The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1886-01-27

w SSOdasA6N 0kNs
From Our Regular Correpondent.)
WASHINGTON, d. c.,
January 22nd, 1886.
The skirmishing between Presi-
Cleveland and the Republican Sen.
ators, which has been progressing |
quietly for q week, has now reached
an interesting crisis. One point in
the controversy Is the Presidents
inconsistency. In many ofhis NOM
nations he has violated his profess
ed principles Of Civil Service reform
through competitive examinations
He has made partisan appoint
ments, and has ignored that clause
of the constitution which says the
President shall nominate, and "by
and with the advice Of the Senate"
appoint etc.
How can the Senate advise with
the President In regard to appoint
ments without some interchange Of
views? And how can such an in
terchange be brought about while
large number Of Senators hold that
the Senate has no business to know
anything about the Presidents rea-
sons for making appointments.
This is precisely the situation now.
When the Senate Finance Commit
tee called upon the President to
furnish information IN regard to
certain removals, suspensions, and
appointments Of certain officials the
President instructed his Cabinet to
send to them certain papers on file
in the Departments. But these pa
pers related only to appointments.
Each package Of papers furnished
bore evidence that the documents
bearing on suspension from Office
had been removed and withheld
from the Committee. Each pack
age was accompanied by letter
of transmittal in which the Cabinet
officer stated that he had not been
directed by the President to furnish
any information in regard to the
suspensions from once under Sec
ton l, 1853 Of the Revised Statutes
The Republican Senators Their
took the position that they would
require reasons for the suspensions
from Office and that the Admins
tration should be made to furnish
them. Senator Edmunds made {
long speech on the subject maintain
ing that while the Senate may no
call upon the President to explain
his acts, 1t is justified in asking o
him all information in his posses
sion upon which his acts are based
He said the officials who wer,
suspended and their friends wer
entitled to know what charges wer
made and what influences had beef
.exerted to bring about removal
under an Administration whicl
had repeatedly declared that faith
full officials should be retained Il
Office, and that removals would NO
be made except for cause. The Ser
ator from Vermont declared pos
lively that he would not agree t
the confirmation of the successor {
any suspended oiiicials unless tn
Administration would furnish In
formation on which the Senat
could act intelligently. He was 1
favor OF authorizing each Senat
committee to send for persons an
papers and to bring before it tn
members ofthe Cabinet, If need b,
to ascertain why suspensions ha
been made. He would oppose a
such combinations until there wa
at least extracted from the Admir-
istrati0n the avOwal that 1t had n
information bearing upon sue
cases.
The situation is very puzzling
the Democratic Senators who ca,
Gus on the question "what to dc
about once day. Since the Pres
dent has declined to hold confidel
tial relations with his party in III
Senate, 1t is difficult for the latte
to reach q basis Of harmonious q,
ton. When asked by the Dem,
cratic Senators what he would hay
them do in regard to the action
the Republican Senators and h
nominations, he told them to d
what they thought hest The late,
report from the President is, tn,
he will recede from his position an
furnish all the information desire,
but this report has not yet bee
confirmed.
In the Senate again this wee