The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1886-03-12

has bean mistated either directly or by
implication by nearly every Republican
paper that we have read, aud We take
it, that it is only in that way that they
hope to be able to iAduoe the country
to believe that they have case at ell.
Each Of these papers bas volunteered
the statement, either directly or by im-
plication, that the President refuses to
transmit to the Senate papera on Gle IN
the departmsnts upou tho recommends
tions Of which appointments 20 various
Offices have been made. These state
ments are made for the purpose of mis-
leading the people, or on the contrary
those who make them are ignorant OF
the questions in dispute. The President
has never refused to furnish tho Senate
with all or any papers on file in the
departments touching the character and
fitness of any man that he has appoint
cd to Office, but on the contrary, he
vouchSafss the statement that he will
not only transmi. these papers to the
Senate, but will furnish that body with
any information which he may possess
touching the 6tness Of his appointess
to perform the duties of the offices to
which they have been appointed. But
the issue batween the Senate and Pres
ident arises out of a demand made by
the fomer upon the President or bis
Cabinet officers, to furnish that body
with tho reasons for the suspension of
certain officials during the recess Of that
body, OF fer papers snd documents re-
lating to such suspensions. There Is
no question that the President should
furnish tho Senate with all the infor-
nation he has, relating 20 the fitness
and competency Of bis sPPeintees, for
the rea4ou that the Senate is called up
on to confirm these appointments and
thus assume an equal share Of rsspon-
sibi;ity with the President in placing
these persons in offices of trust. Bat
in the case Of suspensions flom Office
the Senate has no power or authority
to "Advise and consent" to the suspen-
sions, aud has no legal right to demand
Of tbo President bis reasons for making
the suspensions, or the papers and doc
uments upon which such reasons are
based. The OregOnian, has Willingly
or unwittingly, mistatsd the issue by
saying that, ,"but il there are any papers
on file iu the public officss relating to
such removals anil appointments, the
Senate claims the right to call for them,
etc." But the President has not re-
fused the Senate tho papers relating to
appointments.
che Statesman, in its issue Of March
9th, makes the same mistake by saying.
in speaking of the President: "In his
controversy with the Senate, in with
holding Information governing him in
removing and appointing men to Office,
he has besn, aad is, clearly wrong. If
to the Senate is given the power of sd-
vice and confirmation, it has the un-
questioned right to ell the information
that controls the executive in appoint-
ments."
The OreJonian says: "The Presi-
dent has suspended many offsials from
the discharge of their duties and desig-
mated other persons to succeed them.
Now the Senate Is called to nc, upon
these new nominations, and il calls up
on the President for the papers on file
in the public Offices, If thero are such.
so that it may judge for itself whether
the new appointses ought TO be con-
frmsd or not"
How arc the psp,rs upon which al
oLfisial has been suspended from Office
by the President to guide the Senate
in determining whether an appointee 10
q 6t person to fill the Office. Suppose
the President should concede to the
Senate asd send up the papers and
documents that contained tho reason
for suspsnding United States District
Attorney, and these papers sbould dis
close the fact to the Senate that the
suspended official had become common
drunksrd and was nsglscting bis duty,
how, we ask Of the Oreg0nian, would
such information enable the Senate TO
determine whether the saccessor Of the
suspended officer should be confirmed |?
1t would reflect no light whatever upon
the subject, and the Oregonian must
have known it. But we will lead that
Republican leader somewhat closer to
the subject. Suppose the President
should yield 10 the demand Of the Sem
ate and send up the papers and docu-
nents relating to the suspension Of an
officer, and the Senate should, in its
wisdom, decide that there was not snf
ficent reason for such suspension. What
then Would that decision restore the
suspended officer The OregoniGn will
not dare say it will. Tie officer is out
in any case, SO that these papers would
be of no use whatever to the Senate in