The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1886-03-04
WASHINGTON LETTER.
[From Our Regular Correspondent.
WASHINGTON, d c.,
MARCH 1 1898

discussion. Another chapter was
added to it when Senator Morgan,
of Alabama, unexpectedly and on
his OWE responsibility presentedto
the Senate a series of resolutions
criticising the present Edmunds
administration.
MI. Morgan ~prescribes Heroic
treatment for offended Senatorial
dignity. He says, let the Senate inn
peach Attorney General Garland for
refusing it certain papers, if his al
legged offense is of the class of of
lenses for which the Head of the
Department may be impeached,
and removed from Office. This is
the logical outcome of Mr.. Gar
lands refusal. Let the Judiciary
Committee summon the alleged of
fender before the bar of the Senate.
He further says let the Commit
tee on Privileges and Elections in
quire and report whether the SEN
ate can take Jurisdiction of said al
legged offender by a resolution of the
Senate, there being no impeach-
ment of said officer in the mode re-
quired by the Constitution.
1t is acknowledged that the Nor
gan resolutions go to the pith of
the matter and that they are a good
offset to the Edmunds resolutions
condemning the Administration
for refusing to submit private doc
uments to the Senate's inspection.
Senator Morgan holds that the
Edmund's resolutions were out of
order, and should not have been re-
ceived. He was not in his seat at
the time they were offered or he
should have made that point then.
As no Senator seemed to take this
view of the matter, Mr.. Morgan took
action Independently of them, be-
lieving that he would in no way
trench upon the ground they will
take in the matter. If the Senator
should call upon his resolutions
before the end of this week they
will, to a great extent, precipitate
the discussion between the Presi-
dent and Senate. It is thought,
however, that he will let them lie
over until the discussion is under
way next week.
Fl The Senate's position in this
| matter is glaringly inconsistent.
The charge of secrecy in connec-
ton with Executive determinations
in regard to appointments comes
with a bad grace from Senators
whose own deliberations regarding
! these same appointments is yelled
in a secrecy they try to make i'm
penetrable, and whose action is SO
concealed as to avoid all response
bility.
The whole gist of the contention
of the Senate majority is that the
. President has no right to withhold
/ reasons, and yet the Senate claims
a right to consider all Executive
business with closed doors. 1t can
refuse without explanation to con
: firm the Presidents nominations
!, but yet the President has no war
: rant or authority to inquire into, OF
review the Senate's refusal.
} There are indications that some
of the Republican senators are MOI
blind to the inconsistency ofthe Pc
sition into which Mr. Edmunds has
4 ledthem, and they may refuse to fol
low him any farther. But with Mr.
Edmunds it is a matter of life OF
f death. His term in the Senate ex
in March, 1887. If he goe.
out of the Senate he most likely
e goes out of public life. His STATE
election occurs next fall and thu
legislature will then be chosen
which will elect a U. S. Senator t.
p fill the seat now occupied by Geo
h F. Edmunds.
I'll He has a strong weakness 70,
. public life, And the fact that he il
= now trying to figure as a chieftal
s of the thick and thin Republican
p of the Senate can be explained b,
n the present condition of affairs il
70 Vermont, where it is said, he has
!, hard fight in prospect. Only tw'
years ago this month, it will be re
l. membered, he was returning en-
l. couraging smiles to approaches o
a the Mugwumps.
k The first nomination rejected b,
:, the Senate was that of Collecto
! McGraw of w. Va. More paper
/ have been called for in the case O
lie Collector Wells, of Vermont, whicl
of course will be refused, and tn
confirmation of Solicitor Genera
Goode is still under fire. Shout,
J. the deadlock continue and the Sen
ate reject a number of the Presi
|" dents nominations, it is probabl
is that the Interpretation of the Ten
ure of Office act, may tend still ful
l. Their to aggravate the strained stu
Il alton. Senators are divided as t
II how this law shall be construed o,
!, both sides of the Chamber, an,
j. there is no unanimity of sentiment
ID The allegations against the Sol
citor General are those of briber
70 and fraud in Virginia election.
= Mr.. Goode makes an uncompre
missing denial of all these charges
III and says they were preferred b
ce Senator Malone, who has been hi
k, unrelenting foe since they differe
Il. about the public debt in Virgini;
= and since Malone attempted to di.
u rupt the Democratic party in hi
m State. Mr. Goode declares if an OF
n portunity is offered him to see tt
IN charges, and it turns out that NJ:
f. hone is his accuser, he will deman
the right to confront Mahonei in tt
presence of the Committee.
~ Juno.