Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-03-20
In THE SENATE.
ANNOUNCEMENT or THE SELECT COM
MIrTEE ON CENTENNIAL
CELEBRATION.
Discussion on the Proposed Amendment
10 the Rules nominations
other Items.
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WASHINGTON, March l9.-Ihe NiCe-Presi.
dent announced the appointment OF the fol-
lowing select committee 90 the Aprl cen.
;ennial celebration 10 New YORK; senators
Iliscock, sherman, lloar, VOORHEES,. and
Iusiis.
MIR. sherman called up tho proposed
amendment 81 The rule requiring resolutions
that call for infotmstion from toe executive
departments 30 be- referred 90 the apofoprlate
comsaitice. lie said thas the adoption Of
such resolutions without INQUIRY sometimes
involved very large md unnecessary ex-
pcnee. aDl That such a change OF rule was
desirable.
Nj. VOORHEES, opposed The change Of the
rule. lie understood thst no assent 70 u
bad been given on the Democratic side OF The
chamber. lie called attention ~ the fact
that he Government was within few weeks
"a closing ifs trst hundred wears Of history
under the Constitution, and that during that
century 81 national life no such rule ~ that
now propostd bad ever bren found neccs-
ssry. lie could see no object that u wss
likely 20 accomplish except 20 siiile the IN
yesiigail0n and onsiruct inquiry into The
conduct OF any executive department. lie
submitted 10 the senator iron Ohio and 10
all the senators on The other SIDE whether
they could afford. a. tbe threshold Of new
Administration, 10 give notice tO the world
that The iuvestisaiiOn aud inquiry into the
proceedings Of the departments shall he less
free and less untrammelCd than had been
The case heretofore.
The pending proposition haA no resurrec-
t.ou In Il. Ii dld not require the resolution
go be- ever reported back. II consigned It 10
The tomb Of the capuiet., II snch should be
fuc mind Of the committee 10 which the reso
luton went The administration OF the af-
fairs OF The Government va. now In new
hands and he wished 20 those hands success
and prosperity. lie had no desire 10 drag
down or to destroy that Administration.
But the msiorliy Of the senate could III a.
ford 20 ici it 90 forth that it hal put up bars
10 stop the PATHWAYS by which wrOngdOing
could he found out. The proposition, when
he nrst beard q II. had startled him.
SIR. sherman r. member 81 The Committee
on Rulcs, from which the proposition had
been reported) said that It had been agreed
tounauimousiy ia that committee. The evil
which ID was proposed 10 remedy was calling
Tor information, 40 the request OF single
senator, without any inquiry 81 TO The eX-
pense involved or as 90 whether the iniorma-
ton was not already printed and available.
Such resolutions lclt no Oiscrc ion with The
heads OF the departments, who we're required
10 comply with them, although the furnish
ing OF the Information SOM tinc' necfssliated
the employment ~ forty or nifty clerks for q
ono hundred clerks had 10 be- employed Tor
two months In copying papers called for un-
necessarily. The Committee on Rules felt
that some restraint should be made on The
passage Of such res0 utOus The committee
nad DO desire t0 restrain, 30 the slightest de-
gree, the fr0wcr OF the senate g. examine
into any question whatever no one tad
dresfad Oi such thing. lie know very
well thnt n any attempt were made TO
smother inquiry 10 would BE- necessarily op-
posed, and that when the charge was made
against an executive officer ihe only way was
g. meet 10 81 once by prompt investigation.
RESOLUTIONS Of inquiry involving expenses
should not be adopted. except for some res'
son that could be fairly given 10 toe COM
mitire o. which II WAS referred. and the
committees could always be trusted on ques-
ti0us of that KIND. II the committee should
tnnk that the resolution involved an an
necessary amount Of copying and he print
ing Of documents already on the files OF Con-
grcss the resolution could be modified.
Nix. Hoal regarded the proposed amend
ment 10 the rule A. a very serious mniter and
one which ought not 90 bc dealt with with
cut careful rejection sBd understanding.
The difficulty which the senator nom Ohio
had spoken ~ would not b. remcdicd ~ the
change OF rules, for resolutions OF inquiry
could still hcadopted o. no") by unanimous
consent. Putting check upon the Senate's
right of inquiry iRto proceedings Nd the eX-
ecut.ye departments would be "A very serious
fnpairuent Of the dignity of the senate.
Mr. Gormau opposed the new rule rs be-
iur au attempt 10 prevent The minority or a
single senator from getting information a.
90 the conduct OF the public business. such
would be its effect, whether such were It's
present intent or not. lie moved to amend
the proposed rule first hy emitting from II
The reference % inquiries from the ffesl-
dent OF the United states, and second by
adding 10 IL the words (which resolution
should be reported 30 the senate within one
week thereafter
Mr.. Butler argued against the PROPOSE
ton. holding that the good resulting from
she rule ~ 10 had stood heretofore lar out
weighed iis disadvantage.
Mir. iIOar proposed A. an amendment That
Whenever any inquiry for information shall
hc addressed By tue Senate 10 any head OF a
department. II il shall appear 20 such Of
fetal that the same has been already fur
uisued. De shall he at liberty 10 communi-
cate such opinion 10 the senate and await
SIS further pleasure.
Mt Teller had no doubt that great eX-
travsgAuce had been committed under the
existing rule. lie had some knowledge Of
10 himself. ilDi he did not think that the
majority could afford TO adopt a rule which
looked hike q restriction on the minority.
TIE senate should not put Itself In the po-
fIuon Of having It said with any show OF
rehN that it WAS willing 60 stiiie any IN
yc.ugatlOn with reference to the incoming
Admpi.trauon.
Dir. Spooner said he would vote against
the proposed rule or any rule like II. The
senate had always treated with the utmost
li1crsitv resolutions Of inquiry presented
on either side, aud he believed 1t wise that
the senate should continued 10 DO 30, and that
no obstacle whatever should be put in the
way of the exercise Of the inquisiiorlal
power of the senate. He SAW no good In
Iecomm,uing the proposed rule, and he
Should vote against IT,
sir. sherman sid that be had called up
the proposed rule in tins absence OF the
chairman OF The Committee on Rules, but ne
did not care 20 ask for division upon II
until Mr.. Aidrich should have returned. lie
Lad 10 objection 10 having It rec0mmtted.
The rule and amendments were accord
ingly recommitted 70 the Committee on
Pu lea. and after brief session for executive
business The senate. At +. NJ, adj ouFned.
NOMINATIONS AND CONTRIBUTIONS.
The President to-day nominated Whitelaw
Reid, g New York, to be Envoy EXlraordi'
nary snd Minister Penip0teniiary OF the
United states 10 France; Julius Gold.
schmidt, Of Wisconsin. COnsul-General OF
The United states at Vienna; Andrew &.
Bradley, OF the District OF Columbis. 10 be
Associate Justice OF the supreme Court on
The District Of Columbia; John Il. McFie, OF
New Mexico. TO be Associate Justice OF the
Supreme Court Of The Territory Of New
Mexico: Frank X. Aikcus, OF DAkots 70 be
Associate Justice Of the supreme Court OF
The Territory OF Dakota.
The President to-day Withdrew from the
Senate the nomination Of Eugene Schuyler 70
be Assistant secretary Of state, which was
made on the 18Th instant IL Is learned that
the Committee on Foreign Relations, after
consideration Of the case, asked that the
nomination De withdrawn, coupling the re.
quest, II Is Understood, with an intimstion
that otherwise ii would be reported adverse
IN. This action was taken on account OF an
assault made by Mr.. Schuyler In his booken
titled American Diplomacy upon the late hr.
80. "a al