Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1886-03-02

THE PRESIDENT AND THE SENATE.

THE PRESIDENT AND THE SENATE.
The President on yesterday sent to the
Senate special message in which he gives
his reasons for declining to comply with the
demand Of the Senate for papers relating to
the suspension of certain Federal officials,
and taking the ground that PAPERS relating
to suspensions from Office are not official
papers. He says:
s'The letter of the Attorney General in
response to the resolution of the Senate in
the particular case mentioned in the COM
mittee's report was written at my sugges-
ton and by my direction. There had been
no official papers or documents sled in his
department relating to the case within the
period specified in the resolution. The let
ter was intended, by its description of the
papers and documents remaining in the Gus
tody of the department., to convey the idea
that they were not official, and it was
assumed that the resolution called for infor-
nation, papers and documents of the same
character as were required by the requests
ami demands which preceded it,"
Further on he says "While am conssrain-
| ed to deny the right of the Senate to the
papers and documents described, so far as
the right to the same is based upon the
claim that they are in any view of the sub
ect official, am also led unequivocally to
dispute the right of the Senate, by tho aid
| of any documents whatever, or in any way
save through the judicial process of trial On
| impeachment, to review or reverse the act
of the Executive in the suspension, during
the recess of the Senate, of federal officials.
I believe the power to remove or suspend
such officials is vested in the President alone
by the constitution, which in express terms
provides that the executive power shall be
vested in President of the United States
of America and that he shall take care
that the laws be faithfully executed "
Aud the message conclude as follows ::
"The requests and demands which by the
score have for nearly three months been
presented to the different departments OF
the government, whatever may be their
form, have but one complexion. They as.
sumo the right OF the Senate to sitin judgment
upon the exercise of my exclusive discre.
ton and executive function, for which l
am solely responsible to the people from
whom have 80 lately received the sacred
trust of Office. lily oath to support and de-
fend the constitution, my duty to the peo-
ple who have chosen me to execute the
bowers of their great Office and not to relin.
quish them, and my duty to the chief mag.
istracy, which must preserve unimpaired
in oil its dignity and vigor, compel me to
refuse to comply with these demands.
! ITO the end that the service may be i'm
proved the Senate is invited to the fullest
scrutiny of the persons submitted 10 them
for public Office in recognition of the copstl-
tutional power of that body to advise and
consent to their appointment. shall con.
tinue, as I have done thus far, to furnish, at
| the request of the confirming body, all the
information possess touching the fitness of
the nominees placed before them for their
action, both when they are proposed to fill
vacancies and to take the place of suspend
ed officials. Upon refusal to confirm
shall not assume the rightto ask the reasons
for the action of the Senate nor question
| its determination. I cannot think that any
thing more is required to secure worthy in
cumbents in public office than a careful and
independent discharge of our respective du-
ties within their well defined limits. r r
ut has been claimed that the present Ex-
ecutive having pledged himself not toremove
officials except for cause, the fact of their
suspension implies such misconduct on the
part of suspended official as Injuries his
character and reputation, and therefore the
Senate should review the case for his vindi.
cation.
Every pledge which I have mad e by
which have placed limitation upon my
exercise of executive power has been faith.
| fully redeemed. Of course the pretense is
not put forth that no mistakes have been
committed; but not q suspension has been
made except it appeared to my satisfaction
that the public welfare would DO improved
thereby. Many applications for suspension
have been denied, and the adherence to the
rule laid down to govern my action ss to
such suspensions has caused much irritation
and impotence on the part of those who
have insisted upon more changes in the
Offices.
1.-THE pledges l have made were made TO
the people, and TO them l am responsible
for the manner in which they have been re-
deemed. I am not responsible to the Senate,
and I am unwilling to submit my acliors
and official conduct to them for judgment.
"There are no grounds for an allegation
that the fear of being found false to my pro-
LESSONS influences me in declining to sub
NIT to the demands of the Senate. | have
not constantly refused to suspend officials,
and thus incurred the displeasure of polit-
ca friends, and yet wifuly broke faith
with the people for the sake of being false
| to them.
Neither the discomfort of party friends
nor the allurements constantly offered OF
| combinations OF appointees conditioned up
on the avewal that suspensions have been
made on party grounds alone, nor the threat
proposed. in the resolutions now before The
Senate that no combinations will be made
unless the demands of that body be COM
piled with, are sufficient to discourage or
deter me from following in the way which
am convinced leads to better government
for the people"
The Manassas Mails Again.
CATHARPIN, Va, March 1, 1856.
II IL L., A LIZ