The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-02-02
Ghe GHtelLigsttcer,
wnIGLlNo, W. VA sEUHvAHY - 1885


The lSTELLlGEScEE Is with those VINO
hold that the Senate has right to ask,
and the President is not bound to give,
information concerning his nominations
s.nt to the Senate for confirmation. The
nomination is the Presidents privilege,
confirmation, or refusal to confirm the
Ssuate's. Yet the IETRLLIdENcEE cannot
agree with those who 90 Iurther and hold
thatit ia an impertinenCe on the part OF
the Senate to ask the Presidents reasons,
and that it would DO beneath the dignity
Of the Executive TO comply with the Sen
ate's request.
1t is necessary to frank and fair argu'
,aeut to admit that the Senate seeks u par
tisan advantage, for il this were not true
now 1t might be at another time, and it Is
phase Of the controversy that will always
he considered. Unless there be something
inherently wrong i'll the request lor lm'
formation, hostile Senate will gain a
partisan advantage by the PresidenEs re-
iusal to giv1 information. twill DO ar
gued, aud the country will be likely to
believe, tina. II the information desired
wonld do tho President no diecredit and
would promote the confirmation oil the
nominee, there wOlld be ready Compli'
ance with the request
lit be sui posed that tho Senate seeks
no partisan advantage, that 1t desires TO
"sdyise and conaent' 10 every worthy APP
polntmsnt, for this purpose asking Tor
all the light the President can give on the
sibjsct, II is easy to SEQ what might
happen by reason Of such stand as
President Cleveland has taken. A Senate
friendly though Of opposite politics would
take ofFepse, and, having for its guidance
no information but common rumor, nigh!
decline to confirm nominees on the purely
negative ground that it knew nothing
about them. Whether they DO or be not
moved by q partisan impulse to ask Tor
the Presidents reasons, when those
reasons are good the President ought to
lie glad to give them to the country
through 40 respectable medium as the
United States Senate. No President eau
be beyond accountability to tho country,
and no President both wise and honest
will wish 10 be.
Isit incompatible with the dignity OF
the Executive to furnish tho Senate with
reasons for appointments2 The first
President, man With official and per-
sonal pride, did not think 30. The Senate
had refused to confirm Col. Der jamin
Fishbourn, nominated 10 be Naval Officer
at Savannah. Ina message OF August q,
1880 hesent in the name Of another map,
expressed his regret that Fishbourn had
not been confirmed, and added:
Whatever may have been the reasons
which induced yonr dissent, am per.
suaded they were such as you deemed
sufficient, Permit me to submit 10 your
consideration, whether on occasions
where the propriety oil nominations ap-
pbhEb uUebblOuNulG W 1Vug ~ nouAu INV w
expedient 10 communicate that CirCum.
stance to me, and thereby avail yourself
Of the information which led INC 10 make
them, and which | would with pleasure
lay before you. Probably my reasons for
nominating Mr.. FishbOurn may tend to
show that such mode Of proceeding in
such cases might be useful. will there.
fore detail them.
And detail them he did. The present
Senate has acted on Washington's sugges.
ton, desirous Of availng itself Of the in.
formation which has led the executive 10
make his nominations, but President
Cleveland does not agree with President
Washington. II will be observed that al.
though President walhIngton's ilrst nom.
inse for the Savannah Naval Office had
been defeated, he embraced the earliest
opportunity to justify that nomination
with the Senate and the country, that no
might stand well in the opinion Of both.
II has never been said Of Washington that
lie was President lacking in dignity or
in due appreciation Of tho prerogativea Of
hia oIllna