Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-04-14
SECRETS OF THE SENATE.
SIR. PLATT ADVOCATES OPEN
ING THE DOORS.

Tbe PeopIe Privileged to Know What
Tbetr RsprsseU tstives are Dotng-Sen-
atora often Forced to Bear in Silence
Damaging Misrepreseptations Con
cerning their Votes-The Lessons OF
The Past.
WASHINGTON, April BIN the Senate
to-day Mr.. Platt took the floor on his reso-
Luton relating to open executive sessions
The question was political one, ne salu'
but in no sense a question of party poll
tics. 1t rose above all party questions.
1t was the most important question OF
administrative reform to which the SEN
ate could at this time devote its attention.
Mr.. Platt read the Senate rules relating
to secret sessions including the rule
which prohibits the disclosure, by either
Senators or Senate officers. Of secrets or
executive sessions, the penalty for which
is that the Senators render themselves
liable to expulsion and officers to dis
charge. No Senator, he said, could hear
that rule read without . sense of personal
degradation. The first instance of secrecy
imposed on a Senator, Mr.. Platt said, Oc-
CURED in January, 1870.
PUBLIC SENTIMENT.
Mr.. Morrill, asked whether it was not a
fact that prior to that time all sessions or
the Senate had been held with closed
doors.
Mr.. Platt said he would come to that by
and bv. He would be able to show that
the public sentiment of the country COM
PEELED the opening OF the Senate doors in
the first instance, after they had been
closed for some years, and he would be
able to show that the same public senti-
ment now demanded that the doors should
be opened as a rule for the consideration
OF executive nominations. His present
resolution was that executive nOmina-
tions be considered with open doors eX-
cept when otherwise ordered by the Sen
ate. The Senators themselves ought TO
desire that their constituents should
know what the Senate was doing.
A LAME ARGUMENT.
The principal objection to the proposed
change was that it was against the custom
of the Senate. That was no argument.
No great measure of reform had ever made
progress that it did not make it over the
ramparts of custom and tradition. MIR.
Platt reviewed the history Of secret legis-
latlve and executive sessions. He read
from the early journals of Congress TO
show that the opening of the doors of Con-
;ress during legislative business was re-
garded by the Senators and mem
resentatives themselves. as tending to
make the membeTsO of Congress more fully
teel the responsibility of their position.
1t was interesting 70 note, he said, that
the first resolution offered iu the Senate
providing for opening of the doors during
legislative sessions was laid on the table
on the motion Of one Of the then Senator'S
from Virginia, and that at the very next
session of the Senate James Monroe ap-
peared as a Senator from Virginia with
specific instructions from that state TO
urge the opening OF the doors.
THE OBJECTION THE SAME.
The objections at that time made to the
opening of the doors for the conduct OF
ordinary legislative business were the
same that were nov made as to the hold
ing of executive sessions with open doors,
but as "A matter OF fact. Mr. Piatt said,
there was in those early daYs very little
secrecy about the proceedings OF the Sen
ate. The newspapers published the sub
stance OF them. Indeed, 1t could not he
said that there was any rule Of secrecy at
that time, eXceptuDon particular matters,
as to which there wa special need of con-
hdential treatment. Matters Of executive
business, Mr.. Platt said, were noti in early
times considered any more particularly
matters OF secrecy than were matters Of
legislative business.
SHOULD BIZ NO SECRETS.
Leaving the historical aspect OF the sub.
feet, MIR. Platt said it was clear that 1t
would be no great departure from the
practices or policy of the fathers for the
Senator'S to acquaint the people with the
proceedings of the Senate. He Mr..
Platt) planted himself squarely on. Mr..
sherman'S statement made on Feb. 9, last,
IN the Senate. to the effect that "there
ought to be no secrets whatever in this
E0NnFnnnnlf 1af.fff
OF the people," That statement,
briefly comprehended the whole sub
lect. There was but one exception
to be tolerated to tbat-and that was in
case Of absolute necessity. Such cases
would be extremely rare. The Senators de-
manded that the President have no Sec
rets from the Senate. Secrecy was, there
lore, odiOus to the Senators, except when
they themselves wanted TO observe secre-
cy. The people are demanding OF the Sem
al0rs that secrecy should not be observed
py the Senate, just as the Senators were
demanding that the President observe no
secrecy How could the Senators meet
the inexorable logic of the peoples de-
mand.
PUBLICITY A CURE.
Publicity was a cure for all evils effect
ing the body polite. The public service
would he improved byit. We would have
leWer nominations OF bad men. There
was no proper ground for secrecy in the
mere question Of convenience TO the Sena-
tors. The essence ofthe argument fore eX-
scutive sessions, he said, was % plea by
senator's Tor personal liberty on their part
but did not the Senator'S represent the
peopleg Were the Senators beyond res.
ponhbility? The whole administration
ol the law in "A government of the people
was involved in the appointment and cOn-
urmatlon Of men 10 Office. The laws could
only he enforced through the persons APP
pointed 10 office
SENATORIAL PREROGArIVES.
AS TO the point of Senatorial preroga-
nles which 1t was said was involved In
,lls question, "there are two wOrds,' said
Mr. Platt, (which the people OF the coun-
want TO see eNpunged from their po.
uucal vocabularys. IL is time those
words were obsolete. Those words are
prerogaiiye' and privilege ana il 10
we're not for being alliterative would say
tuat there we're two other words
palronage' and 'pefquistes' which the
people want 10 60. The people desired
w. nave done with them; and the Senate
nal better have d0ue with them. This Is
hV place TO assert prerogatiye. We had
oelter stand pretty close 10 the people
auu trust the people il we want them TO
rust us" Public sentiment and the
sehument OF the press, Mr.. Plat said,