St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-03-10

departments OF the government. will state
the eXtr r cases possible. and that is either
house call.ng on the president or the secre-
tary of state for information as 10 the dis
bursement OF the contingent fund for the
payment OF the expenses OF foreign inter
course, which is ordinarily called a secret
service fund. There the money of the
people is appropriated under the law W ich
says that voucher of the president of the
United states shall be evidence to the
accounting officers OF the treasury thar the
money had been properly expended, while in
the state department the real voucher re-
mains, which shows for what the money had
been expended. Now, then,
SUPPOSE SOME PRESIDENT
two or three years ago. when we appropri-
ated one or two hundred thousand dollars for
the contingent expenses of the department
Just preceding an election, should have
turned into the taeasury lump voucher for
that whole amount. Suppose that nj the
next meeting of the senate aud house they
should be of opinion that in the interest of
good government, as a guard against any
corruption or improper use OF that money,
II was necessary that they should know
what became of il? Would IL be within the
power OF the secretary OF state or the prcsi-
dent of the United States 10 say no? II so
we had better be extremely careful hereafter
as TO how much money we put into the con-
tingent fund for foreign intercourse. The
Improvement in public methods, SO far as
and most conspicuously the suppression and
concealment OF public papers, with the best
intentions undoubtedly; but this is the first
time in fsrty years or more, so far as have
been able 10 discover, has either house OF
congress failed 10 get the information it has
asked for from the public departments of tue
government. Mr.. Edmunds read n copy OF
letter from Mr.. Thurman as chairman Of the
committee to the attorney general, dated
March 2i, 1879, when the
DEMOCRATS CONTROLLED
the senate calling for such information as
may be in the possession OF your department
concerning the following nominations, to-
gether with any suggestion you may be
pleased TO note. ''0n the 9Th of April con-
unued Mr.. Edmunds, ''there came in a horse
of a different color, the same kind Of an AMI
NAL that we have here now. Laughter.
Accordingly on that day this letter was
written 10 the attorney general:
The Attorney General of the United States
Sir: Under the direction of the judiciary COM
mittee of the senate l have the honor 20 request
that you viii communicate 20 the committee any
papers or information in your possession touching
the question OF the propriety of the removal
lemphasis by Mr.. Edmunds Of Michael Schae-
fer, chief justice OF the supreme court of the
territory of Utah, and the appointment Of David
Il. Corbin 70 the oihce Very respectfully. your
obedlent servant, Allen g. Thurman, chairman.
Alas, for the Democracy of those days
laughter. Think, Mr.. President, of the in
finite idiocy, the unpatriotism, the usurpa-
ton of that number of five senators of the
United States of the Democratic party as
sailing Republican attorney and a Repub-
hcan president with the
INSULTING AND IMPERTINENT
inquiry as TO papers and information touching
a suspended officer whose successor was
nominated to accomplish his removal, and
yet these men were in their days, i'm those
times, among the headlights of the Demo-
cratic locomotive [laughter.l There was
hrnr rFV1o 1forhF d -
newed laughter. The greatest Dem
ocrat in the United States Applause
in the gallery and the last one
aud the noblest une and the bravest one, for
he had the courage not long ago in your
state, sir, 10 denounce the Democratic frauds
at the ballot. There was Thurman and Joe"
Mcdonald. name as familiar in the West
as in the East, as the embodiment of upright
Democratic pluck and constitutional law,
and there was Garland, whom we all know
here, the leader of the Democratic side of
the senate. full and running over with con-
stitutioual and statute and reported law
knowing his rights as a senator, and as a
member OF the committees, and knowing his
duties, and Lamar, and then all the rest of us
on this side joining in what the present pres
ident of the United States calls an imperti-
nent innovation OF his rights in asking for
papers. Mr.. President, if l were going to be
rhetorical l should say just there
Oh, SHAME,
where is thy blush?" That was not the only
instance, Mr.. imunds said. The same chair,
and on many occasions. had called for that
class of information aud got it. In conclu-
sion it did not seem to Mr.. Edmunds that the
senate could fail TO get the papers on the
ground that the statute on the subject had
become obsolete or gone into state of sin
nocuous desuetude. - Laughter The
president himself had sent to the senate. in
obedience to that law, 643 nominations made
under it, and Mr.. Edmunds therefore took it
that the law was still in force.
Mr.. Pugh obtained the floor and the SEN
ate went into executive session and soon
adjourned.