The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-02-09

papers as will do me no harm, and will keep
back the others" They say l was reckless some
times, but | never was so reckless as that. What
right has the President to say for what purpose
we shall use pspersa If we have the right
to use these papers at all, we have a right to use
them for all they arc worth. Is the President to
have the right to say, "you shall use those pa
pers for one purpose. and not for anotherP'
There is no such distinction. If the papers are
on the public file. we have the right to uss them.
They may be material or useful.
Mr.. Pugh-Does the Senator claim for this
body the right to review the action of the Presi-
dent in making removals.
Mr.. Sherman-It is not necessary to 60 into
that; but / say so without question, because it is
the law, and / believe the law was constitutional
when it was passed.
Mr.. Harris-Does the Senator from Ohio claim
that he has a right to review the grounds on
which the President has made a suspension in
vacation, which the law leaves wholly and ex-
~clusively TO the discretion of the President?
Mr.. Sherman-It is not a question of what we
have a right to review. but what information we
have a right to get from the executive depart
ment. l warrant you that l can show in the
history of the Senator from Tennessee Mr..
Harrisl that he has been as persistent and in
sistent upon the right to examine these papers
as any one else, for he has called for them him
self, over and over again, and they have never
been denied. AS to what we will do with these
papers-whether we will debate them or burn
them-we do do not allow the executive depart
ment to put any inquiries to US But
every paper on which he acts, on any duty
whatever, executive or legislative. is ours
as well as his. The papers filed with him to in
duce the removal of an officer are the very pa
pers we ought to consider in the very question
of appointment. Whether we should use them
for one purpose or another is not now a matter
of dispute. 1t may come up at another time.
From the beginning of this government until
now these public archives have been as open to
the houses of Congress as to any other depart
ment of the government. The law has been
kept on the books. unbroken ond unimpaired, by
which the head of a great department may not
only be compelled to bring all papers in his de-
partment, private or pubic, but may be COM
PEELED personally to come before either house to
be examined. cross-examined, and re examined.
| State to the Senators, as / have told some of
you privately. that you are making a false issue
here, that will some day return to plague us.
With this power to impeach every officer of the
United States, are they THE House of Repre-
sentatives] not armed with the power of ascer-
tanning the factsl They l~egislate on every ques-
ton coming under the jurisdiction of the
United States. Have they not the power
to inquire of a department as to matters that
may affect their action in the passage of q law2
So, in the Senate, we have q broader power, be-
cause we have the power to try impeachments.
We are the court of last resort. We are execu-
tive officials, also, because we participate to a
great extent with the President No appoint
ment can be made in this government except by
and with the consent of the Senate. How is
that consent to be obtainedl Is it by the sup
preston of papers or the denial of informationq
Is it by a narrow and false-for | NAV say false
~pretextY Is it by denying the customs of a CEN
tury2 No, no. We ought to maintain and up
hold to the utmost the power of the Senate for
information, stopping only at the bounds of
courtesy-bounds which the law of gentlemanly
p%ropriety imposes upon men not to press An in
quiry 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 en-
titled to all the information contained in the
denartmepts