The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1893-02-18

navy UGH oOi1CtLliuS ~ pct III 1tIEC
Haute, and some of those candidates for
the position would have been scalp
hunting.
Another instance land could give a
score Or more from memory was the
case Of the postmastcrship at Kankakee,
III. There were papers in that case
which would have provoked murder,
if they had become public. If that case
had been considered in open session Of
the senate there would have been
trouble in kanlukee, and probably in
the surrounding country. 1t would
have been monstrous to have sullied the
pages of the senate's record with the
kankakee case.
Viewing the matter from the point of
view of one who has handled thousands
Of executive documents, and knowing
the necessity of keeping each candi-
dates papers separate and secret, it
seems to me that nothing could be more
foolish and unreasonable than the prop
osition that the executive sessions OF
the senate should be held with open
doors. Moreover, if the president and
his administration were to do their duty
by the people the senate would be re-
fused access to the papers in appoint
ment cases, and those papcrs should
never be sent to the Senate for consid-
GRAFTON in open session. When a candi-
date for office writes to the president
or to one of his cabinet ministers he
writes in confidence. He does not
write for the purpose of having his let
ter given to the public, either through
newspaper reporters Or through the
Congressional Record. The president
and his cabinet ministers are in duty
and comnon courtesy bound to hold
such communications in confidence.
Again and again have | had candidates
for Office come to my desk, when in a
government position, and beg permits
sion to see the papers of rival candi-
dates.
One old man from a northwestern
state went so far as to intimate hat he
would give five hundred dollars for per-
mission to see the papers of one of his
rivals. The appointment clerk replied:
You wrote a letter here stating that
that man had committed a heinous
crime. The department has investi-
gated the matter, and finds that your
statement is untrue. How would you
like to have me show that man your
libelous letter concerning him? He is
in the city and would like to see it."
The old ma saw the necessity of hav-
ing himself protected, and then was
able to see the necessity of protecting
the other candidates. Every scrap of
paper written to one of the executive
departments in Washington is held in
sacred confidence. No power can COM
pei the executive branch of the govern
ment to violate that confidence. The
United States senate may resolve and
r~c-resolve, but cannot compel the pro-
duction of papers of that nature.
Hence, throughout all time, if our pres
idents understand the situation, as they
probably will, the senate will be
obliged to consider executive nomina-
lions in secret session.
The trouble which would arise from
the publication of all facts concerning
presidential nominations would be very
great, but, in comparison with other
troubles which would result, the SEN
atorial phase would be small. There
are about six thousand presidential APP
p~ointments, while there are nearly
seventy thousand post Office APP
pointments. If the facts concerning
the candidates il each presidential Of
fee were given to the public, the people
in all towns and villages would have d
right to know why certain appoint
ments were made, and they would de-
Eand, reasonably enough, the publica-
ton of all facts in each case. You can
scarcely realize what this would mean.
There are always from two to twenty
candidates for the small post offices.
Why, even on the frontier prairie
where a new town is starting everybody
wants to be postmaster; not that there
is any money in it, but for the honor Of
it. These candidates ascertain who the
other candidates are and write all man
ner of scandalous gossip concerning
them tending to demonstrate that all
other candidates are either dishonest Or
in some other way unfit for the posi-
ton. If the rival candidates in some
mining camp IN the or in
some new town site on the prairie, could
only know the contents of those let
ters there would be rifles. revolvers and
bowie knives in the air. Villages would
date their local affairs from the time
when such and such a man was killed
at such and such cross roads. Every
neighborhood would be in a ferment and
feuds would blossom upon every grocery
counter in the hamlets and at the cross
roads. These things would ultimately
result from open executive sessions of
the senate.
During the last session of congress
there was an important nomination
Vending for one of the middle ctatoS