The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-03-10

calls made on him by the Senate, which he had
hitherto complied WITH but be was going to stop
now-that he had removed Mr. Writ, as he had
a right to do, and the reason was none of the
Senates business. The Senate, next day, with
out advison, rejected Mr.. Williamson, although
in the very message in which the President said
he would not tell any thing about Wirtz, he took
particular pains to say that Williamson was one
of the best qualified personages he had ever
known That was the end of the affair between
President Jackson and the Senate on the subject
OF papers about appointments Down to that
time every species of information touching for
eign affairs of the most delicate character touch
ing the operations of the army, touching every
part OF the administration that belonged, not
TO the Senate, but to the President, and to the
President just as exclusively as did the power
of removal or suspension, President jackson,
like all his predecessors and like all his sue
sors until to-day, felt bound to give to both
houses of Congress. The President in his sup
plementory minority report to the deliberations
of the Senate had stated with a full
ness of rhetoric which was as charming as it
was unique, that the statutes of the United
States and the practice under them had now, for
many years, fallen into state OF ''innocuous
desuetude." If that were true. it ought to be one
of the missions of the President, in discharging
the duty that the Constitution imputes to him,
to take that statute out OF disuse lif he might
use a shorter and humber phrase), and he was
sworn to put it into effectual execution. But
was the statute In disuse2 The committee on
the judiciary, from the time of the passage OF
the act, and, he might state, Also for all time
before, as he had learned by examination of old
papers in the Secretary's Office had been in the
habit, in respect Of appointments, of calling
upon the Attorney general for all the infOrma-
ton that he had, and when it came to the law
respecting removals. as we'll as appointments, OF
calling for everything regarding the proposed
suspension; and from the day General Grant
came in, down to the present time. the commit
tee had had regular practice that it had pur-
sued without exception, OF never acting upon
removal unless some member had personal
knowledge which made the call unnecessary
without calling upon the Attorney general for
all the information in his possession. The mi
nority of the committee said that no such spec
tacle as the judiciary committee was now
an astonished and injured President
and Attorney general, had been presented
in the Democratic time. 'IIet US see," said Mr..
Edmunds; ION the 4th of March, 1879, the Dem
ocrats had majority of this body. Their com
MANI. Mr.. Mcdonald. MIR. Bayard present Sec
rotary of State). Mr. Garland. of Arkansas
(present Attorney general) Mr.. Lamar, of Mis-
slssppl lpresent Secretary of the Interor),
Conkling and Carpenter" Referring to the COM
mittee's letter book, Mr. Edmunds said: 81 do
not know but that it is private and confidential,
but will take the liberty of reading it laugh
even III IL gets TO the ears OF the Attorney
general and the President of the United States"
Mr. Edmunds then read a copy Of q letter
from Mr.. Thurman, as chairman of the commit
tee, to the Attorney general, dated March 8,
1879, calling for such information as may be in
the possession of your department. concerning
the following nominations, together with any
suggestion you may be pleased to note"
"On the 7th of April continued Mr.. Edmunds,
there came in q horse of different color-the
same kind Of an animal that we have here now.
LON tor r1x hat laxr< lat.
ter was written to the Attorney.
" The Attorney general of the United States"
'Sir--Under the direction of the judiciary commit
tee of the Senate have the honor to request that
information in your possession touching the question
of the propriety of the removal emphasized by Mr..
Edmunds of Michael Shaffer Chief Justice of the SUI
pointment of David T. Corbin TO that Office. Very
respectfully. ALLEN G. THURMAN. Chairman
"Alas for the Democracy of those days.
Laughter Think, Mr.. President Of the inf
mite idiocy, the unpatriotism, the usurpation of
those FIVE Senator'S of the United States of the
Democratic party assailinga Republican Attor-
ney-general and Republican President with
an insulting and impairment request as to pa
pers and information touching suspended
officer. And yet those men were in their day
in those times-among the headlights of the
Democrat locomotive. Laughter There was
Thurman his light is put out now, renewed
laughtert the greatest Democrat in the United
Reotco topplnusS III VIC SdiierieSIt du0 tuo Ooob
one, and the noblest one, and the bravest one
for he had the courage not long ago, in your
State, sir, to denounce. the Democratic frauds
at the ballot. There was Thurman, and there
was Joe Mcdonald, name familiar in the
West in the East as the embodiment of up
right 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 constitutional, and
statute, and report law, knowing his rights as
Senator. as member of the committee and
knowing his duties; and Lamar. and then all the
rest of US this side doing what the present
President of the United States calls impertinent
usurpation Of his rights. Mr.. President if I
were going to be rhetorical, I should say just
there, oh, shame! where is thy blushY but that
was not the only instance. The same chair had,
on many occasions, called for that same class of
information and got 1t.
In conclusion, 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. The President himself had
sent to the Senate CAB instances of obedience to
that law; CAB nominations made under it. and
MIR. Edm unds, therefore, took it that the law
was still in force.
Mr.. Pugh obtained the floor, and the Senate
went into executive session, and soon adjourned.
SENATOR MILLER'S DEATH.