Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-03-24

II lis difficult matter TO say anything
new or interesting in the partisan deDAte
that has been going on in the senate i2f
several weeks. Senator Colquitt, how
ever. managed to make very excellent
and able speech on the question al issue
on Monday That he got out of the beaten
/ path and presented facts, arguments and
/ pracedents that had not been used by
those who preceded him, is shown by the
attention that was given him and the fire.
ouont Interruptions by Republican Sena-
tors.
He made it very plain that there is no
desire on the part OF the President 10 pre-
won't any paper in any department from
being seen by Senator'S, whether it relates
to removals from Office or not, but that
the constitution not giving the Senate any
right to inquire into the reasons for re-
mOvals the President declines to comply
with the demand of the Senate for them.
In other words, what is denied to the SEN
ate as body is freely granted to Senator'S
in their Individual capacity.
NoOne who has followed the debate
thus far can have any doubt that the
N'hAbNl aLiN BbblbAhh - bhN wi ANSb ChNs
Indeed Senator COlquItt showed that
Republican Senators, particularly Sena-
tor Sherman, had admitted by their acts
that it was correct. The letter written
by Senator sherman when he was Sec
rotary Of the Treasury, which denied the
right of the Senate to NEEDLE with re-
mOvals, was used with telling effect by
Senator Colquitt, although it had been
previously used by Senator Kenna. 1t
will be interesting to see what Senator
Sherman will say in answer to
this letter. The Republicans thought
that the Democrats would not be able te
answer the Thurman letter, which Sena-
tor Edmunds quoted with such an air Of
triumph in his opening speech, but they
did answer it, ana that, too, very satisfac-
tOrily. 1t remains TO be seen whether the
Republicans will be as successful in an
sweriug the Sherman letter.
The manner in which Senator COlquitt
brought out the motive which Influenced
the Republicans to inaugurate the debate
was very effective. Having shown
that they have neither the consti-
tuition nor precedents to support
them he pointed out that to pass the
resolutions, which are the subject OF the
debate, would only be to perpetuate the
malice OF the majority. The Republicans
are complaining that the removing OF Off
cials without assigning any cause is
equal to branding them as incompetent
or dishonest, and yet they have virtually
impeached, and are practically trying a
great officer OF the gOvernment--the At
torney General-withOut even giving him
a chance to be heard in his own defense.
This sort of consistency justified the
ironical way in which Senator Colquitt
spoke of the Republican majority in pOr-
tions of his speech.
senator Colqutt was particularly hap
by in his reference TO offensive partlsans.
He evidently had seen some interesting
records while he was collecting matter
for bis speech. The officials to whom he
called attention were certainly off nstVe
enough to have made their removal almost
a matter of necessity, and yet it seems
that Republican administration did not
disturb them, although it knew that they
were deiraudng and rObbine the people
H. is not to be wondered at that the Re-
publican Senators and the Republican
newspapers are very tired of the debate.