The Washington herald., 1914-12-20

creased and OF late years the Senate has with
exceptions, been subservient to him. This is be-
cause the President is, after ALL the dispenser o
patronage, and it behooves the Senators to keep
in his favor. 1t is not likely, therefore, that the
present session will witness any real fight between
the President and the Senate. The administration
harness may not bear lightly the shoulders oi
some Senator'S but will be worn, all the same.
CleVelands Memorable Row with the Senate.
President Wilson is like President Cleve-
land in many OF his characteristics that the present
situation recalls the memorable fight which Cleye-
land had with the Senate in 1855.
| Mr.. Cleveland had removed George NJ. Daskin
from the Office of district attorney in the Second
district of Alabama and had nominated John d.
Burnett in his stead. The Senate demanded the
reasons for the removal. The Judiciary Committee
asked Attorney General Garland informally for
the papers and he refused to submit them. Then
the Senate adopted a resolution directing him to
send the papers and he replied that he did
slider such action compatible with public interest.
The Senate naturally became worthy and instruct
ed the Judiciary Committee of which Senator Ed
munds of Vermont, the chairman, to deal with
the question. The majority of the committee pre-
sented elaborate report asserting the constitu-
tional right Of the Senate to control all papers in
the possession of officials and denouncing the At
torney General. The Democrats on the committee
defended the President mainly on the ground that
as o5 per cent of the oficehoIders were Rcpubli-
cans he had perfect right to turn them out, with
or without President Cleveland did not,
however, let the matter rest there. He sent a
scokching message to the Senate. He said the
documents in his possession addressed to him
and were private papers, even though they had
been sent to the Attorney General; that he un-
II II
cept through an impeachment trial, to review his
acts in connection with the suspension of any
Federal official; and he resented, he said, any
assumption of the right to sit in judgment upon
him in the exercise of the discretion and executive
function 'for which l solely responsible to the
people from whom have lately received the sacred
trust of Office"
The struggle which lasted through two or three
months, excited widespread attention; but the point
of the story is that before the session ended Bur-
nett was confirmed and the Senate did not get the
papers, either The President won, usual
The Garfield -Conkling Fight-and Others.
No story of great struggles between the Presi-
dent and the Senate would be complete without
reference to the historic contest the nomina-
ton of William H. Robertson to be collector of
the port OF New York. 1t led, eventually, to the
assassination of President Garfield by Guteau.
The split OF the New York Republicans into the
Stalwart and Liberal factions was manifest in the
convention which nominated Garfield for the Pres
idency 1t was supposed to be healed when Chester
A. Arthur was chosen for Vice President and har-
mony seemed assured when Garfield, in his own
handwriting, asked Conkling to come and see him.
Then out Of a clear sky, came the thunderbolt
Without consulting Vice President Arthur, Post
master General James or the two New York Sena-
tors Conkng and Patt President Garfield sent to
the Senate the nomination which ousted Edwin A.
Merritt from the collectorship and named Robert
in his stead Senator Conkling at once de-
clared to the hilt. Garfield would not sur
render and for than two months the battle
ragged. Then Conkling learned that the nomina-
tion to be favorably reported. He resented
the Presidents victory and induced Mr. Platt to
join with him in twofold resignation. His letter
to the governor charged Garfield with duplcity and
falsehood, and bitter arraignment of the
President. His brief announcement to the Senate
that he had resigned, together with an equally
tersc note from Mr. Plat, was read without COM
ment and twenty-four hours later the nomination
was confirmed. The sequel did not come, however,
until Guiteau fired the fatal shot.
Although lacking in dramatic or tragic detail:
the fight of Senator Hill, Of New York, over the
nomination Of William B. HornbIower to succeed
Associate Justice Blatchford on the bench of the
United States Supreme Court was full of interest
1t resulted. in the rejection of Mr. Hornblower
this being one of the few cases when President
did not have his way Every one will recall, also
the long fight which Senator Timan made against
the nomination Of William D. Crum, colored man,
to be collector of the port of Charleston, S. c. In
this instance President Roosevelt did exactly what