Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-03-13

TIE DEBATE ON THE MATTER OF sUs-
PENSIONS AND REMOVALS.
Another Very Lively Day in the Senate
The Speech Of Mr.. Kenua, of
West Virginia.
WASHINGTON, March 10, 1856.
The Seuato.

TO California.
The Chair then placed before the
Senate the resolution reported from the
judiciary Committee on the relations
between the President and the Senate
as TO the right Of the Senate to have
papers and information relating to sus-
pensions from Office.
Mr. Kenna took the floor and ad-
dress, ed the Senate in opposition TO the
report Of the majority Of the commit
tee. lie said he was struck, as he had
no doubt others were, with the an0ma-
lies which characterized the proceed
iDgs OF the Senate on the 9th day OF
this month. The Senator from Yer
mont, who, whether II he fact or not,
vas recognized by the country as the
father of this entire movement Of OBJ
struction 10 the Executive power, had
occupied the floor FOR some two or
three hours. lie bad done so with the
capacities all knew him to possess.
lie had made, il WAS to be presumed,
as the country expected he would make,
issues involved in this controversy.
lie had argued with elaboration and
great skill issues Of his own creation,
and had come to confront the member
ship Of the Senate, as well as the Amerl-
can people, with the proposition very
chndidly and frankly stated in the early
part Of his discourse. He MIR. kennal
would take the issue as that Senator had
stated it. Is this body, as part and
parcel. q coordinate branch Of this
Government, entitled to call upon the
Executive Department, in any one Of its
forms or divisions. for and to receive IN
return such documents and papers as
come within the definitions Of pnblic
and official papers as laid down by the
Senator from Vermont; That, as a
primary proposition, was the Issue in
yolyed here to-day.
The speaker here read from the
speech of Senator Edmunds that por-
ton which declares in substance that
any paper written TO an officer Of the
Government upon which official action
is based or designed to influence official
action is apublic paper. and illustrated
his theory by suppo,ing letter to have
been addressed to the President pro
ttmyore Of the Senate.
Continuing. Mr.. Kenna said that pri-
Darily the Senator from Vermont, on
that definition Of what constitutes an
official paper, had defined for himself the
Senate, and the country, the issues upon
which We were now COntending. Ii
the papers were addressed to the Presi-
dent pro temporc m his official capacity,
that fact alone, according the Senator
from Vermont, made it an official paper
to which every department official Of
this great Government was entitled.
IL might come from a PattowattOmie
Indian, signed in his native dialect, in
yolylng the remote contingency OF the
sCslpipg Of officers and members Of the
Senate. and yet according to this deli
milton II was an official paper.
The Senator from Vermont had
proceeded to misunderstanding
his theories to be co-rect-that the
Senate had the right to go into every
department Of the Government-to the
White House, the Treasury, the War,
and State Observation-Disclosures acting
in executive OF open session, ransack.
inc the archives Of these various de-
partments, and wringiug from them
papers coming within the definition he
had reared; yet the very mOckery Of
this situation seemed by some proyi-
dental interpOsition to exhibit itself
within the moment after he had con-
Guided. Nc sooner had the honorable
Senator taken his seat than, as
IS customary in the Senate, some
senator moved that the Senate
proceed to the consideration Of eXecu-
tive business, and the bells which were
arranged for the convenience OF mem
bers of the Senate began to tlnglc
throughout the Capitol. The body of
gentlemen, composing part OF the CO.
ordinate branch of the Government,
having listened 10 the argument which
undertook to say that all mankind
should have have no secret from the
Senate. was admonished by the ringing
of bells that the time had come
that the Senate would put on
its robes OF royal purple. Five
thousand brave men and ( ir women were
expelled from the galleries. The eyes
Of the American press were closed,
the doors ratified and sentincls took
their posts. and as q fitting testimony
at the conclusion Of the speech Of the
Senator from Vermont the Senate vas
resolved into It's ancient secrecy; and As
the files marched out and the officers
assumed their posts as guards of the
sacred privileges Of the Senate-ie-
MED everywhere else-the thought came
how abundantly practices may engraft
themselves upon the human compost
ton. and how little reflection, perhaps,
the members of the Senate had
given TO the fact that for a hun
bred years or more the body
had been the Star.chamber Of the
American republic. Why, the Senator
from Vermont would deny privacy or
confidence TO every paper IN every de-
partment of the Government. Let it
he seen where that might lead. Sop
pose some respectable citizen, OF some
vile man, protiting by the suggestion OF
the Senator from Vermont, should
choose to address letter 10 the Presi-
dent pro fempoye Of the Senate de-
clariDg that the question involved in
this debate was purely moot question;
that nobody supporting It had any faith
in it; that It was only third or fourth
suggestion Of a change Of the position
and status occupied by those advancing
t since the beginning Of the con-
troyersy, and urging the President
pro tempore to advocate i. on the
theory that il might prove 10 be
a profitable makesh,ft 10 maintain IN
their present positions hundred
thousand Republican oilice-holders.
and TO prostitute to party ends the
present Executive Department OF the
Government. That might be vile; II
might come from ayile source and yet,
under the defnition of This iseDe la