The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-03-13
necessary to carry out the purposes Of the gov
ernment In good faith, then that they should

Mr. kenna then discussed the question OF
sound civil service, In connection with Mr.
Cleveisnds n1blic utterances, comparing tnose
utseranees with the declarations Of the early au-
thorfties Ia orr government, particularly Jener-
SON, and finding, he said, Mr.. Clevslands declar-
atoms In no way disparaged by the comparison
He then took up Mr.. Blaine's new book,
Twenty Years of Congress- and read num-
Der of spicy extracts from it on Che tenure-of-
Office act The writer of that work, Mr.. Kenna
said, came within ]. 600 votes OF being the object
OF this ''warfare"son the executive power; for or
course the war would have come all the same
The galleries reshed the extracts, though
hardly more so than the Senators, the occupants
OF both the floor and galleries indulging in con-
siderable laughter over Mr.. Blaine's caustic
comments on the craftsmanship involved In the
Office act Mr. Kenna asserted that the Senator
from Vermont was perfectly consistent for he
was working for his political friends like Turk
in 1867 and like a beaver in 1862 and that
was the whole spirit, and law, and
meaning, and fact Of the controversy controversy
that the party which had majorities in both
houses in 1867 had handicapped Andrew john
SON by law which afterwards they had re-
pealed, yet proposed to substitute now, IN the
absence of majority in the other branch, by
the performances Of committee OF the Sen
ate, a majority on the Republican side and
Republican caucus. Now he would ask any can
did-minded Senator what was the proposition OF
to-day but political re-enactment, by the SEN
ate, of law which both houses had repealedf
The Senate might approve or disapprove sus
pension, but it was powerless as the stars to Of
feet the question. The man was suspended Until
the end of the next session, and what did 1t
matter il. at the end of the session, he resumed
his Office; by stroke Of his pen the President
could suspend him again. Yet the proposition
was that in all those matters the President must
submit without law, to every degradation, and
every humiliation, and every demand made by
the Senate The report of the majority of the
committee said the President, Notwithstanding
his previous utterances, had sent in within
thirty days after the Senate met. six hundred
and forty three suspensions. It would have been
at least fair II the committee had stated that the
six hundred and forty-three suspensions
cover period of eight months. But in
1869, when General Grant assumed the functions
of the executive Office, he sent to the Senate $50
removals within seven weeks, and during six
weeks Of that time the original act of 1867 was
still in force. In eight months President Cleve-
land had made CAB suspensions; in seven weeks
General Grant had made $50, and they did not
90 fast enough. The popular demand to carry
out the policy indicated by Mr. Blaine's letter
wasso overwhelming that a gentleman now
member of the Senate, then member Of the
House. offered an amendment which he would
read a matter of historical interest. Mr. Lo-
gan, of Illinois, whom all respected for his open
and manly way of dealing with all subjects,
recognizing the popular demand for haste. and
of Constitution or statute, or anything else
save subserviency to laudabe purpose, offered
in the House the following amendment:
Provided, That all civil Offices except those. Of
judges of United States Court that fail of appoint
ent by the President of the United States and with
the advice and of the Senate before the 4th
of March, 1869, shall become vacant the 3Oth
day of june 1869.
All civil officers, except judges who hold by
constitutional tenure, we're to be struck down in
q day by this amendment President Grant was
to be overwhelmed in an hour by the fact that a
hundred thousand Offices, through whose incum-
bents he was to administer the public affairs,
were vacant Why, Mr.. Kenna asked, did not
the Senate work itself into passion, and de-
clare that If somebody did not furnish certain
information on certain topic, it would pass no
law. This would be sensible as the declara-
ton that If the President does not send to the
Senate information touching suspensions it will
make no confrmations IT the desires of the
majority of the committee were carried out it
would make the committeeman what the Sem
ator from Ohio had denounced as courts Of as
sizes.
where's the President of the United Statesqn
asked an American citizen
"Over before the committee on judiciary, pros
ecuting John Jones to get him out of Office as
marshal"
ssWhere's the Secretary of the Treasuryp
"Over before the committee on finance with
his subordinates as witnesses, making police
court of that committee to establish reasonable
cause for the suspension Of Bill Wright as col
lector in West Virginia"
where's the Postmaster-generalp
"Over before the committee postroads,
trying to prove with the witnesses he has sum-
moned, that Sam Johnson. who is postmaster at
some place, ought to be removed for larceny or
some other sort Of rascality, or even because of
perverting the position he holds and antagoniz-
ing the administration under which he holds it.
And thus the resolution proposed to prosti-
tute every officer OF the executive departments
into mere prosecutors and informers, to be
called upon, examined, held here, or sent back
to the discharge of their proper functions at the
pleasure Of the Senate.
In conclusion, Mr.. Kenna said: when Presi-
dent Cleveland assumed the function of the of
fee OF chief executive of this government, I
don't believe there is a citizen in this land
who had any reason whatever to doubt that
he came to the discharge of the duties of that
high Office determined, far in him lay. to
devote conservative and patriotic application to
the discharge Of his duties. l believe speak
within bounds when say that this whole coun-
try knew that the great idea of service to
his country in an acceptable manner in the high
capacity in which ithad selected him for that high
service was his only aspiration. l would fail to
express my own candid conviction now if did
not say that, looking back from the long line of
his predecessors in that high Office. and confront
ing as he may the issues presented here, he will
not be first in surrendering its high prerogative.
The Senate may continue, as his message indi-
Gates, to ply him and his various subordinate de-
partments with harassing and embarrassing is
sues. It may defeat every nomination that stands
before 1t for consideration 1t may assert in
any measure, arbitrarily or otherwise, every pre-
rogative granted, or not granted, in the Consti-
tuition. But mistake that man if he does not
stand firmly to his post maintain his sworn duty
under the Constitution of his country, maintain
every prerogative of his high office, and transmit
it unimpaired to his successor"
Senator Cullom obtained the floor, and, after
an executive session, the Senate adjourned
Proceedings of the House.
WASHINGTON, March 12.-On motion of Mr..
Morrow or California, resolution was adopted
accepting the invitation of the Senate that the
House attend in body the funeral services for
the late Senator Miller, to be held in the Senate
Chamber at noon to morrow.