Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1886-03-11

dent had the privilege of presenting to
the body which assumed to review his
acts his reasons therefor, instead of being
excluded from explanation or judged by
papers found in the departments.
ssTwo years after the law of 1867 was
passed, and within less than FIVE weeks
after the Inauguration of President, in
political accord with both branches of
Congress, the sections of the act regulat-
ing suspensions from Office during the re-
cess of the Senate were entirely de-
feated, and in their place were
substituted provisions which, instead OF
limiting the causes of suspension to
misconduct, crime, disability or dis
qualification, expressly permitted, such
suspension by the President in his discre-
ton, and completely abandoned the re-
ouirement obliging him to report to the
Senate the evidence and reasons for his
actions.
ssWith these notifications, and with
all branches of the Government in polit-
ical harmony, and in the absence of parti-
san incentives to captious obstruction,
the law as it was left by the amendment
of 1869 was much less destructive of ex-
ecutive discretion, and yet the great
General and patriotic citizen who on the
4th of March, 1863: assumed the duties
of chief Executive, and for whose freer
administration of his high Office the most
hateful extremes of the law OF
1867 were on the 9Th day OF
April, 1869, removed, mindful of his
obligation to defend and protect every
prerogative of his great trust and appre-
hensive of injury to the public service
in the continued operation of these stat
utes, even in their modified form, in his
first message to Congress advised their
repeal on account of their unconstitution-
al character and hurtful tendency, in this
language: 1t may be well to mention
here the embarrassments possible to
arise from leaving on the statute books
the so-called Tenure of Office act,
and to earnestly recommend their
total repeal? 1t could not
have been the intention of the trainers
of the Constitution when providing that
appointments made by the President
should receive the consent of the Senate,
that the Senate should have the power to
retain in office persons placed there by
Federal appointment against the will of
the President. The law is inconsistent
with faithful and efficient administra-
ton of the Government. What faith can
an executive put in officials forced upon
him. and those, too, whom he has sus-
pended for reason? How will such of
uClalS DC likely 10 SeINe all duiulHlStId-
ton which they know does not trust
them?
81 am unable to state whether or not
this recommendation for repeal of
these laws has been since complied with.
If it has not, the reason can probably
be found in the experience which de-
monstrated the fact that the necessities
of the political situation but rarely de-
veloped their vicious character. And
SO it happens that after an existence of
nearly twenty years of almost innocu-
Gus disuetude, these laws are brought
forth, apparently the repealed as well as
the unrepealed, and put in the way of an
Executive who is willing, if permitted, to
attempt an Improvement in the meth
DDS of administration.
"The constitutionality of the law is by
no means admitted. But why should the
quired specific cause for suspension as
part of the report to the Senate 'of evil
dence and reasons be now in effect ap-
piled to the present Executive, instead of
the law afterward passed and unrepealed,
which distinctly permits suspensions by
the President, in his discretion, and care
fully omits the requirement that evidence
and reasons for his action in the
case shall be reported to
the Senate. The requests and demands
which, by the score, have for nearly three
been presented to the different
of the Government, what
ever may be their form, have but one
They assume the right of
exercise of my exclusive discretion and
executive function, for which I am solely
to the people from whom
have so lately received the sacred trust
of office.
s'To the end that the service may be inn
proved, the Senate is invited to the fullest
scrutiny of the persons submitted to them
for confirmation. I shall continue, as
have thus far done to furnish at the re-
quest of the confirming body all the in
formation possess touching the fitness
of the nominees placed before them for
their action, both when proposed to
ill vacancies and to take the
places of suspended officials. Upon
the right to demand the reasons for the
action of the Senate, nor question it's de-
1 can not believe that any
thing more is required to secure worthy
in public office than a care
jul and independent discharge of the re-
spective duties within their defined
limits.
"Though the propriety of suspensions
night be better assured If the action of
The President was subject to review by the
Senate, yet if the Constitution and the
avs have placed this responsibility upon
he Executive branch of the Government,
t should not be divided, nor the discre-
ion which it involved relinquished.
'It has been claimed that the present
Executive, having pledged himself not to
.onnva 0ff;ci aycanf for cauSa tho fort
If their suspension implies such miscon-
luct on the part of a suspended officer as
INJURIES his character, and, therefore, the
Senate should review the cause for his
I have said that certain Of |
icials should not, in my opinion, be re-
moved during the continuance of the |
ERIN for which they were appoint |
ID solely for the purpose |
# putting in their place those in |
POLITICAL affiliation with the appointing |
'ower, and this declaration was imme- |
lately followed by description of off,
ial partisanship which ought not to |
ntitle those in whom it was exhibited |
o consideration 1t is not apparent how |
n adherence to the course thus an
carries with it the conse-
uences described. If in any degree
he suggestion is worthy of con-
liberation, it is to be hoped |
hat there be defense against unjust
in the justice of the Execu-
i've. Every pledge which have made
y which have placed limitation upon
ny exercise of executive power, has been
aithfully redeemed. OF course the pre-
ense is not put forth that no mistakes |
ave been committed, but not suspen-
ion has been made except it appeared to
~ satisfaction that the public welfare |
Tould be improved thereby.