The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1886-03-18
THE GREAT SPEECH
Delivered by Senator Mokenna, Of West
Virginia, Friday.
Sherman, Blaine, Logan and the Other
Repubiioan ConepiratoTs Exposed
In their Nofarious
Work,
M'KENNA's sPERcH.

celVe such documents and papers az
came within the definition OF public aud
Ofliclal pnpera, AZ laid down by the Sena'
tor from Vermont, aud aald. II a paper
were addressed 10 the president pro ten,
In his Official capacity that fact alone
according 10 the senator flOm Vermont
made II au official paper TO which every
department official OF this great govern
ment was entitled. IL might come from
q POttawattOmle Indian signed In his
native dialect Involving q remote con-
tlngency Of the scalping OF the officers
andmembera OF the Senate aud yet ac-
cording TO tho definition II was an
official paper.
Phe Senator from Vermont had pro-
ceeded TO demonstrate, assuming hia
theories 10 DO correct, that the Senate
had a right TO 20 into every departme u
OF the government, 10 the White House,
Treasury, War aud State depar Imenls,
whether acting In executive or open
session. rahsacking the archives OF these
various departments and WTlnging from
them papera coming within the dellnl-
tlon no hNd read. Aud yet a 'eiy
mockery Of thia situation seemed by
some pf0yldential interpOsltl0n TO ex-
hibit Itself within moment after no
had concluded. No sooner had the hOn-
0rable SsnalOr taken his seat than ~ IL
customary IN the Senate some Senator
moved that tho Senate proceed 10 the
cons deratlOn Of executive buslneas, aud
the uelli which were arranged fIr the
convenience of membars " the Senate
began TO tiagle tho ghout the capitol,
A body OF gentlemen composing u party
OF co ordinate branch OF the g0yerG-
ment having llNtened TO the argument
which undertook to say that all man
kind should have
NO sEcRET FROM THE SENATE.
was admonlshed by that II & & OF bella
that the time had come that tho Senate
would put on its rUbes OF royal purple,
Five thousand brave men and fair
women were expelled from the gal
leries. The eyes OF the American press
were closed, The doors ratified and aen.
tlnels took their posts, aud as II hitting
testimony at the conclusion OF the
speech Of tho Senator from Vermont the
Senate was resolved Into its ancient ~.
cresy, aud as the lilel maFched out aud
the 0lllSers assumed their pOsle ~
guards OF the sacred priylleges OF the
Senate. and denied every where elap, the
Thought came how atuudantly pfacli
may engfHft themselves upon the human
cOmpOslion and how little rea elton
perhaps members OF the Senate had
given 10 the fact that for u hundred
years or more the body had been the star
chamber Of the American republic.
Why, the Senator fioli Vermont would
deny privacy or cOnlde0co 10 every
paper IN every department Of the gov
ernment. Let II DO Seen where inst
might lead, Suppose some respectable
citizen or some vile man, pr0lung ny
the suggeatlon OF tho Senator nom Vor.
mont, siould choose TO address letter
TO the President pro tempOre OF tho Sen
ate declaring that tho question Involved
In this debate was purely moot qu0a.
tlon; that nobody supporting II had any
faith In II; that II was only the third or
fourth m gestl0n OF the change Of posi-.
tlOn and Status occupied by those nd
yancng II snco the beginning Of the
controversy, and urging tho President
pro temp0re TO advocate IL on the theory
that IL might prove " be profitable
makeshilt 10 maintain In their present
positions u hundred thoueatd Repu6ll.
eau office holders aud TO
PROSTITUTE TO PARTY ENDS
the present executive department Of the
government. That might be vile, II
might come from ylle source, and yet
under the deiluitl0n Of this issue, laid
dn,., hy Cha lauaiar fran, Uarmnnf TINT
would be an clllcal paper aUtjlct 10 any
uses TO which ho chose TO subject II.
MFR, Kenna went on 10 controyert the
argument OF Mr. II Eimunds by point. cit
Ing precodenta and circumstances TO
eustain his views. OF course, ead Mr..
Kenna, no man denied tho right OF tho
Senate TO call on the President for u pri
vato paper--eyon u private letter In his
pock0t-but no rational man would deny
the President the equal right TO decline
10 send II, II no chose 30 10 40.
Mr., Kenna would aay, however, that
communicnt 0ns had been made over
aud over again during thle session Of
the Senate ny the present executive DO
pnrtment Olchll X matters involved In
this controversy, The Senators from
Kentucky (Mr, Beck) and from Indiana
(Mr, Voorheea) know OF caeea from their
State, aud MIR, Kenna knew OF case
from hia own State, 40 70 which callB
had been made by tho Senate touching
tho conduct OF an olllce before the prea
ont lncum bents assumed their functlona
and the papers were sent 10 the Senate,
as the executive had right 10 send |
them on request, but that fact had moth.
Ing 10 DO with the settlement OF tho N.
sue before the Senate II had no more |
10 do with this Issue than hnd tho Offer |
Of the man who nIole the pig TO produce |
thirty men who had not seen him eteal |
10. The pfecedonts which went TO ea.
tabllsh the constitutional pre- ogaliyes |
were those In which tho Presidents had |
denied the right OF tho Senate TO re.
ceiye auch papers. Mr.. Kenna quoted |
from n message OF President Grantto tho |
House OF Representatives, dated May 4, |
1870, declining TO furnish certain infor.
nation which he said related
ExCLusIvELY TO THE EXECUTIVE |
FUNCTION.
He also read letter from Mr.. 5her.
man when Secretary OF tho Treasury
relating 10 tho removal OF Mr.. Arthur
from tho collectorehip OF New York..
the letter being addressed 10 Mr.. Conk
ling 40 chairman Of n Senate Commit
too. In that letter Mr.. Sherman said
that 10 make oillcial reply would com.
pol him 10 diaClose matters contained In
papers OF n confidential character flled
In Tho department, aud require him 10
dlgcues questions "totally immaterlnl
10 the nominations sent TO the Senate;"
also that "no law requires tho President
tS,ghyeLtysons," etc.
aud aud, MJInn, continuing, said, tho Issue
after IN WAS whether u Demoeratic
should appropriately
functions In the face OF