The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1886-03-11
WASHINGTON LETTER.

WAshINGToN, Feb. %, 1sS6.-The
administration has shown the courage
of its convictions during the week by
launching three aggressive documents
upon the senate. The first was the
presidents message on the right of the
senate to share the information on
which he made official changes. The
second was a message from the presi-
dent condemning in very positive
terms. the outTsges committed on the
Chinese in Il far west, and urging
congress to REIN burse the victims for
their pecuniary losses. The third doc
Lment was a decided letter from the
secretary of the treasury on the silver
policy of the administration in which
he shows no disposition to compromise
with the silver men. He describes the
efforts he has made to force the stand
dollar into circulation, that congress
may see that he has tried to carry out
its purposes in good faith. The state
ment he makes in regard to this should
at least stop the talk INDUCED in by
some. that the dollars do not circulate
because the treasury officials secretly
use the machinery of the department
against the coin.
While Senator Beck may not agree
with the administration on the silver
question, he is with it in the contro-
verSy with the senate. Said he, in re-
gard to the vetoed appointment papers,
8 No one has any right to them but the
person who wrote them. Mr.. Cleveland
can return them to their writers to-
morrow, if he desires to do so, and no
one could prevent him. The senate
could not make the people to whom he
returned the papers, tell what was in
them" Since the president sent his
message to the senate in regard to its
demand for papers, there has been no
doubt as to what he is going to do. He
holds that the Question of removal is
one for him alone. and he will not send
the papers, 1t is not that the senators
are misunderstood and misrepresented
that they complain. On the contrary
il is because they are thoroughly I'M
derstOod and as thoroughly exposed.
But say they, acts of suspension ought
70 be public and the reasons for them
explained. While this is true, the Gus
tom and the law of the government do
not require it. The law should require
it, but it does not, and the senate does
not wish it. The senate avoids public
ity and fears it. The senate has refused
pu blicity. 1t does not want the coun
try to know all the facts and reasons in
these cases. 1t wants to have por-
ZION of them to be given in secret, to
he manipulated in secret, to be made
the basis of political manOeuvers, which
cannot be fairly met because they are
plotted and perfected in secret.
The subject is the chief topic OF con-
versatiOn at both ends OF the capitol,
and it is noticeable that the presidents
frank and strong statement of his de-
termination not to be misrepresented or
forced to surrender his rights or re-
sponsibilities has increased their admit
ration 'or him.
There has been a good deal of COM
ment upon the loss of temper over the
presidents communication, exhibited
by the usuall7 placid, undemonstrative
senator from Vermont, Mr.. Edmunds.
The senate was in secret session when
the presidents private secretary arrived
with the message. Business was sus-
pended when it was learned what he
had brought with him, and the docu-
ment was laid before the body, Senator
Harris proposing that it be read with
closed doors. Senators Kenna, of West
Virginia, and Van Wyck of Nebraska,
sharply demanded that the doors be
opened. After a brief debate the doors
were thrown open, the correspondents
filled their gallery, and the news
spreading rapidly, people from other
parts of the capitol hastily made their
way to the senate. Extraordinary still
ness prevailed on the floor, and the
scene was unusual for the reason that
every senator on both sides of the
chamber listened eagerly.
Chieftian Edmunds sat with eyes
closed, his chin on his breast. His
hands were folded across his knees and
twitched nervously during the reading
of the message. At the close Senator
Harris sprang to his feet with motion
that the-document lie upon the table
and be printed. Mr.. Edmnnds arose to
dispute this motion in a voice that be-
trayed his intense excitement, while his
figure trem bled and his face and bald
head were scarlet with anger. "I do
not propose that it sh all be laid upon
the table If can help It," shouted he,
and demanded the yeas and nays. He
then proceeded to make a little speech
which he delivered with unusual en-
phssis, comparing Mr.. Cleveland to
Charles the first, the most arbitrary of
the Stuart kings
1t is impossible to foreshadow the
outcome Of the pending issue. which
has stirred up party feeling among
senators more than anything that has
happened this winter. They were not
prepared to discuss this communication
in an of. hand style, however. The
message will first be considered by the
judiciary committee in special meet
ing. After that the senatorial fight
will begin, and it is likely to be long
and exciting.