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

American minister III EuSIou", on t.ie
iect of the title to, and the occupation o.,
the Territory Of Oregon since the 4th OF
March. 1871; also copy of any cores
pondence which may have passed between
This Government and that of Great Britain
in relation to that subject since that
time.
June s, 1874; adopted"
The reply of the President was as fol-
lows:
ITO the Senate oftks United States:
1.-THE resolution of the senate of the Sd
instant requesting the President to lay be-
fore that body, con6dentislly, "a copy OF
any instructions which may have been
given by the Executive to the American
minister in England, on the subject of the
title TO, and occupation of the Territory OF
Oregon since the 4th of March l84l; also
a COPY of any correspondence which may
have passed between this Government aud
that of Great Britain IN relation to the
subject since that time" has been re-
ceived.
In reply, / have to state that in the
state Of the subject-mstter, to which the
resolution refers, it ia deemed inexpedient
to communicate the information requested
By the Senate
WASHINGTON, 9th jane, 1874.
And that was
THE LAST OF THAT ISSUE,
as far as have been able to discover.
When there had recently been change
of administration, and, without going fully
into details, when the administration was
in harmony with Mr.. Webster, OF Massa'
chusetts who occupied seat on the floor
of the Senate, Mr.. Bradbury submitted q
resolution for consideration, which l shall
read. This was in lS49, and l beg the
Senate to observe the precise analogy OF
the resolution to the whole line of inquiry
which now in one form and another Is ad'
dressed to the present Executive. MIR.
Brsdburys resolution was in the following
words:
Resolved, That the President be re
uuested to cause to be laid before the Sen
ate all charges which have been preferred
or filed in any of the Departments against
individuals who have been removed from
Office since the 4th day OF March last, with
specification OF the cases, if any, in which
the officers charged have had an opportun'
ity to be heard, and statement of the
number of removals made under each Be
psrtment."
! That resolution went through O long
trial in the Senate 1t came up time after
time; it was tet for one special occasion
after another; it strung out through the
whole Of one session aud through nearly
the whole Of the next one, and 1t finally
died within this Chamber, or the old one
as all similar resolutions ought to have
DONE However, in the course OF the de-
bs'e on that resolution Mr. Webster, who it
was so we'll understood had taken strong
ground ageinst the constitutional power OF
removal by the President, made speech,
from which ! propose to read. state
that there had been change OF admins
tration in those days, without reference to
the fact that there has been recently q
change OF administration, and some one
had gotten mad in those days without the
remotest imitation that anybody is mad
now. Mr.. Bradbury offered the resolution
which is in line and in keeping with those
which caused this controversy. Mr.. Web
s,er was in the Senate, and | beg to read q
brief passage from a speech made by him
on the subject of the propriety of the reso
luton which have read.
Mr.. WEBSTER SAID:
But, sir, since the practice has become
| - on.tloI nranF;pa adm
ton has INDUCED in it, and since il must
now be considered, as the legal construc
ton of the Constitution, that it is one OF
the powers Of the President to remove in
cumoents from off ;es which they hold, it
follows, GO necessary and as an inevits.
BILE consequence, that his power, thus legal
" vested in the President, must be exer-
cised by him ss indepen,ly Of our control
as any other power that is to be exercised
by him under the Constitution. II he holds
the power, be holds it to be exercised at his
own control and discretion. And see no
ground upon which we can call upon him
10 give us reasons for the manner in which
he exercises that power, any more than We
can call upon him to give reasons tor the
manner in which he exercises any other
power under the Constitution
The powers Of the Departments are not
sll mixed up in tumble.
In the hurry OF the discussion | was
about to omit to read two paperd which |
believe am right in saying ] did not read,
and without which hardly believe that the
discussion would be even approaching to
what from my standpoint it ought to be.
Among the archives OF the State Depart
ment there is an old and very interesting
record which shows the preparation by Mr..
Webster OF form not for the transmission
of papers but for the declinatiou to tranG-
init papers to the United States Senate
It's an old and a venerable document pre-
pared not long afer his great war with
President Jackson. As it ia in line and
keeping With what have quoted from
his observations, want to read the sub
stance OF two letters:
TO honorable -"
THESE AgE MERE FORMS.
| sm no. aware that any one Of them was
ever communicated to the Senate. | only
\ now from the fact OF their preparation
that they were very msturely delibersted
upon and prepared carefully and ready for
)mm lnicatiou while Mr. Webster was
Secretary OF State when the occasion re.
q2iIed. 1t i suggested, to me that the
papers are in bis hand writing but Of that
fact sm not sure Of my personal knowl
edge.
"SIR: l have the honor to acknowledge
the receipt Of your letter Of the -, de-
string me to send you the papers on file
relating to the nomination OF - 10 be
-.
The letters accompanying this will be,
presume, very satisfactory testimonials Of
Mr. - fitness for the Office; but take
occasion to say that, 10 this department let
ters of this description, though usually
communicated on request to the Senate or
its committees, unless in peculiar cases
there be reason fox Withholding them, are
not considered as public letters, aud.
therefore are not placed on the official |