The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1908-05-27
THE STEWART CASE.
SENATOR RAYNER CENSURES
THE PRESIDENT FOR HIS
COURSE.
Maryland Senator Declares That Col.
Stewart Has Not Had a square
Deal"

s-~A ~ ~AoASiou III Tic SeIldCe To-Day
called up his resolution requiring the
president to appoint a court Of in
quiry to investigate charges against
Col. VIM. F. Stewart of the coast ar
tillery. now stationed at Fort Grant,
Ariz. Mr.. Rayner said he took this
action because he was satisfied there
would be no report from the military
Affairs committee on his resolution at
this session Of congress. He review
ed the sending Of his resolution to
the committee last Wednesday and
his appearance before the committee
on the following day. Last Friday he
was informed, he said, that papers in
connection with the case had not ar
rived from the war department, and
he humorously referred to the diff
Guilty Of sending a messenger from
the war department to the senate be-
fore congress adjourned.
Senator Warren Of Wyoming chair
man Of the military affairs commit
tee. stated that the committee had
made every effort to get from the
department all the papers in the
case.
Following his speech, Mr.. Rayner
offered substitute for his original
resolution expressing the sentiment
that Col. Stewart was entitled to be
heard and that the president be re-
quested to convene court Of inquiry.
Consideration Of the resolution went
over until tomorrow. -
Speaking of his belief that the pres
dent. the war department and the
committee on military affairs were
Fastening action on this case, Mr..
Rayner said:
1T Is proper for me to remind the
senate. however, that while this case
is being thus expedited, Col. Stew
art Is upon the heights Of Arizona
He is at high altitude. as high as
the president can get him. with very
little chance of his getting down any
lower within any definite period Of
time. Being at a high altitude he
ought not to complain. The climate
is salubrious and uniform, 1t being as
cold in winter as it is hot in summer;
the surroundings are all salutary, his
companions are festive and convival.
consisting Of, caretaker. teamster
and several government mules, and
the society Of this fashionable centre
is therefore extremely exclusive and
select. The president is delighted
with the situation, and therefore the
chairman Of the military committee
ought also to be satisfied.
III the president is satisfied every
body ought to be satisfied Why not {?
What right has anybody to be dis
satisfied with anything that satisfies
the president? who could be guilty
Nof such reasonable act? The king
cannot commit a wrong. and there
fore the president cannot commit a
wrong. Congress may make the
grave mistakes. Courts may err. HUI
man Judgment at the zenith of It's
strength may arrive at faulty and
erroneous conclusions. but the exc
cutive can never blunder. Infallibili-
ty Is one Of his attributes. When he
comes to conclusion upon strictly
ex parte testimony his. position is i'm
preSnatle.
"A Judge who hears both sides
may have his mind disturbed, but a
president who hears only one side can
proceed with accuracy and precision
to hnal Judgment without the slight
est doing wrong or making any mis-
take upon the testimony he has heard.
The constitution gives q criminal the
right to be informed Of the na-
ture and cause Of the accusation
against him: it permits him to be
confronted with the witnesses
against him; to have process for OBJ
tanning witnesses in his favor and to
have the assistance Of counsel for his
defense.
"The president prefers to try the
case without any witnesses for the
defense. because II witnesses for the
defense were summoned, he defiantly
proclaims. to use his own language,
they could not possibly upset the
Judgment that he had already rem
dered.' This Is the presidents concep-
ton Of justice.
| III the senate refuses to act" de-
clared Mr.. Rayner, ''the only relief
that I can now think Of would per-
II \ q