The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1886-02-26
CLEvELAKD,s OPPORTUNITY.

The utter righteousness of the atti- |
tude of that wing of the Republican /
Senate thBt follows the Edmunds lead 1
is shown in the proposition 1t makes !
that under related circumstances ''it is !
the duty of the Ser ate to refuse its ad- /
vice and consent to the proposed Iemov- /
ais of officers, the documents and pa
pers in reference to the supposed official
OF personal misconduct of whom are
withheld by the Executive or any head
of department, when deemed necessa-
~ by the Senate ard called for in con-
sideriug the matter"
Nowhere in the Constitution, nor in
established and recognized precedent,
is the advice and consent of the Senate,
asked, required or contemplated. With
regard to removals the Senate has
naught to say or do. It may reject ap-
pointees arbitrarily for one cause or
another, for conscientious or partisan
motive, and the pTopriety or indeceDcy
of its motive is not 20 be called in ques-
tiOn by any authority except public
opinion. But iJ has DO power to chal-
lenge removals, and this was never
mere forcibly illustrated than when
Garfield hurled out the civil service re-
| formers whom Hayes had put into the
/ New York custom house, and supplanted
| them with Blaine men, simply because
| they were Blaine men. The Senate
refused to reject the appointees because
| their predecessors had been removed
| without cause.
Mr.. Cleveland now has the great op-
/ portunity of his term. He can defy the
| Senate and command the homage of
the people. What they like above all
things is pluck, especially when he who
shows it is right. The Senate has of
late years made itself more and more
unpopular by eDcToaching, on one side,
upon the prerogatives of the House and
on the other, upon the rights of the Ex-
ecutive. The body IS constituted on q
principle that is not as popular as it
once was a good many Of its members
are mere money bags, and some of those
who lead in its councils are recognized as
cold and crafty old fellows, without
heart or conscience. Nothing would
delight the people Of the country more
than to see good strong man set them
at defiance.
The Democratic party will solidIy
book up their President in the assertion
of his right to remove their enemies for
political reasons. as rapidly as he can
without injury to the public service.
Their chief complaint is his tardiness
10 doing this. His leniency and consci.
entious care are repaid by the hypocrit-
ical pTetense of such men as Edmuuds
and Sherman for different system oi
civil service. The Democracy see that
it is a mere game to keep their retain
ers in place and to divide and demoral
ize the Democracy. A great many
straight-out, but broad-minded anC
practical Republicans see it in the same
|, light, and the heart of great majority
, of the people is with Mr.. Cleveland il
his contest with the Senate.
IF he will stand firm in his present
pO O3ition if he will promptly reappoIn
every nominee who is rejected becaus,
the Serate does not get reasons for tn,
removal Of his predecessor and if h'
) will now proceed to turn out of offic,
= every man who was put into it becsus
he was a Republican, Mr.. Cleveland
= will be supported heartily by ninety
2 nine per cent. of his own party; he viii
= command the respect of very laTg
t element Of the opposition he win prov
J himself a great man for a great occa
sion. and he will enjoy a measure o
popularity such as no President ha
{ / commanded since Andrew Jackso
? grappled with the money changers an
= uDhorsed the Congressional bulidoZeIs
3 Lancaster IltelLjgencer.