Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-01-29
GENERAL NEWS.
SENATOR SHERMAN on THE Sill.
YER QUESTION:.
Proceedings in Congress-The Ohio
Deadlock-Clevel Gland and the
Senate-F'Oreign Facts
DOMESTIC.
The President and senat,

WASHINGTON, January 2Ith.-The Pres
ideit's attitude of antagonism toward the
Edmunds resolution remains unchanged.
He holds that Presidents are like other
men-in the exercise OF the appointing
power they are frequently actuated by mo-
lives and influenced by considerations
which, unless actually corrupt or criminal,
are, to put it bluntly, nobody else's bust
ness. Of course, if it We're responsibly
charged that the President had been bribed
to make any given nomination, it would
become competent for the Senate to investi-
gate the charge, but in that case the pro-
ceedings would take the form of an i'm
parchment. and the Senate would sit as
High Court. 1t is understood that the Pres
ldent takes the ground that, as long as no
such charge is made, the Senate has no
right 10 go further than to ascertain the
fitness or unfitness of the nominee on his
own merits. The President holds that his
responsibility is to the people who elected
him, and that the jurisdiction to Judge as
to the propriety or fidelity of the discharge
of his duty is to the high tribunal of public
opinion, and not to the Senate.
THE ISSUE FORCED.
WASHINGTON, January 2Sth-The issue
between the President and the Senate, re-
garding the authority of the latter TO de-
departments of the Government for the
suspension of certain Federal officers and
the appointment of their successors, was
made up in the Cabinet meeting to-day.
The Senate Judiciary Committee last Mon
day adopted resolution calling upon the
Attorney-General for the papers on file in
the Department of Justice relative
to the suspension of George NJ.
Duskin, to be District Attor-
ney for the Southern District
of Alabama, the manner in which the of
| flee had been conducted, and touching the
appointment of John ID. Burnett as his
successor. Mr.. Garland referred the request
of the committee to the President, and, in
accordance with the instructions received
by him at the Cabinet meeting last Tues
day, prepared an answer that he read to
the Cabinet to-day. The reply was ap-
proved, and will be sent to the Senate to-
morrow. The Attorney-Generafs letter is
| said to be brief and TO the point. He re-
fuses fatty to give the information de-
sired. lnaSmuch as the resolution which
asked for the information as to the con-
duct of the office was adopted in
executive session of the Senate, Mr.. Gar
,, land contends that the Senate did not in
tend the inquiry as the basis for any legis-
lative action intended TO improve the
judicial system of the country. If the in
form alton had been desired for the purpose
of throwing light upon the administration
of justice, the committee, in his Judgment,
would have moved the adoption of the res
olution in open Legislative session of the
Senate. Should such Il resolution be
adopted in open executive session, it would
| be open 10 the same objection, because
| there would be no necessity for any execu-
| tive inquiry. On the other hand, should
such a resolution be adopted IN legislative
| session, the Attorney-General would de
| cline to give the information requested. on
| the ground that there is nothing on the
| files relating to the case except papers con-
tanning the reason for the suspension,
| which he had not been directed by the
President to send to the Senate The reply
of the Acknowledgement forces the issue to
q point where the majority in the Senate
must either take measures to compel the
production Of such information regarding
removals and appointments as tine files of
the executive departments offered, or re-
treat from the position the Republicans
have taken.
THE PROSPECT OF CONTEST GROWING
STRONGER.
WASHINGTON, January 23th-The pros
pect of a contest between the Administra-
| ton and the Senate, concerning the control
of the public records, is greater tonight
| than at any previous time. This is due to
the decision of the Cabinet to-day to DENY
| the right of Congress to have access to the
documents on file in the departments. A
prominent Republican Senator said: "If
| the Attorney General undertakes to deny
the right of the Senate to examine public
documents, we shall give him an opportu-
nifty to defend his position. 1t would be
such an extraordinary course, and so entire
ly subversive of the right of Congress, that
am unprep2red to believe the Cabinet
has reached such a decision. If it has.
however, we shall at once pass resolution
lnstructing a committee to investigate all
claims in regard TO the administration of
the office of District Attorney for the
southern district of Alabama, with power
10 send for persons and pipers. We shall
then subpoena the Attorney General. and
direct him to produce the papers. If he
attempts to shield himself by the puerile
plea that the papers are in the possession
OF the President, then we may or NAV not
go further in the matter"
Senator Sherman's Silver Bill.
WASHINGTON, January 2Sth.-Senator
Sherman offered a bill in the Senate to-day
which will undoubtedly command the at
tention of men of all shades of opinion
upon the silver question. at contains
three plain propositions" said Senator
Sherman, tonight, in conversation with
your correspondent upon the subject of his
bill. First, it provides for the suspen-
sion of the coinage of silver dollars: sec
ondly, it empowers the Secretary of the
Treasury to purchase not less than 100000
nor more than 100000 ounces of silver
and it provides for the ISSUE in payment
therefor, of coin certificates of not less
than $40 each: the bullion to remain in the
treasury as security for the certificates.
These certificates, while not made legal
tenders, are made receivable for all Gus
toms duties and taxes, and will circulate
and be redeemable just the same as United
States notes. l believe that this bill
is one which will commend itself
even to the silver men, when they come TO
examine its provisions carefully. 1t en-
bodies.th same views that | presented to
the Chamber of Commerce of San Fran
cisco. When | went there they said was
a goldite banker, and under the influence
of bankers, and many other hard things.
but the day after made speech the news
papers were at loggerheads in regard to me,
tor they could not agree as to whether |
was monometallist or bi-metallist. | be-
lieve, if this bill passes, it will relieve us
of the present danger by suspending the
coinage of the present silver dollar; that it
will advance the price of silver and in
crease the ratio of international exchange"
Mr.. Sherman said that it was not difficult
TO handle the volume of silver that we now
| have for there is only about $4,000, 900 sill
yer dollars now in circulation, the balance
being in the vaults of the Treasury. This
bullion would remain in possession of the
Treasury, as security for the coin certifi-
Gates, and for the purchase OF bullion no
money would be paid out. 1t
would be bought at the gold standard,
and the Government would maintain
that standard. If the price of silver bullion
advanced, the Government would reap the
benefit OF that advance. At present he does
not think there is any necessity for contin-
uing the coinage of silver dollars. but if
more shall be wanted hereafter, the bullion
can be utilized, and the dollars then coined
would be of honest, actual value, contain
ing dollars worth of silver, and not
eighty cents worth. These certificates re-
move the distinction between gold and sill
ver-are simply coin certificates. and are
redeemable in either coin that may be de-
sired. The present silver certificates are
redeemable only in silver dollars, but the
certificates provided for in Senator sSher
mans bill may be redeemable in either
gold or silver bullion, or gold or silver coin.
at the option of the holder, for though they
are issued for the purchase of silver bull