National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-03-13

pointed in their expectations IN regard 10
the performances yesterday Of "the
youngest Democratic senatorn The gal
leries. were well filed in spite Of
the inclemency Of the day, aud q nuns
Der Of members OF the House occupied
sehtson the floor Of the Senate, near the
position Of the speaker. About one-hnlf OF
the Republicans and all Of the Democratic
senator's, ne we'll as the large audience in
the galleries, listened attentiyely through
out the entire two aud one-hnlf hours OF
Mr.. Kepna's speech.
During the fret hour the interest seemed
only quiescent, but thereafter the senator
continued 10 strengthen his hold upon his
hearers, and, In various ways, they eyineed
the unmistakable pleasure which he af-
forded them, as well by his manner Of ham
ding the subject Of HIS discourse as by the
interesting, pertinent material which he had
al hand. Notwithstanding threats by the
chair 10 clear the galleries, there were nu-
merous repetitions Of suppressed applause
during the progress Of the speech, espe-
cially In appreciation of thepoints made by
Mr.. Kenna against Messrs. Edmunds and
Sherman, chief among which were those
growing out Of comments upon Mr.. Ed
munds by Mr.. Blaine, which Mr.. Kenna
read with effect from the second volume OF
Mr.. Blaine's "Twenty Years Of Congress-"
Al LIlt CODCluklOn vi lib IeInHThb MT
Kenna was heartily congratulated by his
colleagues, and by several members Of the
House and other gentlemen who were on
the floor at the moment.
Mr.. Kenna spoke in opposition TO the
report Of the majority from the COM
mittee on the Judiciary on the relations
between the President and the Senate as to
the right Of the Senate to have papers and
information relating TO suspensions from
Office.
Mr.. Kenpa said he was struck, as he had
no doubt others were, with the anomalies
which characterized the proceedings OF the
Senate on the 9th day Of this month. The
senator from Vermont, who, whether It be
fact or not, was recognized by the country
rs the father OF this entire movement OF OBJ
struction to executive power, had occupied
the floor for some two on three hours. He
had done so with the capacities all knew
him 10 possess He had made, as was to be
presumed, as the country expectedhe would
make, all that could be mado OF tho Issues
involved In this controversy. He had ar
gued with elaboration and great skill
had come to confront the membership
Of the Senate as well as the
American people with q proposition very
candidly and frankly stated In the early
part Of his discourse. He (Mr. Kenna)
would take the issue as that senator had
stated it. Is this body as part and parcel
AS CO ordinate branch Of the government
entitled to call upon the executive depart.
ment In any one Of its forms or divisions
for, and 10 receive in return, such documents
and papers as come within the definition Of
public and official papers, as laid down by
the senator from VermontS That, as a pri-
mary proposition, was the Issue involved
here to-day. The speaker here read from
the speech OF Senator Edmunds that portion
which declares, In substance, that any paper
written to an officer of the government upon
which official action 10 based, ordesigned to
influence official action, is public paper,
and illustrating his theory by supposing a
letter to have been addressed TO the presl-
dent pro tempore OF the Senate.
The senator from Vermont had proceeded
todemonstrate, assuming his theories to be
correct, that the Senate had right to &c
into every department Of the government
to the white house, Treasury, War, and
State Departments, whether acting In ex
ecutive or open session, ransaclSing thu
archives Of these various departments and
wringing from them papers coming within
the definition he had read; and yet yer,
mockery of this situation seemed by som,
providential interposition to exhibit itsel
within q moment after he had concluded
No sooner had the honorable senator taker
his seat than, as is customary In the Senate
some senator moved that the Senate pro
GGeu W tub VI CACCutlNC Duoi
ness, and the bells which were arranged TO
the convenience of members OF the Senat,
began to tingle throughout the capitol.
body Of gentlemen, composing q part OF
coordinate branch of this government, hav
ing listened to the argument, which under
took to say that all mankind should hhv
no secret from the Senate, was admonishet
by that ringing of bells that the time ha,
come that the Senate would put on 1t
robes OF royal purple. Five thousani
brave men and fair women were expelle
from the galleries. The eyes OF the Amer
can press were closed. The doors rattle
and sentinels took their posts, and, as
fitting testimony at the conclusion of th
speech of the senator from Vermont, tn
Senate was resolved into its ancient secrecy
and as the files marched out and the officer
assumed their posts as guards OF the sacre
privileges Of the Senate, and denied every
where else, the thought came how abuT
dainty practices may engraft themselve
upon the human composition, and ho'
little reflection, perhaps, members of tn
Senate had given to the fact that for hur
bred years or more the body had been Oh
star chamber Of the American republic.
Mr.. Kenna then quoted from the lar
guage Of the majority report Of the CON
mittee, and from Mr.. Edmunds's receu
speech, to the effect that President Andre,
jackson, like all his predecessors and lik
and did, give TO both houses of Congress
every information that they, ever called fol
except the instance Of President Washing
ton, who while treaty was pending befor
the Senate was called on by the House 10
papers and information about 1t, whic
President Washington had declined 80
obvious groundso TO funieh.
Mr.. Kenna cited many occurrences, an
proceeded at length to controvert the stat,
ments In the majority report. He quote
from message Of President Grant to I'll
House Of Representatives, dated May
1876, declining TO furnish certain informs
ton, which, he said, related exclusively I
the sexeeutive function. He also read
letter from Mr.. Sherman when Secretary (
the Treasury relating TO the removal Of N
Arthur from the eollectorship OF New Yorl
the letter being addressed TO Mr.. Conklin
as chairman of Senate committee. In Thu
letter Mr., Sherman said that to make of
cial reply would compel him to discloi
matters contained In papers Of a confidei
tial character filed In the department an
require him TO discuss questions ''total
immaterial to the nominations sent TO d
Senate;n also, that ''no law requires u
President to give reasons,n &c.
Mr., Kenna stated that communication
had been made over aud over again durln
this session Of the Senate, by the .presel
executive department touching matters II
volved in this controversy. The senate
from kentucky (Mr. Becky and from
diana (Mr. Voorhees) knew OF cases fro
their state, and Mr., Kenna knew of a ca
from his own state as to which calls b,
been made by the Senate touching the CO
duct OF an office before the present incur
bents assumed their functions, and the p
pers were sent TO the Senate rs the Exec
tive had a right to send them, on reques
but that fact had nothing TO do with Il
settlement OF the issue before the Senat
After citing other illustrations Mr.. KEN
stated what he believed to be the simp
truth, The issue after all was whether
Democratic administration should apr
pdRtely perform its functions in the face
q negative, obstructive majority on Z