The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-03-19
TAReREAr DEBATE.
senator spoOnsF'a mastoFIy SpsSOh In Favor
of the RoSoIutiona,

Of the Resolutions,
WASHINGTON, D. O., March ls.-In the
Senate to-day the debate on the Edmunds
resolutions was resumed.
Mr., Van WyCk offered as an amend.
,nent t-to-the resolution the following:
And in all such cases OF removal the mat
!sr Of confirmation shall be considered in
Ipen session Of the Senate.
Mr.. Sewell occupying the chair re-
marked: The amendment will be printed
md lie over.
Mr., Brown then took the floor In oppo.
itiOn to the report Of the majority OF the
committee. lie said 1t seemed to him
hnt there was but single question Rt
issus between the President and the ma.
lority Of the Senate, That question was,
rad the President without the advice and
consent OF tho Senate the power to remove
! Federal officer when Ia his opinion the
public interest required such removal.
MIR, Brown argued at length to show
hat the constitution conferred the power
II removal on the President alone, and
nat as tho constitution was tho supreme
aw that settled the question no matter
now many acts Of Congress might have
)een passed In violation OF 1t. He read
rom the constitution and from speeches
Il distinguished men and cited opinions
II the Supreme Court in support Of his
position.
sPooNEE's SPEECH,
Mr.. spoonpr took the floor in support OF
.he majori.y report. He said he would
make 10 attempt to disguise the fact or
,polegias for IL that the fortunes OF the
Republican party we're dear to him. lie
gould not attempt to deny that he wished
hat that party might here and elsewhere
zap every party advantage which might
10 taken from the blundeEB and ghOEt-
;omingJ, II any such there were, OF this adj
niniatration. For papers on file in the
department to say you must indicate TO
ng purpose ioF which you desire theml
md alter having disclosed that purpose il
shall think they are for u purpose with.
n your iurisdicion, and II | think the
purpose to be snbIeTYed as u legitimate
,urposa | shall transmit thGm. Now
gould that be anything but one man
.oyelnment2 Would it not enable u
President ut his viii to shut out the tun.
light Of investigation from public Off
,6rs. Suppose the plpets 10 be %
me Presiden. said, Voluntarily written"
md by "privale citizens" What oil that
Wers they private aud confidential on
ha. acc3uDt2 Certainly not. II often
happens that charges against public oti'
.ers had been made by private citizens
Che character OF the paper, could nat be
leternined by tho will OF the executive
out by the CharGater Of tho document
QuoTiNuTAs PRESIDENT.
Mr.. spoonsr read from the Presidentt
message tho clause inviting the Senate tc
the "lullest scrutiny" Of the nominations
submitted. Dldthis, Mr.. spoOner asked
mean that ho was willing to give the Sen
ito all the information in his possession
n did it mean he should make partia
presentation.
Mr, spooner then took up the question
from q legal point Of view and quoted from
he constitution and the tenure OF Office
,ct 10 show that the power OF removal al
fBll BB VI uppVlItiu5hk 'Who III thS ASoA
lent and the Senate acting together, ant
hat what was in bis sole discretion
,bsosste was the power Of auspen
ion during the receas Of tht
Senate. One source Of much confusion
n this debate was a contoundtng by The
Dsnopratic Senators OF suspensions With
feuoyals. A suspension did not moan
.smoyal II was a different thing 10 SCs
oend An officer, which caused Temporary
cessation Of his functions. To remove
,aused permanent cessation, To sua'
oend the writ Of habeas corpus was one
hing, to obliterats 1t was another and
quite different thing. AEuspended otllcel
sas not a removed officer, Tor II tho Sen
ito refused to confirm bis successor thI
suspended mau returned 10 the office
Fhe Supreme Court had 60 decided.
At this point, Mr.. SpOoner still having
The iloor, the Senate went into executive
session and soon adjourned.