Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1886-03-19
SENATOR KENNA'S SPEECH.

One week ago to-day, the Republican
obstructionists in the Senate were fairly
electrified by an unlooked-for and most
powerful speech delivered by Senator
John E. Kenna, of West Virginia, in
support of the Presidents action in re-
fusing to transmit to the Senate certain
papers relating to the suspension from
office of Duskin, of Alabama. In the
course of his speech, Mr.. Kenna resur-
rected and read with telling effect the
following letter which President Jackson
sent to the Senate in 1888, and this he
held up as precedent, warrant and
authority for the attitude assumed by
President Cleveland in his present con-
troversy with the Senate:
20 the Senate of the United States:
I have attentively considered the resolu-
ton of the Senate of the 11th inst, request
ing the President of the United States to
communicate to the Senate a copy of the
paper which has been published, and which
purports to have been read by him to the
members of the executive department., dated
the 18th day of September last, relating to
the removal of the deposits of the public
money from the Bank of the United States
and its offices. The executive is co-ordi-
nate and independent branch of the govern
ment, equally with the Senate, and I have
yet to learn under what special authority
that branch of the legislature has the right
to require of me an account of any commu-
nication, either verbal or in writing, made
to the heads of the departments acting as a
cabinet council. As we'll might I be re-
quired to detail to the Senate the
free and private conversations I held
with those officers on any subject
relating to their duties and my own. Feel
ing my responsibility to the American people,
I am willing upon all occasions to explainto
them the grounds of my conduct; and am
willing upon all proper occasions to give to
either branch of the legislature any informa-
tion in MY possession that can be useful in
the execution of the proper duties confided
to them. Knowing the Constitutional rights
of the Senate, I shall be the last man under
any circumstances to interfere with them.
Knowing those of the Executive, I shall at
all times endeavor to maintain them agree
ably to the provisions of the Constitution
and my solemn oath to support and defend it.
l am constrained, therefore, by proper
sense of my own self-respect, and of the
rights secured by the Constitution to the
Executive branch of the Government, to de-
cline a compliance with your request.
ANDREW JACKSON.
In that controversy "Old Hickory"
held that the Executive was "a co-ordin-
ate and independent branch of the Gov
ernment equally with the Senate" and
he denied the right of the latter branch
of the national legislature to compel him
to give it any communication, "either
verbal or written" made to the heads of
Departments. In the controversy which
the Senate has forced upon President
Cleveland, the latter treats as "confden-
tial' such letters as the Senatorial OBJ
structionists have asked him to transmit
for their inspection, and will not surren-
der them.
President Cleveland stands on solid
ground in this fight, and there is no
earthly reason for supposing that the
Senate will be able to bring him to their
terms or even to effect a compromise.
Democrats everywhere expect to see him
emulate ''Old Hickory's" example, and
in the end place in Office men drawn
from the ranks of his own party, and
who hold political views in accord with
those of the Administration.