Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-02-18
THE PRESIDENT AND THE SENATE

The issue is now squarely joined be-
tween the Senate and the President The
latter notifies the former that all public
documents fled in any Of the departments
are open to the inspection of the Senate
But he makes the point that private letters
addressed to him or his Cabinet officers,
relative to removals and appointments,
are to be classed with the personal rea-
sons and judgment actuating the President
in appointing or removing, and are not
proper subjects for inquiry or inspection
on the part of the Senate, and will not be
disclosed to it. At first glance there would
appear to be strength in this position.
Certainly the President must believe the
attitude he assumes to be well fortified.
He is an independent officer, representing
an Independent branch of the govern
mental system, with certain rights and
powers as such, upon which the legislative
branch of government may not obtrude
But the President appoints with the con-
sent and approval of the Senate. There
are two essentials to the act of installa-
tion-the nomination by the President.
which is his prerogative; the approval or
confirmation by the Senate The act thus
becomes joint, and on this basis rests the
s'aim of the Senate to be as fully informed
as is its joint partner in the act, relative
to the fitness of the nominee. Where the
nominee displaces an officer, there are
either material reasons for the removal, or
else it is simply the pleasure of the NOM
mating authority. And here is the hitch
What is the relation of removal to appoint
ment? Are they so closely interviewer
that the Senate is justified in inquiring
why a nomination is made to an office
already filled, or is its act of approval or
confirmation limited to inquiry into
the fitness of the nominee and the
policy of confirming him? The
Senate holds, that as removal
is the cause of nomination, the two acts are
proper for its consideration, and hence it
Is entitled to all information on the subject
possessed by the nominating officer. That
this is the deliberate Judgment and fixed
determination of the Senate is clear from
the resolutions adopted by the party of
the majority in caucus, as detailed in our
dispatches to-day. Underlying these dec
larations is clearly to be seen the doctrine
that the President cannot have ori,ote cor
respondence relative to office-vacating and
ofiice-illing that whatever comes to the
Presidential knowledge should, on these
matters, be shared with the coordinate
appointing power, if it demands. The
caucus declarations are: First, that Secre-
tary Garland's reply conveying the Presi-
dents refusal D." is reprehensible," no mat
ter what the motives that prompted it ::
second, that the Senate will refuse to confirm
appointments unless the information asked
for concerning them is given; third. that
the law has been disregarded requiring in
hiling offices by appointment, that pref
ence shall be given to honorably- discharged
Union soldiers and sailors. The issue is
now clearly made, horns have been solidly
locked, and now the country can look on
and await the outcome We believe the
Senate to be in the right. that reason for
tities it's position, and that its view should
be made the rule of the question from this
time forward.