The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1886-06-02
THE CONFIRMING POWER.
Views of Governor Hill, of New York, in Re-
gard to the IntoIerabIe Pretensions of
State and National Senates.

NEW YORK, May 31.-The New York
Herald this morning publishes a four
column interview with Governor Hill. In
the course OF the interview the Governor
spoke in regard to the confirming power of
Senates. both State and National, as follows
81 have thought long and deeply on this
whole question. have considered il apart
from any collision between myself and the
Senate of the State, but without considera-
ton of the pretensions of the Federal Senate
in its action against Mr.. Cleveland and other
Presidents. The time hes come for thor
ough sweeping and radical reform. The
oligarchy and aristocracy in our National
system are represented by the Senate of the
United States. The obstacle to homogeneous
and responsible administration in our State
system is the Senate of each State.
In both the cause of intolerable Senatorial
pTetensi0n resides in the confirming power.
The substitute for it should be direct eNecu-
tive appointments, with full right in the
executive to remove for cause at will those
whom he appoints. The Senate, National or
State, has never been an interviewer in this
business except with bad results"
"Can you give some instances?
half century ago the Federal Senate,
for reasons of partisan rancor, rejected a
great New \ orker as Minister to England.
The people elected him President as a re-
buke to his rejectors. Half decade ago the
fiji al result OF the play of violent passions
between the Senate and the President, on
the latter's selections of his own agents. was
The assassination of the Chief Magistrate.
The cor firmlDg power has been used always
only to be abused. 1t does not reject bad
men, it IT jects goou men to keep bad men
in. IL does not work as a help or enlighten-
ment to the President or Governor. IL
works as ball and chain on both. II makes
Senators Office brokers, and Executives the
bondsmen of such Office brokers.
The duty OF Executives is ad-
ministrative. They should have
the right to appoint ana remove their agents
in administration. The business of Senates
is participation in legislation. They should
be free to attend to it. Now they claim in
effect to be Assistant Presidents and Assist
ant Governors and seek to make elected
Presidents and elected Governors subject to
them. Presidents are chosen by the people
indirectly, but really Federal Senators are
chosen by iubsidiary elections in State Legis-
latures. SenateS are not amenable to public
opinion, for it can not aeach them. They
use the confirming power to abuse it, to
strengthen, rnd at times to enrich them
selves in that satire on all free and respon-
sible Governments kGown as secret sessions,
a menace and an abominatiOn to decency
and liberty. On the ruins of The Courtesy
of.tbe Senate let us build the rights of the
people ard crown them with the principle
of the freedom and RESPONSIBILITY of the
executive whom they elect to do their will
and who shall have the power to do il
through agents of their number selected by
himself. / trust this will be made an issue
by the Democratic party in its next National
platform"