The Portland daily press., 1886-02-09
XLIXth CONGRESS- FIRST SESSION.
SENATE.
WAsurvnrnv Fah s

pliance with an inquiry as to the amou MT of silver
/ bullion purchased each month since July 1st,
| 1886; also communication from the Secretary
| of the Navy in compliance with the law, showing
the number of clerks, etc., in the Navy Depart
nlent; also memorial of the legislature of Mis-
sissippi favoring the Eads ship railway scheme
The papers were appropriately referred.
| Senator Hale introduced bills to provide for the
| deposit of savings of seamen in the navy; to au-
thorize the Secretary of the Navy to provide Ii
brares for the use of the crews of vessels of war;
and to authorize the granting of an outfit of cloth
| ing to enlisted men of the navy.
A number of petitions were presented from va
rious assemblies of the Knights of Labor, praying
for the opening up to settlement of the Oklahoma
lands, and the granting of lands in severalty to
Indians; also, petitions praying that constitl-
tional amendment be submitted by Congress to
the several States, forbidding disfranchisement
on account of SEX
Among the measures fayorably reported from
committees and placed on the calendar were the
following:
BY Mr.. Hoar, from the committae on privileges
ing of Congress in 1887, and every second year
thereafter, on the first Monday in October, and
in 1886 and ever second year thereafter on The
Mr.. Ingalls,, from the committee on rules, re-
ported adversely on Mr. Platt's resolution provid-
ing for consideration of executive nominations in
open session. but at Mr. Platt's desire, and Mr..
Ingalls, not objecting the resolutions were placed
on the calendar.
Mr. ingalls, offered a resolution, which was
agreed to, directing the committee on finance to
inquire Into the propriety OF making such an
amendment to the Revised Statutes as may be
necessary to require the issue OF United States
notes of the denominations of one and two dollars
Mr.. Eustis offered a resolution directing the fl
nance committee to inquire whether 1t had been
the custom for the assistant treasurer at New Or
leans to receive deposits of standard silver dol
lars from shippers of said coin, and to issue to
their aft New Orleans rnCpjDtS for
silver, subject to count and to issue silver certlfi
Gates after the count of said dollars SO deposited
had been made, and whether the said CUSTOM If
it had prevailed had been changedby instruction
of the Treasurer of the United States, and the
reasons therefor; also whether such custom was
now in force at any other sub-treaSury Also
whether there was an adequate clerical force at
the New Orleans sub-treasury, and # not what
increase was necessary there to enable the sub
treasurer to carry out the law.
The hour OF two arriving, Mr.. Blair interposed
for the purpose Of calling up the ed education Pill
bill
educational bill he would endeayor to secure the
consideration of the bill for the admission of the
territory of Washington
then resumed the education bill retaining its
place as unfinished business
AS to the exchanging of silver certificates for
silver dollars, Mr. Sherman thought that proper
exchange should be made by the treasury, as the
banks did not ordinarily have accommodations
banks were compelled to thus hoard silver dollars
it would bring discredit on these coins 1t should
be the right Of the groceryman, or any citizen, to
go to the subtreasury and deposit his silver dol
lars there, and get silver certificates instead. 1t
was not right of the government to refuse to give
him that accommodations
Mr.. Morrill-Can he ask for their reasons il they
Mr.. ShermaT-The question of reasons does
not arise here. We can call for reason for any Of
fcial act. The real question in the matter is that
we cannot call on the President for the reason
why he removed person. Ibelieye that no SEN
ator denies that the Senate, as legislative body,
can call for the reason for any act of the executive
department. When question was raised during
Mr.. Hayes administration, President Hayes did
what President Cleveland has DONE He said, as
coordinate branch of the government he was
not to give his reasons for his official act think
that is right; but that we have the right to seek
information of any department of the govern
ment do not think there is any doubt whatever.
over the discretion of the President. We admit
even that we do not ask for his reason: but we
We have the right to all information we can get
from the executive departments to enlighten us,
while at the same time we should be to the Presi-
dent always courteous, and if he should give any
reason for Withholding paper, for example, be-
cause it was marked '.c0nfdential,N | should not
Mr.. Piigh-Do you believe that the senate has
the right to call on the President to furnish the
Senate facts or information on which he acted in
making removals or suspension?
Mr.. SheTman-If that information is on file in
department OF this government, 1t is MS duty
to furnish it to us.
Mr.. Pugh-Have you the right to make this call
on the President for such information as to enable
the Senate to review his actions in making re-
m0val?
Mr.. Shemnan-Iti is not question what we have
a right to review, but what information we have
right to get from the executive department. What
we viii do with these papers, whether we VIII
steal them or burn them, or destroy them, we do
not allow the executive department to put any
enquiries to us. We would rot put any enquiries
to the President of the United States because the
independence of that great Office demands he
shonN not he incurred OF Tor MS reasons, de-
mands he should be treated with respect But
every paper on which he acts. on any duty what
ever, executive or legislative, is ours, as well as
his papers filed with him to induce the removal OF
officers. These are the very papers we ought to
we shall use them for one purpose or another is
not now matter of dispute. From the begin
ming of this government till now these public
archives have been as open to the houses OF Con-
greSS as to any other department OF the govern
ment. The law has been kept on the books un-
broken and unmpeached, by which the head of
great department may not only be compelled to
bring all the papersjn his department, private or
public, but may be compelled, personally, to come
ined and re-examined / state to the senators. as
| have told some of you probably, that you are
making a false issue here that will some day re-
turn to plague you. | would not recognize that
any paper in the government is beyond the right
of this body or Of the other; they have plaif
right to them. They are charged in the House on
Representatives with the power of impeaehing
where motives may be inquired into. aud with
this power to impeach every ot1cer OF the United
certaining the facts2 They legislate on every
question coming under the jurisdiction of the
United States. Have they not the power to in
quire of department as to matters that may af-
feet their action in the passage OF law? SO. in
the Senate we have bro ader power, because we
have the power to try impeachments we are
court of last resort we are executive officials, al
so because we participate to a great extent with
the President. No appointment can be made in
this government except by and with the consent
of the Senate How is that consent to be OBJ
tanned? Is it by suppression of papers or denial
Of Information? Is by narrow ana false-for
may say false-preteXts? Is it by denying
the customs OF a eentury?a No. No:
We ought. to maintain and uphold to
the utmost the power of the Senate for informa-
tion, stopping only at the bounds of courtesy,
impose on men, not to press an inquiry
where it may impair the dignity and honor
of another branch of the government But short
of that and only short Of that. we are entitled to
all the information contained in the department.
The debate then closed and the resolution of
MI Eustes went over till tomorrow.
At 40 the Senate went into executive session
and when at O'Clock the doors We're reopened
the Senate adjourned.
HOUSE.