspended for alleged cause, to be
furnished with copies of the charges made
against them, was characterized in manner
that must have made the ears of Mr. Villas
Jingle, even at the distance of mile from the
Capitol The injustice and cruelty of Villas in
dealing with postmasters, and the hypocrisy of
the administration in displacing men for parti-
sanship, and succeeding them with men whose
partisanship was of that offensive character that
made them amenable to the law and carried
them, in many instances, within the walls of
penal institutions, afforded Mr.. ingalls, splen-
did opportunity for the exercise of
his satirical powers. Mr.. ingalls, threw
the Democratic Senators into a state
OF generalization by calling over the
names Of number of men who had been ap-
pointed to Office. and showing that all of these
men were disreputable, and many of them distin-
gushed as law-breakers and ex-convicts Mr..
Payne attempted to dispute Mr.. Ingalls's facts in
the case of some Ohio men whose names were
on Mr.. Ingalls's list but he was sgnally discom
fitted, and sat down with an air that plainly in
dictated he was sorry he had run against the ora
tofical buzz-saw from Kansas Mr.. Ingallss
characterization of the Presidents practice of
civilservice reform in contrast with his theories
as expressed in his public utterances, was very
pungent, and seemed to be as much enjoyed by
many of the Democratic Senators as by the gal
leries, which were crowded to greater degree
than upon any day during the present session.
Mr.. Harrison followed Mr.. ingalls,, and his re-
marks may be properly termed q continuation Of
those of the Kansas Senator. He declined to
answer the arguments of .the Democratic Sena-
tors as to the right of the President to remove
officials; that question was not involved because
the President made no claim to the right to re-
ova frovn of;ca The praeideDt bod M oda No
removals, and made no profession of having
doLe so. He had suspended officers, and had
asked the Senate to advise and consent to their
removal, and therefore it was that the Senate
following the usual practice had requested to be
furnished with official papers from the public
files in order that the Senate might be informed
as to the manner in which the suspended officials
had administered their Offices but Mr.. Harrison
declined to discuss this legal aspect of
She question. and proceeded to exam
ane the acts of the President as acts of
administration. When the change Of admins
tration was made the Republicans were willing
and prepared to surrender the offices upon the
request of the President. The announcement
had been made, however, that removals would
be made only for cause, and thus their con-
fidence had been betrayed. and when suspended
for alleged cause their requests for information
as to the nature of the charges against them
were refused or ignored Had the suspensions
been put merely upon the ground that the Offices
were wanted for Democrats there would have
been no complaint from Republican office hold
ers and no obstruction to the prompt con6rma-
tion of their successors Mr.. Harrison recited
number of cases in Indiana where faithful and
conscientious officers had been suspended on
secret charges, and all efforts to be informed
of the nature of the charges had been refused
By the Postmaster general. The postmaster at
Shclbyville was Union soldier, who discharged
his duties as postmaster to the satisfaction of
the masses. He was suspended last summer.
and it was understood that secret charges were
made against him. The Postmaster general
would give the man no information touching
these charges, nor would he make reply to q
respectful request preferred by Senator Har
rison. The case Of Mrs. De La Hunt the
widow of soldier, was recited. Her husband
had been Democrat, and was chosen as such to
q county Office by the citizens of Perry county.
After his death Mr.. Harrison had his widow APP
pointed postmistress. She was removed by Mr..
Villas for being an offensive partisan Her
appeals to be furnished with a copy
Of the charges, and the name of
her accuser were refused. After reciting num-
Der of similar cases. Mr. Harrison referred to
the case Of Barney Conroy, who was appointed
mail transfer agent at Indianapolis, in the place
of a Union soldier. Conroy had served two
terms in the penitentiary, one Of which was for
grand larceny, the records of the court showing
that his conviction had been transmitted to the
Postmaster general. In reply to the gentleman
who had made him acquainted with the charac
Ter Of Conroy, Mr. Villas said the accused should
be furnished with copy Of the charges, that he
might make answer. Here was man convicted
Of felony and with the record Of the court be-
Toro him, Mr. Villas insisted that be should be