The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1886-03-12
THE RIGHT OF REMOVAL.


report Of the Senate judiciary Committee
or the Dustin case Is three or four times a.
long Is the majority report, and cmbodies
no resolutions. NJ. Pugh asked that the
report be printed and placed on the calen-
dar, and 1t was not read in the Senate. The
report says that when President Cleveland
came into Office he found about 95 per cent
Of the Offices filed by Republicans appointed
as reward for party services. The party IA
whom The President owed his nomination
and ls.tion had been exiled from all partici-
patton in the civil administration Of the Gov
eminent for nearly quarter of century, and
the frienos and supporters Of the President
made application for q redistribution Of
the public trusts. No other President had
ever been subject TO such severe trial OF
had % many grave difficulties, and no Other
had such an abundant supply of valid rea-
sons and causes urging him to the free ex-
ercise of his power of removal from Fed
eral offices and no other ever resisted with
more fairness the just claims of his sup
pOrters, or used the power of removal more
cOnscientiousy. Notwithstanding these
facts, ESQ communications have been sent
to the Senate in suspension cases and have
been allowed to remain before the commit
tee without consideration and final DISPOSE
ton.
NOT PUBLIC DOCUMENTS.
Stripped to the naked truth without any
special pleading, the case made for the Sril-
ate on their resolution and answer of the
Attorney General is whether the Senate has
right to the demand Of the Attorney Gem
eral transmission against the order OF the
President Of paper or document Of the de-
scriptiOn mentioned In the resolution. when
that paper or document is stated in refusal
to relate exclusively to the removal of Dus-
tin by the President and for that
reason alone is not open to ill.,
spectiOa by the Senate. The President
holds that it is not public document, and
there is no doubt that his decision must be
accepted as conclusive. The minority al.
mits that all public documents relat-
ing to any subject over which Congress
has power are subject to call, but denies
the right to demand documents relat-
ing exclusively TO removals or suspensions
The only rightful custodian of such papers
is the President. The demand, says the re-
port, in the present case upon the Attorney
General necessarily implies that in the
judgment of the majority of the committee
the Senate has the same power over reinOy.
ais that it has over appointments. There is
no escape from this crucial test of who is
in the right in this controversy, the Senate
or the President
THE MINORITY SURPRISED.
The minority expresses surprise at the
appearance iE the majority report of tho
resolution relating to the preference of APP
pointing h0norabIy discharged sOidiers and
sailors and asks by what authority such q
resolution was reported and what it has to
do with the Dustin case. The information
Of the minority is that Dustin never was a
Union soldier, but on the contrary was either
a COnfederat soldier or sympatIiiZer, and
they believe the intent of the resolution was
10 secure political and partisan advantage.
The report concludes as follows: THE in.
evitable result is to arraign President Cleve-
land and try him by the Senate with an un-
friendly political majority for making sus-
pen siOns in alleged violation of his public
pledges and promises not to ma Ike removals
Or suspensions except for cause. President
Cleveland's promises and pledges are part
Ut the published history of the country,
and for their faithful performances he de-
Mes his responsibility to the Senate, and
stands ready for trial by the people. lie
lid make the promise that during the
erIn of civil officer he would
rot suspend or remove him for the
sole reason that he was Republican.
Merely being Republican. if he had been
anil was capable, faithful and efficient of
ctT, tine President declared lie would not
'eg ard as sufficient cause. But II such Off
.er while in Office had used its power, or in
iuence, or emOluments to promote the Or
,anizatiOn and success of his party by at
ending conventions and making himself
active as partisan In elections, the Presi-
lent has declared such conduct and action
~ any incumbent, however capable, as a
rotation of the spirit of the law declaring
hat civil Office is public trust, for public
Uses and not to he employed as an element
>; power in party elections, and that such
Oi,duct would be treated as o sufficient
anSo Tor suspension.
THE PRESIDENTS POSITION.
1.-THE President declines to submit volun-
arily to the decisions Of the tribunal hav-
ng no jurisdiction az to the sufiiciency Of
uch cause for suspensions, especially when
lis fear is that such conduct in the officer
night be regarded by the Republican ma
Ority as reason for the retention of the
In Office. The President will
lever avoid trial by The people for the
xercise of any of his powers or the dis
barge Of any of his official duties, as he
will have fair tribunal on the whOi..
ruth, but he declines obedience to any un
awful summons u trial under usurped
by an unfriendly tribunal Oh mere
'apers and documents relating exclusively
o suspensions, and containing in neary
very case only q partial statement of the
auses, facts and reasons for his official act
f Suspension. In large majority of ths
asses OF suspension, as the minority are
the President had information
to him orally, by persons
Onsidered reliable, which it would be
mpOssible for him to remember or repro
uce in every case so as to put the Senate
n possession of all the facts which gov.
rned him in the suspension. if the Senate
lad the authority under the Con- ttutiOn or
Avs of the United States TO call him To an
ccount. In conclusion, the minority of our
are gratilied at being able to
tate that when the Democrats had a ma
Drity in the Senate no such spectacle as
hat now exhibited to the country was ever
in tile history of its proceedings"
The report is signed by James L. Pugh,
.ichard Coke. George IL. Vest ami Howell
. jackson.
The French papers have been filed
nth stories more or less apocryphal
bout the late Mr.. Vanderbilt and his
purchases in Paris. One tale il to the