Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-03-03
The President ID the senate.

The President and the senate.
It will not be denied that the President,
in his message to the Senate relative 70
the right OF that body to all information
of any kind in his possession respecting
removals and appointments, speaks plain
! ly, frankly and emphatically. He does not
attempt to eyade the issue. He states it.,
discusses it, and gives his decision with
regard 10 it. The question which now
presents itself is, what is Mr.. Edmunds
and The Republican majority going to do?
The President tells them what he is going
to do, and leaves the inference to be drawn
that it isn't m after Of much consequence
TO him what thew do.
stripped OF all verbiage, and presented
in all its nakedness, the issue between the
majority of the Senate and the President
is this: The Republican Senators demand
to know the reasons for removals. and the
President says that there is no authority
lodged anywhere whichgives them a right
to such reasons. The issue involves a
great deal more, however, than is immedi-
ately apparent.
At the beginning Of his administration
the President said that he would not make
removals for purely political reasons-that
is, that he would not remove Republicans
simply because they were Republicans.
The Republican Senators want to show
that the President has broken this prom
ise, and they want to show it, not for the
public good, but with the hope Of making
political capital. The way they propose
to show it is by encrOaching upon the
Presidents Togative-that is, by pass
ing judgment upon the Information upon
which ne acted in making removals. They
claim that the Senate has right to this
information, and he claims that it has not.
His message makes it pretty plain that 1t
has not.
The power to remove an official IS
lodged in the President. The cOnstitu-
ton does not say that the Sem
ate shall be consulted. The franz
ers of the constitution were wise in
not giving the Senate any authority in the
matter. The removal Of an official is not
d matter of much importance. The APP
pointment OF an official, however, is, be-
cause OF the necessity for having the
offices filled with good men. Appoint
advice and consent Of the Senate.
If the Senate had to be consulted about
removals there would be no end OF trouble.
What would seem to be good cause by the
President might not seem to be so by the
Senate, and the Senators would also diff
fer among themselves in about every
case whether there was good cause. In
nearly all cases, therefore, there would
have to be a sort OF trial in which evil
dence would be submitted. . 1t is evident
that it was never intended that the SEN
ate should have anything to say about
removals.
But how could the President comply
with the request of the majority of the
Senate even If he were so disposed? Many
OF the removals were made at the re-
quest Of Senator'S and Representatives.
and on charges furnished by them, but
which were not reduced TO writing
How could the President furnish charges
to the Senate in each case unless he APP
peared before a Senate committee and
stated them? But would he not find it
extremely difficult, If not impossible, to
state them correctly? II in any case he
failed to remember the charges upon
which he based his action the willy Yer
mont Senator would look wise and say,
"Ah, here is an instance where the Pres
ident has broken his promise to the
people,"
The power OF the President. under the
constitution, relative to removals, is un.
restricted, and for its exercise he is re-
sponsible only to the people. The whole
country will rejoice that he not only I'M
derstands what his prerogatives are, but,
also, has the tirmness TO prevent any en-
croachment upon them.
He says in his message that he has kept
his promises to the people, and there is
no reason to doubt that he has. 1t is safe
to say that he has made no removals
where he has not had good cause. In
deed, the fact that he has, in 80 many in
stances, even when strongly pressed by
political friends, refused TO remove Re.
publicans is convincing evidence that he
had honestly tried to carry out the policy
with respect TO the offices which he an.
nounced in his inaugural address.
There is no doubt that his message was
a surprise to the Republican Sc ators.
The remark of Senator Edmunds that it
reminded him Of the communications of
Charles ] to Parliament, while. doubtless,
meant TO arouse a feeling of hos
tility to the President, was, in a measure,
a confession that the scheme TO make DO
litical capital for the Republican party
was a failure.