Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1886-03-24

,ov that the Senator from Ohio Mr.
SSermsnl will find on reflection that tnis
-, arcencyp il not the first time when nc
Sas heard ef the distinction being maae IN
. l.s nansrs in the Departments OF this GOV
.ne p as between private and public
psper.
THE GIsr OF THE NATTER.
nro,ose now to state what / believe to
hs the simple truth, and to state 1t canoid'
IL and state it deliberately, that, LOOKING
=, the history of this controversy from the
day of its inception down to this momen.
in the light OF every fsct and desal II La
developed, the one question ana the only
ouss,ion involved in this entire procedure
i the single one as to whether the present
chief of ths executive department OF TINS
Government shall be allowed in fulhllment
Of his obligations to the people to admins
ter il through agencies Of his own choice,
or be compelled by the obstructive power
of majority in the Senate to be nela oy
the pubic to an accountability Tor an al
m;nistrstion of his high Office through
agencies not only not of his choice, but
AGENCIES lacking his confidence, unworthy
Of his faith, wanting in the approval OF MS
Judgment, and actually interested IN
multitude of cases in bringing him and MS
administration into disrepute.
That is the whole of this case, regard II
as you may, dsrken it by q multiplicity; OF
words, inaugurste these inquiries py DE-
msnds for papers which show them, take
one other step backward and modify your
request again and ask for the papers on
one still further step backward and ask
for the conduct of the former incumbent IN
the Office, as the resolution in Duskin
case has done, and in the eyes of the SEN
ate and in the eyes of the whole country
the issue is presented in the one form ~
last and that is whether Democratic ad'
ministration ehall appropriately perform
its functions in the face Of q negative and
obstructive ms jority on the other side OF
the Chamber. Applause in the CALLER
les
The Presiding Officer Mr. Blackburn in
the chsir) raped for order and said Ex'
pressions of approval or disapproval are
not permitted in the galleries.
Mr.. Kenns-Whyi Mr. President, let me
show to the Senate
THE form
in which this demand is presented to the
Executive Department The Senator from
Ohio Mr. Sherman declared that we have
no right 10 demand the reasons OF the tx
ecutive. No Senator on this floor has ever
contended or asserted that we have right
10 ask for the reasons which have actuated
the Executive in making suspension from
office; aud yet let the Secretary read the
letter which send to the desk and see
where this CONTROVERSY began.
The Chief Clerk read as follows
"CoMNlrrEE on FINANCE,
UNITED STATES SENATE.
January 5, 1886.
DEAR SIR-Reterring to the accompany.
ing nomination OF Samuel Flower, vice p.
Felix Herwig, suspended, will you please
CO mmunit ole TO the Com mittee on Finance,
United States Senate, the reasons tor such
suspension, or the papers on file in your
DEPARTMENT which show the reasons tor
this suspension.
Very truly yours,
JUSTIN S. morrill,,
Chairman.
Hon. Secretary OF the Treasury,
Washington, ID, c."
Mr. kenna That was
THE BEGINNING OF TITS CONTROVERSY;
that was the isgue which was first present
ed TO this administration by the Senate
through one OF its committees, and the
Senator from Ohio Mr.. Sherman who
declared on this iioor that We had no right
to ask reasons OF the Executive is q mem
Der OF the committee which sent that com
munica,iou. Sir. may be more or less
prrtisaa than many others; may 60 furth
er than more cons, rvative men in my
theory OF what the election OF President
of the United States means. | think |
know, if know anything, that when you
take the marshals and collectors and the
consuls, the postmas ers and all the vas;
numbers Of officers throughout the length
and breadth Of this coUGtry, organized as
By their appointments under former sd
ministrations they have been organized
into great political agency, the people OF
this country having right to demand q
change however hurtiul to the popular in
stinct these sgencies may be, that change
can only be effected by the election Of q
President to carry out the public will.
When the people Of the United States
elected Grover Cleveland 10 tn, Pretiden.
cy, it was not more choice men than
choi,e of means and instrumentalities.
| The change To make 'hi3 Governn ent con
torn to the popular will may involve the
proposition that marshils shall 60 that
collectors shall go that postmasters shall
90, that consuls shall Ga, and that minis
tiers shall 60, all Of them 80 far as they
are agen,sin the administration necessary
to carry out lis policy shall 60. On the
theory Of political selection and the bring
ing the machinery Ct government into har-
noDy with It's general policies they may all
have to go, They all ought to 60 But
the naked question i. IA 10 the power OF
the President of The United States in the
exercise of the functions Of bis office to
adapt his administration by all the agencies
which surround it TO the performance OF the
duties which he has in charge.
THE Presidents POSITION.
1t has been said, however, | need no,
saY where, that the present Executive had
committed himself against making changes
in Office; that his civil-service letter to Mr.
Curtis, tina: his inaugural messsge, and
that various uttersnces from him had
placed him in position in which it was
enough TO damn and olacken the character
of any man 10 be removed by him; that an |
officers suspension means and must mean |
that the incumbent removed Is injured in |
character and reputation. | have read, |
think with az much care as / was capable,
every utterauoe of the President on this
subjrct, and have gone through the utter.
snces Of his predecessors on similar line
and in the course Of my inquiries think |
End that the declaration was made very
early in our history, which practically GOV.
ers the position nov occupied by President
Cleveland. beg to read from Q letter
l. Ia "