Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1886-02-11
THE Law LAID DOWN.
Messrs. Riddleberger and Pugh Define
the Relations Of the Presi-
dent and Senate.
: ASSOCIATED Press report.l
In the Senate.


In the Senate.
Mr.. Riddleberger Of Virginia offered the
following resolutions:
Resolved, That IT Is the sense Of the Senate
hat tho Executive Of the United States is not
:estricted by constitutional law I'm removing or
'uspending appointees that the Senate has no
light 10 require that reasons shall be given for
Iuch removal or suspension that IL is the right
" the Senate to call Tor any paper relating to
he conduct OF removed or suspended appoin-
e6s, or to the qualification and fitness OF all
persons whose names are presented to tho Sem
lte for continuation or rejection, and it Ia the
iuty Of the Executive 20 comply with all de-
nands for the same.
In offering the resolution Mr.. Riddleber-
ger said his purpose was simply to bring
he subject up in open debate. 1t did not
INVOLVE any so-called high pretogative of
he Senate when it should go into secret or
executive session, but only that abstract
question as to whether the Executive could
% called on or required to give reasons for
'emovals. Mr.. Riddleberger asked for the
immediate consideration Of the resolution,
gut Mr.. Cockrel1 MOO objected.
Mr.. Pugh, of Alabama, offered later In
he day the following substitute for the
:esoluti0n, and asked that 1t be allowed TO
ie over until tomorrow;
!. That the executive power IL expressly vest
"a by the Constitution in the President of the
he laws be faithfully executed.
z. That the power OF appointment to Federal
Nice is an executive power TO be exercised by
10 President under the limitation in the Con-
.titution that he shall nominate, and by and
lppoint
5. That the power OF removal and suspension
rom the powers and duties OF Federal office is
ilso an executive power vested exclusively in
bhe President, without any such limitation In
Ihe Constitution as is imposed thereby ON the
aI11 for axa Ciaah ha H
:esponsible alone 10 the people and not to the
Senate.
4. That the right OF the President to make
nomin ations TO the Senate and OF the Senate to
advise and consent thereto are each separate
md independent rights, to be exercised by the
resident and Senate respectively, and sepa-
assy aG nt iRfsPsnity d within dis
igon - ma uIoIJ TITnI Uis5V!N
qualifications of those as to whose appointment
he asks the advice and consent of the Senate.
5. That when the President makes nomi..a-
lions TO the Senate Of persons to be appointed
by him to exercise the powers and duties OF
Federal officers who have been removed or sus-
pended by him. no law, public duty, or public
Ste 70 the senate anS cae send T 81 OF o
nation within his own knowledge or contained
addressed to him or any member of his Cabinet,
T in the possession OF either, and relating
10 the subject Of removals or suspensions
reasons and the proof thereof HTSe1i for making
such removals or suspensions; and no
law, public duty, or public policy requires or
authorizes the Senate to call for such informa-
ton existing in any such form from the Presi-
aent or any member Of his Cabinet to enable
the Senate TO review or question the action Of
the President in exercising his executive, dis
cretionary, and exclusive power Of removing or
suspending Federal officers from the powers and
duties Of their offices, or to put the President on
trial by the Senate or to enforce accountability
10 the Senate for anything he may have done in
the exercise Of such jurisdiction.
That to obtain information considered by
either house OF Congress useful in passing neces-
sary and proper laws either house OF Congress
may request the President, il not deemed by
him incompatible with the. public interest, TO
give any Information within his knowledge or
Ale or in the lawful custody OF any of the de-
partments, and relating TO the administration Of
any public Office or tho official conduct or acts
affecting the official conduct or duties Of any
public officer; but for the Senate to make such
request of the President, or to direct any mem
ber of his Cabinet to transmit to the Senate any
Information or any public documents or papers
In open or executive session to enable the
Senate in open or executive session to
view the propriety or the reason OF tho informa-
ton upon which he acted or may have acted in
making removals or suspensions, would be
attempt to obtain such information by false pre-
lenses, and for uses and purposes not authorized
or JUSTIFIED by any law or public policy OF the
United States; and for tho President to grant
met to obey such direction from the Senate,
when deemed by him to be made for such un-
justihable and unlawful uses and purposes,
would be to recognize and encourage an inn
proper practice and an injurious innovation
upon his exclusive and independent rights,
powers, and duties as President Of the United
States.
The plan of the Republicans is to refer
the matter to the Committee on Privileges
and Elections, whence Mr.. Hoar (Mass.)
will report substitute expressing the Stall
wart Republicans views of the question.
This resolution will be debated in open ses-
sion, and it is expected that the Stalwart
Republican Senators will say their say con-
cerning the President. They hope by act
ing upon the resolution in open session to
force Mr.. Van Wyck (Neb.) and other Re-
publicans of whose support in executive
session they do not feel certain.
Meanwhile the Judiciary Committee, to
which the Senate in executive session re-
ferred the Attorney Generals letter in the
Dustin case, will continue the pursuit Of
the President through Mr.. Garland. There
is talk of backing down on the part of some
Republican Senators, but Mr.. Edmunds,
who leads the opposition to the President,
is as determined as ever.