New-York tribune., 1886-03-12
THE SUPPRESSED PAPERS.
mn WILSON ARRAIGNs TIE PRESIDENT.
TIE "1SNocUoUs DEsUETCDG' OF TnE ADMINS
TRArIoN's EFFnRM POLICY.
,nn r,1 r.,r II M TN. rRInrNR ]
fRY rELEGR lPn TO me TRInuNb ]

.
relation. between the Senate and tho Executive
Donartnents was renewed in the Senate at
o n n, today, Nh Wilson, Of Iowa. having
tbe floor The galleries were again cFoW"eu ou'
only about one-haI the Senators remaihou ~
,beir scats MI Wilson real his speech, hut IN WY
easily understood all parts of the chamber lie 70
viewed what he called the political comedy o errors
NJ this Administration, holdius that II the Pres"'nt
had fulfilled MS pledges there wehd nave oooe "o 80
10 withhold papers In order 10 cover up unIu'' "S
M the character and reputation OF hohoV"o'e "ie"' ~
wilson Il a member Of the Judiciary Committee ana
lawyer OF high standing His argument against 'no
,ocltv of the Presidents action in this matter was
strong one well fortified by peccdenis and by citations
from the statutes
Az wilson SAID that for the first in tho progress
OF this Government its executive power is now Oehs
used as means of assault on the character ana repa
ton of It's czeus lie stated the fact and would not
now sion TO determine whether it the result OF pur
pose ercnce, want OF thoughtful act"n OF oher
cause Whatsoever II an unexpected tact however
and doubtless would have been guarded against INC
trainers o tho Constitution had believed such result
possbe IN the administration OF the executive po"eruu
Of that proposed by them
II was reserved for the closing years OF the hTst
century's existence 10 develop the danger wheh "'
tends the citizen in this regard. Ihat this "a"Ho'
sbould now occar was a curious political phenomenon
and tAe thod Of Its appearance was as curious "s W
thing itself That was here at all was caleua'ou AT
first coDtecplton 10 induce belief in political eVolu-
ton Who could have anticipated that from Tue poil"
cal protopasmic presence which hOated on he ooson
of the Democratic platform of loS4' ana whose lh
deapiteuess was expires ,ed in the words I'VE IaVor
honest Cv Service reform could have evolved re-
suIt so harmful 70 the character and reputation or
citizen as the practice of the present National Admihs
tration
Mr. Wilson read an extract from Mr.. Cleveland s
letter OF acceptance. Here he continued anu
in his words, the prOtoplaSmic presence seemed
To lake in some degree definite shape. Inc
evolutionary process continued It's movement put
its next state not reached uhtI MI
Cleveland the candidate Of his party or the great once
OF President OF tho United States had become PreSiueh
elect When the latter character had become a'sueu "
him he took occasion to announce IN his let'er 10 MI
Chris that the political evolution was going steady
and resoutoly toward those higher CONDITIONS anu
purer practices which show the presence OF reform Ill
the method of executive action" Hero tho speaker
rad at length from a letter to Mr. Curtis "Ihese
expres,ops" lie continued. marked the second stage
reached 10Y the political evolution No one could douOt
the marked character the advance which 1t Indicated
The ith OF March. lSSJ. reached ana MI CIeNeau
became President Of the United states IN 1act snI III
law ON that 10 him mighty occasion he gave further
uterance and tod the assembled people OF the country
that the third stage OF the political eVoiuo" h"u O'o"
Mr. wilson read the portion Of Mr. Ceyeands I'M. n.g
Cura address relating TO Civli service REFORM t
he continued, marked the official ami Inquest stase 0i
wondrOusy well in eievaing Mr CieSeana
to the Presidency of the United nod statcs n,1s;
i arIe% Us To- have desired to impress country with
tS h, IN, tbe indefinite protopasmc presence in
the platform on which his party placed him at ChlGas0
had evolved substantial ana forCelul pLlhelpIo mt
Ce".Tsl Here Mr. Wilson read the Presidents message
Forwarding aud commenting the report ot he Gvi ser
vice Commission. Those utterauccs OF Mr. cleveland
as Preside tai candidate Presidenteiect and Presdeh
contained many things which thoughtful men approTeu
he convention gave him bad start by Its meanlgcss
express,On'we favor honest civil service reform "Iu
need not wonder at me result Ge ns n an
appropriate shell of that better political Organsin caeu
reform which had increased in size and elaborated s
uglineSs but had not changed its species -, ,,
The peo eople the speaker continued mad given MI
not dtGoc = m with hi, yepeaed assurances that
such THU rs would be done He had SAID that men
would be discharged for partisan reasons but only
thai whenever an officer suspended the people be-
him Indeed every suspended officer was by the Pres
dent, declaration made to stand before me counS
unworthy Of trust ana commence He nau SUI t5
643 public officers aud narshaled them before 'e I
TINS way we sgstpst The Character and reputa
,yos o ctsens Of the Republic No such outrage has
been inflicted American citizens IRON the hrs year VI
epi Acnl,isrration its pomp and circumstance OF re-
form to the contrary nOtwt thstandng I was most
extraordinary manifestation OF reform Ior the [es
dent TO p., himself before the country as the accuse
of 643 public officers whom he had SUSPENDED, IIe
Of which they were accused II he said to them You
are Republicans and want your places IN 9rSer tdss
frankly with them and wouG have manltesteI mani mann
deSt had now asked the Senate Join him in his accu
saions against those When the Senate requested
eused oicers 1t was hay told that no information
be given and this regardless OF the enect on te
Revised Statutes concerning suspensions from once our
ING TeGesS % s, S GseTeon @ to any civil oCer sp
poiUted by consent OF the Senate except Ju1Hes nht
Tie END oi the next session OF the Senate Mr. Wilson
iI9Hired what did this who might exercise this
discretion Not Grover Cleveland, but the fresucnt.
officer The discretion delegated was not personal dis
erection, but official discretion oclaI UScieuTI m t
must be exercised for la"tul PURPOSES anu du bI
ways President had overlooked or dsregarded ihis
rule in his official action. He and his Cabinet seemed TO
have conOunded personal caprice ana oea
The outraged citizen who stood arragued before the cou
must hot inquire concerning charges made against hiln
because that would be an encroachaent Gp0a t.e hny
And When the called for Information OF the Gov
nss see m GaSn Snd Opponny for defence it
cooiiy informed the public interests would not pe
fngiy "prerog gative Of tho President placed under
lock and Key the public records OF tn9
proposed by the st Congress TO show the aety Vi 11e
Of ae Pe,dn should be-
by confronting them with tle witnesses against sHeln
OF MIR Cleveland against his present pracoes No
less three members Of his Cabinet were peFso1a
stated letter Of the Attorney General Whcn gave
DIesen D altitude Of the administration the result Of
an after thought It's chief both as candidate ana re'
dent had protested too much IN respect OF ClN ser
vice reform and improved methods ,.,. .,,o .,.ou
Mr.. Wilson read the resolution condemning the Att0r-
foTSmation called ior Had President pFacsed q.
reform professions, he continued IT was not probable
mat any occasion would have arisen for the resolutions
The attempt invent method OF surfenderlug 10 par
tsan pressure and at the same time preserving siln
tude OF reform was what had brought the Admnlstra
lion 10 its present condition 1t was never safe TO
wrong What WAS the method inventedt Inc
star chamber mothod-inviting assaults on the
Characters Of men and then denying to the men al
Knowledge OF the of the charges against them
Tie President said that this Administration was 10
act behind glass DOORS" and was to have no Sc;
crets" This was courageous; the country applauded
II but il had lasted long. The Administration IL
naily showed that u was loade9 uoWh Win sooo anu
the glass doors had been abandoned.
Mr. Wilson argued at some length the question as 10
the privacy OF the papers on NE ~ tne uepa