The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1886-03-11

-
| in response to tho resolution OF tho ,
Senate III the particular case mentioned
| In the cOmmittee's report was written .
at my suggestion andbv uiy direction.
There have been no official papers or
documents filed in his department
relating to the cases within the period
specified In the resolution. The letter
was Intended by its description OF the
papers and the documents remaining
in tho custody of the department TO
convey the idea that they were not
official, and it was assumed that the
resolution called for the information,
papers and documents OF the same
character as were required by the |
request and demands which preceded |
| it. Everything that has been written |
or done on behalf of the Senate from
the beginning has pointed to all letters
and papers OF private and unofficial
nature as the objects of the search, If
they were to be found in the depart
ments, and provided they had been
presented to the Executive with
view to their consideration upon the
question OF suspension from office.
Against tho transmission of such
papers and documents have intcrposcd
my advice and direction. This has
not been done, a. Is suggested in the
committees report, upon the assump-
llon on my part that tie Attorney
General or any other head Of depart.
ment "is the servant of tho President
and is to give or withhold copies OF
documents in his Office according TO
the will of the Executive and not
otherwise" but because / regard the
papers and documents withheld and
, addressed to me or intended for my use
. and action, as purely unofficial and
! private, not infrequently confidential,
and having reference to tho perform
ance OF duty exclusively mine. l
+ consider them in no proper sonsc as
= upon the files Of tho department, but
;, as deposited there for my convenience,
: remaining still completely under my
h control. suppose If desire to take
them into my custody l might do SO
y with entire propricty, and if l saw
. tit to destroy them no one could COM
o plain.
y" Even the committee in its report
!" appears to conCcdo that there may be
y with the President or in the depart
- ments, papers and documents which
y Oh account of their unofficial character
y arc not subject to the inspection OF
Congress. Reference in tho report to
the instances where the House of Rep
=, resontativcs ought not to succeed in
;, call for the production Of papers is
Immediately followed by this state
ment: "The committee feels authorized
to state after q somewhat careful re-
, search that within the foregoing limits
:, = there is scarcely in the history of this
; government until now any instance of
the refusal by head Of department
or even of President himself, to COM
' municate official facts and information
, as distinguished from private aud
unofficial papers, motives, views, rea-
sons and opinions to either House Of
T Congress when Internationally de-
manded.
, TO which Of the classes thus recog-
, nized do the papers and documents
, belong that are now tho objects of the
Senate's questt They consist Of the
, letters and representations addressed
: TO the Executive or intended for his
q Inspection. They arc voluntarily
o written and presented by private citi-
>, zens who arc not III the least inatigat-
q cd thereto by any official invitation or
~ ut oil subject to official control. While
!, some of them are entitled to executive
:. consideration many of them are &c
irreveant or in the light of other facts
SO worthless that they have not beer
~ given the least weight in determining
;, the question to which they are suppos
y ed to relate. Are all these, simply
II because they are preserved, to be con.
% sldercd official documents and subject
20 % to the inspection of tho Senate? Il
! not, who is to determine which belong
;, to this class? Are tho motiyes and
10 purposes of the Senate, as they day b,
% day devclope, such as would be satis-
~ fled at my selection? Am to submit
:, to them at the risk of being charged
~ with making q suspension from office
n upon evidence which was not even
~ considered? Are these papers to b,
- regarded as official because they have
- net only been presented but preserved
# IN public offices? Their nature and
:, character remain the same, whether
:, " they are kept in the Executive Mansion
y or deposited in tho departments
- - There are no mysterious bowers OF
4 transmutation in departmental custo.
:, dy, nor Is there magic in the underlined
. and sacred solemnity of department
y hleS. If the presence of these papers
in public offices is stumbling block
- IN the way of the performance OF
q Senatorial duty, IL can easily be re-
. moved.
:. The papers and documents which
a have been described derive no official
y character from any constitutional.
. statutory or other requirement making
- them necessary to tho performance Of
= the official dnty of the Executive. It
NAV not be denied, suppose, that
the President may suspend public Off
, GERS III the entire absence of any paper
!, or documents to aid his official judp-
ment and discretion, and | am quite
. prepared to aVDw that cases are not
few in which suspensions from offices
have depended OF oral representations
made to me by citizens Unknown good
repute, and By members of the House
OF Representatives and the Senators of
tho United States, more than upon any
letters and documents presented for
my examination. Ihave not felt justi.
tied in suspecting the veracity, intcg-
rlty and patriotism of the Senators or
| ignoring their representations because
| In n