The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1886-02-06
THE PRESIDENT AND THE SENATE.

Although great deal Of time and talk
has been given this week To- the subject OF
the president and the Senate" and the lat
ter's demand for "the presidents mental
reasons for removals." and also in spite OF
the clustering OF certain senators that they
would have these reasons, there is ample
evidence that the Senate is prepared tC
back water, and let the subject drop and be
quietly forgotten.
| After all, the whole matter was but an
exhibition Of craftsmanship on the part of
Senator Elmrnds and the republican ma
jority as questionable as TO the partisansbip
the president is alleged to have exhibited
In making the removals. II is not to lie
believed the controversy would have arisen
had the President been republic and
made similar removals. In that case re
movals would have been accepted as "a
matter of course, and SUGGESTIONS con
tirmeu. The right of removal is clearly a
constitutional one, and one, too, exerted by
the whole line Of republican presidents
without question, and VIGOROUSLY In many
cases for purely party purposes And
what was the demandY Simply that the
president give reasons for removal II
does not appear that these reasons were to
have been used for the purpose of reject
Ing nominations. If what the republican
press says be true, the Senate majority say
simply If the President will say the remOv-
ais have been for political purposes, sue
cessors will be confirmed without objec-
ton, except on grounds of personal charac-
ter; If for cause, then the cause must be-
shown, in spite Of the fact that the disclos-
ure Of tho cause might blast the reputation
of many of their own friends Summed
up, the aceion was merely an attempt to
lay trap 80 catch the administration, if
possible, in a violation of its civil service
pledges into which the President, standing
on his rights and leaving the senate TO its
right OF approval or rejection of nomina
tons, has failed TO put his foot
The immediate effect of the controversy
has been to Sthen the union of the Pres
ident and his pa.'y. Republican senators
freely admit he has been singularly mode
cate in his exercise of the power Of remov-
al fact that had clearly tendency TO
weaken his hold on his party, many of
whom were not content TO wait for the
natural succession Of democrats To offices
held now by republicans As nearly all
preside ntial" offices are for terms of four
years lt becomes merely question of
time before all may or shall be filed 10y
democrats; but this change is slow to the
eager, AMI the President, In holding back
appointments until natural vacancies have
occurred, which In the end would, by the
creation Of very desirable precedent, be
Of great benefit TO the country, had disap-
pointed many of his political friends and
caused feeling of Indifference, which the
beach with the republican majority rapidly
healed over, the democratic senators heart,
lily endorsing the Presidents action when
the Issue WAS fairly joined.
Another effect has been the discussion
of the value Of the olG.time privilege of
the Senate 10 consider nominations In sec.
ret or executive" session. II the issue
with the President were TO amount 10 any
thing the executive session would have 10
be abolished. The Senate could not try
the rresIden; In secret. That would be
absurd. senator Logan was the first TO
suggest open sessions, but his original mo-
ton was so vigorously opposed it was with.
drawn The subject would not down."