Morning journal and courier., 1886-03-02


 | abandoned the requirement. obliging him to report to the Senate,'' With these modifiea- | tions and with all branches of the govern
 ment in political harmony, and in the ab- l sence of partisan incentive to captious ob | struction, the law as it was left by the amendment of 1869 was much less destruc- l tive of executive discretion, and yet the great general and patriotic citizen who on the 4th day of March, 1869, assumed the duties of chief executive, and for whose free1 administration of his high office the most hateful restraints of the law of 1867 were on the 9th day of April, 1869, removed, mind ful of his obligation to defend and protect every prerogative of his great trust, and ap- prehensive of the injury threatened the pub lie service in the continued operation of these statutes even in their modified form, in his first message to Congress advised their repeal and
 set forth their unconstitutional character and
 hurtful tendency in the following Ian
 guage:
 Ut may be well to mention here the embarrass-
 nent possible to arise from leaving on the statute
 books the so-calied tenure of office acts and to ear neStly recommend their total repeal
 It could not have been the intention of the framsrs of the constitution when providing
 that appointments made by the President should receive the consent of the Senate that the latter should have the power to retain in
 office persons placed there by federal appoint
 ment against the will of the President. The
 
 cient administration of the government. What faith can an executive put in officials
 6o1ced upon him, and these too whom he has
 suspended for reason? How will such officials
 be likely io serve an administration which they know does not trust them? I am
 unable to state whether or not this recom- mendation for repeal of these laws has been since repealed It it has not, the req
 son can probably be found in the experience
 which demonstrated the fact that the neces-
 sitiss of the political situation. but rarely de
 velop their vicious character.
 And so it happens that after an exist ence
 ot nearly twenty years of almost lnnocuous
 desuetude these laws are brought forth, ap.
 parently the repealed as well as the unre-
 pealed, and put in the way of an executive
 who is willing, if permitted, to attempt an improvement in the methods of admin1stra
 tion. The constitution of these laws is by nc means admitted. Why should the provisions of the repealed law which required specific charges for suspension and report to the Senate of evidence and reasons be now IT effect applied to the present executive in, stead of the law afterwards passed and unre pealed which distinctly permits suspensions by the President in his discretion, and care fully omit the requirement. that evidence and reasons for his action in the case shall be reported to the Senate? The requests ano demands which by the score have for nearly three months been presented to these differ ent departments of the government, what ever may be their form, have but one com plexion. They assume the right of the Sen ate to sit in judgment upon the exercise of my exclusive discretion and executive func tion, for which I am solely responsible tc the people from whom I have so lately received the sacred trust of office. My oath to support and defend the constitution, my duty to the people who have chosen me tt execute the powers of their great office anC Ir1t1 tbl chief magistracy which must preserve un impaired in all it's dignity and vigor, compe me to refuse to comply with these demands l It has been claimed that the present ex ecutive having pledged himself not to re move officials excpt for cause, the fact O their suspension implies such misconduct or | the part of suspended official as irjures | his character and reputation and therefore the Senate should review the case fo 1 his vindication. have sal' that certain officials should no | in my opinion be removed during the con tinuance of the term for which they wer appointed solely for the purpose of putting in their place those in political afiliatiol with the appointing power, and this declara tion was immediately followed by descrip ton of official partisanship which ought no l to entitle those to whom 1t wa exhibited to consideration. It i not apparent how adherence to thu l course thus annOunceu WILL | the consequences described. If in any de gree the suggestion is worthy of considera ton it is to be hoped that there may be de fense against unjust suspension in tn justice of the executive. Every pledg which I have made by whicl IT have placed limitation upon my exercise of executive power ha been faithfully redeemed. Of course th pretence is not put forth that no mistake have been committed, but not a sus pension has been made unless i appeared to my satisfaction that the publi welfare would be improved thereby Many applications for suspension have bse1 denied and the adherence to the rule lalt down to govern my action as to such sus pension has caused mucn irritation on tn part of those who have insisted on more changes in the offices The pledges were made to the people and to them l am responsible for the manner Il which they have been redeemed. 1 am no responsible to the Senate and am unwilling to submit my actions and official conduct tt them for judgment.
 Neither the discontent of party friends no the allurements constantly offered of con firmation of appointees conditioned upol the avowal that suspensions have been mad on party grounds alone, nor tn threat proposed in the resolu tions now before the Senate tha no confirmation will be made unless the de mands of that body be complied with, ar sufficient to discourage or deter ma iron following in the way which am convinced leads to better government for the people. Gpoxrrr9