Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-03-18
KNOCKING EDMUNDS OUT.
TELLING HITS DEALT BY
MESSRS. COKE AND BECK

sharp Repartes.
WASHINGTON, March 17.-In the SEN
ate to-day the Judiciary Committee reso-
lutiOns came up in order and Mr.. Dolph
resumed bis speech, begun yesterday. he
cited decisions of the supreme Court to
show that the power Of removal was Incl
dent to the power OF appointment. Hence
he argued that as the President and SEN
ate appointed, the President and SEN
ate should remove. Referring to civil
service reform he said he did not know
what it meant, but whatever it meant
both parties were pledged to it by their
platforms. After quoting from various
publications on civil service reform to
show dissatisfaction with the Presidents
departures from the civil service idea,
Mir. DOlph said he would not undertake to
construe the Presidents declarations, but
whatever his declarations his acts had
not been in accord with the idea Of civil
service.
THE ATTACK DEFENDED.
Mr. Dolph had heard it said in this de-
bate that the Senate had entered on this
controversy with the President for the
purpose OF keeping Republicans in Office.
He for one diselaimed any such motive.
There was no desire to raise any question
with the administration. He did not be-
leVe there was a Republican Senator in
the chamber who was not willing to treat
the President precisely as they would
treat a Republican President. Mr.. DOlph.
however, would 90 farther. IL the Presi-
dent would say that there were charges
against a suspended officer, and II he fur
nished those charges to the Senate and
asked the removal of an officer, MIR. DOlph,
for one, would consent to the suspension,
provided the cause were reasonable, even
though it might not have been cause
sufficient of itself to warrant removal.
But it was a different matter when the
President says to the Senate: Il have re-
moved A B and appointed ID. l will
not state what charges are made against
A B, and will give him no opportunity to
defend himself"
NOTHING NEW BROUGHT OUT.
Mr.. Coke followed. Ever since the de-
bate on the subject in the first Congress
in 1879, Mr.. Coke said, there had been
nothing new or original stated about it.
The great men engaged IN that debate had
left nothing further TO be said. Toe un-
derlying question was whether the power
of removal was vested in the President
alone or in the President and Senate act
ing together. The constitution did not
provide tor the consent of the Senate to be
given to removals from office.
1t had thought well to put a check on
too great an ambition in the occupant OF
the executive chair in the matter Of ap-
puintments, and so had coupled with the
Presidents power in that matter the
power of the Senate. 1t had not made
any such provision as to removals. This
was a case for application OF the maxim
"Expressio unius exclusio alterius."
THE POWER INDISPENSABLE.
The President must have power to re-
move incompetent officials. How could
he carry out the policy announced by the
people IN his election without agents in
harmony with his purposes! How could
he comply with the injunction to stake
care that the laws shall be faithfully exc
cuted" unless by securing men OF his
own selection to execute the laws? Mr..
Coke reviewed the historic features of the
question, and read from the public utter
ances of leading statesmen of the coun-
try in support of his position, He main-
tanned that the tenure of Office law was
unconstitutional, and ridiculed the claim
made by Mr.. Edmunds that the question
now before the Senate was in the interest
OF "the calm and orderly administration
Of the government"
THE DEMOCRATIC SENATE,
Mr.. Coke contrasted the course of the
Senate when Democratic with the course
Of the present Senate, saying that the
Democratic Senate had not attempted to
embarrass the Republican administra-
tiOn.
MIR. Wilson, OF Maryland, opposed the
report of the majority. He did not pro-
pose to recast any part OF the great his
torlc debate upon the question where the
right Of power OF removal from Office
rested, but would rather aim TO argue
the question upon pOstulates derived from
our history, but especially from the point
OF view of common sense.
BADLY TREATED.
The Senate Of Rome, he said, in the
height of its grandeur, could have scarce
ly treated poor prOcOnsul as the Senate
OF the United States had treated President
Cleveland, and poor indeed in spirit and
dWaried in political significance should
the President be, who dared not address
ID this Senate communication on a sub
ect which this Senate itself had brought
INTO question When the first notes OF
me Senate's assaults were sounded, Mr..
wilson continued, we were told all
along the line that the majority must have
the Presidents reasons for removing Re-
publican Oiicials. After awhile the Ian
guage was modified, and the demand was
only FOR papers connected with removals
and suspensions, and finally, after much
oelberation, under the lead Of crafty
c0unsellOrs, IL came TO be a demand, not
Tor papers connected with suspensions.
but connected with the management and
conduct OF Office.
sELF-CoNVICTED.
why this sinuous and underground
metn0d OF attack, unless 10 be considered
IhaJ the Senate had no right to ask for
teasonsY Although he could not speak
eN eathedra, yet he believed that In a
very large number OF cases changes bad
ueeh made Dy the President because Of
ouensiYe partisanship on the part OF sus-
pended ollceholders. Under the circum-
stances the Democrats were thankful tor
the "ohensve partlsanship" which would
se the key which would open 70 them the
uoor OF the promised land. Mr.. Wilson
commented on the fact that ofticehOlder
Buskin mad made no complaint. but had
assumed that he was suspended for poll
lical partisanship.
DUsKIN's ABSENCE.
Mr.. Beck did not wonder that Mr.. Dus-
hin was not here for himself. Everybody
Knew, Mr.. Beck said, that Mr.. Duskin
was nominated in March, 1881, aud the
senate did not see fit 10 confirm him, He
was again appointed after the adjourn
meht OF the session, and nominated at the
Oclober term OF the same year, and the
senator from Vermont Mr.. Edmunds)
lad not felt justified In even reporting
hlm 70 the Senate for confirmation.
Mr. Edmunds rose, as n matter OF duty,
4 70 a uuaatinn n nF1ar The Cauafnr frnfa