The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1886-03-17
The Next Step.

When the senate debate upon the
constitutional issues began both Mr..
Edmunds and Mr.. Pugh said they did
not think the discussion need extend
beyond three days, but another week
may be thus occupied. Then will fol-
low vote on the resolutions, and it is
expected that they will be adopted by
strict party vote. The resolutions,
among other things, condemn the
encouragement for refusing to trans
nit to the senate the papers called for
by the senate, and declare the refusal
to be violation by the encouragement
of his official duty and subversive of
the fundamental principles of the gov
eminent and good administration. The
resolutions also condemn the discharge
from the government service of eX-
Union soldiers. After the resolutions
are disposed of, the question then re-
mains of what course is best, from a
polite point of view, for the senate to
pursue. The following editorial in the
Boston Journal probably voices the
sentiment of majority of republican
senators on this question, though cir
cumstances may finally determine a
different course from that suggested in
the article: c
The issue which the republican senators
&c ana in,
which the mass of the people will take but
little interest. Constitutional lawyers,
offce-holders who hope to retain their
places, and very large number of demo-
Gratis who are impatient to secure the offices
held by republicans, may regard the issue
as one of vital Importance, but with them
the interest will end. The intelligence of the
land which will regard the issue as one of
patronage, will view a protracted debate, or
| deadlock because of the disagreement, with
feelings of disgust. There is reason, too, to
believe that the mass of the people will take
| sides with the President on the general issue
| of suspendng or removing officers. They
may admit the force of Mr. Edmunds' argu-
ment, but, constitutional or otherwise, the
general Judgment of the country confers the
power of removal upon the President, with
out the interference of the senate. 1t may
have been the design of the trainers of the
| Constitution that the senate should advise
and consent to removals as well as appoint
ments, but the practice of years is against
! it, 1t is true that the tenure-of-office act as
it now stands, assumes that the senate must
consent to the suspension of officers; never
theless, the public mind has not been inn
pressed with that doctrine and many promi-
nent republicans believe that it should be
repealed, either because it is not in harmony
with public sentiment or is not consistent
with the precedents, or is an infringement
of the rights of the executive. In short, the
country believes that removal is power OF
the President confirmed by the precedents
of years. In view of these facts, when the
senate shall have shown that the President
is clearly in the wrong in not furnishing the
papers on fle-as Senator Edmunds has
abundantly proved-the wiser course will
be to refuse TO enter into protracted con-
test leaving candid men to infer that the
President does not furnish the papers called
for because he does not propose to supply
the country with evidence to prove that he
has broken the pledges so profusely made
just before and about the time of his in
auguration, and because he does not desire
to stand before the country as one who has
encouraged eager place-seekers to send him
false charges against men whom he has sus-
nan1ad from office