The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1909-01-08
HOUSE MAKES REPLY TO THE
INSlNUATIONS OF THE
PRESIDENT
Prominent Republican Congressmen Lead Attack Chief Magistrate
and Offer Bitter Cricm-Roars Of Laughter When Message
Received from the White House. Roosevelt Dbcouteousy Treated

house and, by Implication, states that
he has no proof OF corruption OF any
member of this house
Whether the house In It's resolu-
ton OF December II, 1908, correctly
interpreted the meaning OF the words
used by the President IN his annual
message or whether 1t misunderstood
that language, as the, President I'M
Plies, Will be Judged now and In the
future according TO the accepted ln-
telpretations of the English langu-
age. This house, charged only with
its responsibility to the people OF the
United States and its obligation TO
transmit unimDalred TO the future the
representative institutions Inherited
from the past and to preserve 1ts
own dignity, must insist on its own
capacity to understand the import OF
the Presidents language. We con-
slider the language of the President
in his message of December s, 1908,
unjustifed and without basis of fact
and that it constitutes breach of the
privileges Of the house; therefore, be
it
exercise of its constitutional preroga
t:ves, declines to consider any COM
nunication from any source which is
not in its own judgment respect1ul;
and, be it further
Resolved, That the special commit
tee and the committee of the whole
house on the state of the union, be
discharged from any consideration OF
81 much of the Presidents annual
message as relates 10 the secret ger
vice and is above set forth, and that
the said portion of the message be
laid on the table: and. be II further
Resolved, That the message OF the
President, sent to the house, on Janu-
inquiry OF the house and constituting
an invasion of the privileges OF this
house by questioning the motives and
Intelligence of members in the eXer-
else Of their constitutional rights and
functions be laid on the table
After Mr.. Perkins had concluded
bis speech on the secret service resolu-
tion he gave way to.Mr. DENLY who, in
the course of his remarks, said that
the President had yeered from the
path of recommendation and just criti-
cism into the realm of personal abuse,
speculation and innuendo.'
During the discussion, Secretary
Latta appeared with a message from
the White House. and his appearance
was greeted with roars of laughter.
The message proved to be of a rou-
tine character and was not allowed to
interrupt the proceedings for any
length of time.
Mr.. Bennett Of New York opposed the
adoption of the Perkins resolution
and declared that If the house should
accept 1t, its action would have no
more influence upon the character
which history would give to President
Roosevelt than had the action of the
senate on President Tyler's record in
connection with his attitude toward
Andrew Jackson. Mr.. Tawny received
an ovation as he arose to speak
Declaring that he could not see
how any other conclusion could be
reached than the President deIiber-
ately libeled the house, Mr.. Sherley
devoted his remarks principally to
the Presidents references to him In
lis special message. He characteriz.
cd the action as grave breach or
the privileges OF the house.
and thereby a grave injury
to the country and claimed tnat
nc response TO the previous resolu-
tion OF the house could be accepted
that did not contain a withdrawal or
the offensive language objected 10
and an apology therefore"
Of o,tcb how.
, ever" continued Mr. Sherley. the
President has declared that the lang
uage used by him does not mean what
it plainly says. and an effort is made
TO change the issue existing between
the house and the executive"
He said that this issue is whether
the executive was warranted In i'm
pungnlng the motives OF the house in
cnacting legislation that was believed
by him to be unwise
ITO attempt to answer such an is
sue by a disclaimer of any intention
90 offend while repeating the offensive
language. is TO add additional insult.
said Mr. Sherley. He quoted that por-
tion of the Presidents message which
said that "the chief argument In ia
vor OF the provision was that the con.
! gressmen did not themselves wish Lo
be investigated by the secret service
men"
How any person can carefully read
the language | have just quoted and
I come to any other conclusion than
that the president deliberately libelcd
the house. am unable to understand"
said Mr. Sberley 1T being apparent
that a stigma was placed upon the
membership of the house. but two
answers were open TO the President
First, To prove that the stigma was
deserved. or secondly. like a brave
man. to withdraw the offensive lang
uage and apologize to the house The
President has done neither"
In dealing with the Presidents ui-
+ loct reference TO him. Mr. Sherley
read from the Congressional Record
the remarks he made in the debate
, or the much discussed limitation He
alalyzed his remarks and declared
that the President not only by elm
mating and snbordinating several OF
ny remarks, but also by ignoring tho
remarks of Mr. Bennett that called