Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-04-15
STAR CHAMBER SESSIONS.
MIR. BUTLER Pysi A PRY BE-
TWEEN THE c.. I1ED DOORS.

se.racv ONLY JustifiabIe as "A Rule When
Considering Treaty Matters-Cabinet
ParticIpation in Debates Advocated AS
Tending to Improve the Relations Be-
t,Veeu the Senators and Admintstra-
tiOn.
WASHINGTON, April 14.--ln the Senate
today Mr.. Morgan said he had been In
structed by the Committee on Foreign
Relations to give notice that tomorrow
at O'Clock, or as soon thereafter as prac-
ticable. he would ask the Senate to so into
executive session for consideration OF an
important matter.
MIR. Butler then addressed the Senate
on the subject of open sessions. lie nad
examined with care the subject under
consideration. and had come to the con-
clusion that the rules providing for secret
sassions ought to be abrOgated. There
never was time when the necessity for
the abrogation of those rules was made
so plain as at present. When the Demo-
cratic party had majority in the Senate
that majority never attempted to inter-
fere with the constitutional prerOgative
of the President of the United States or
TO paralyze the conduct OF governmental
affairs for party advantage, as the Re-
publican majority of the Senate was now
doing.
DEMOCRATIC OPPORTUNITY.
If any party ever could have justi1ca-
sion for pursuing a course at all like that
for which the Republican majority OF the
Senate was p's7 prS,Hng 1t would have
been the Democratic party when IL had
majority in the Senate. for that party
and the country had then been recently
cheated and defrauded of its rightful
President.
AS to the present administration and
the Senate's attitude to it, Mr.. Butler
said that while it could not be claimed
that the President had not made mistakes,
it could be said that all his methods of
administrative reform had been in the
line of Improvement and in the interest of
good government. How had he been met
bv the Senate? Was it by frank and
patriotic effort to aid him in giving the
people good government? Not at all.
He had been met by carping criticism
and by endeaVOrs to hamper and impede
bis administration of the public business.
Almost the first act of the majority Of the
Senate, or rather OF the relentless and
incorrigible faction Of that msjOrity. was
an attempt to get from the President his
reasons for certain executive acts, to
which reasons the Senate was no more en-
titled than was the council of the ChOc-
taWs.
THE DEMAND ABSURD.
The absurdity of the demand having
been discovered it was abandoned with
iu-cOncealed humiliation and a demand
for papers made instead. The President
would have been unworthy his hlgn place
If he had not resisted compliance with
such a demand. The same faction of the
Senate majority had now taken theground
that the Presidents nominations should
not be confirmed.
Mr.. Butler asked whether this course
had been decided in the public interest or
,fOr the qualification OF party spleen?
Admitting, for the sake of argument, that
the President had done wrong, was the
Senate performing its duty in pursuing
the course indicated? Mr.. Butler wanted
the Senate doors wide open when action
was being taken on Presidential nOmina-
tiOns in order that the country might be
advised of the frivolous character of the
grounds on which action was refused on
nominations.
STAB y,tAMBER PROCEEDINGS.
His (Mr. Buty,r) .t.ssieuce in the
Senate convinc9l han that there was no
use and no necessity for secret sessions,
except, perhaps, in considering treaties
with foreign nation. The Senate of the
body in the world, except one, that now
had any provision for secret sessions. Mr..
Butler read extracts from letters to him
by several of the foreign Ministers in
Washington, written in reply to Inquiries
made by him, to show that the legislative
bodies Of no other country than Mexico
held secret sessions. Much had recently
been said by the Republican Senators OF
star chamber proceedings and kingly pre-
n W0nIn
those words do applied TO the action OF the
senate in reYerting to executive sessions? ?
MR.. BUTLER's PLAN.
The surest. safest and nearest road to
civil service reform, Mr.. Butler said, was
10 throw wide open the doors Of the Sen
ate for executive sessions and then to per-
nit by law members of the Presidents
Cabinet to come on the floor of Congress
from time to time and participate in de-
bate, but without vote, as provided by
the bill introduced by Alr. PendletOn.
NO other course could so well tend to
proper understanding of public questions
or better mutual relations of the Execu-
tive and Legislative Departments
OF the government. Mr.. Butler saw
IN our government no danger of eXecu-
tive encrOachment. There was much
more danger, he said of legislative en-
crnachment. The time for one man power
N"A hpuNs anu WNuiu hDh ltluiH uHAlA
chaos should reign, and the sword be
called on TO restore order. Let MS hope
lnat that time was in the far distant fu-
lure, If it must ever come, and that the
Tue idea OF popular government might
withstand all encroachments from what
ever source.
POWER or RULERS.
Il had been said that the Sovereign Of
england reigned but did not govern, that
lle President Of the French Republic
neither reigned nor governed. and that
lue President of the United states gov
eFned but did not reign. The President OF
lois republic governed by faithfully exc
cutting the law. Whenever he should
come To exceed his power he would be-
gpme revOlutiOnlst and usurper; but IN
MS faithful execution OF the law lay the
strength, power and invincibility OF this
government. Wise laws by Congress.
win no secrets from the people, faithful
tAecuii0n Of laws by the President, and
ust ana impartial Interpretation Of those
avs hi the courts, constituted the best
,eguaids for the liberties OF the people.
pr Riddleberger submitted as a SUBJ
,l,ule Tor the pending resolution, relating
Executive sessions, a resolution prOvd-
iNs mat all matters other than those relat-
ms 10 treaties should be considered and
=. .ea upon by the senate In open session.
" was ordered printed.
Senator Iuplfen,,fa Tgnafuunffnu