The Holly chieftain., 1924-02-14
EXECUTIVE REFUSES TO coNsIp.
Err RESOLUTION CALLING FOR
DISMISSAL OF DENNY
COOLIDGE RAPs SENATE
ri SHALL TAKES ESSENTIAL Ac-
TioN WHEN THE TIME COMES"
PRESIDENT ASSERTS

Northumberland Coolidge an
swered the Senate request for the res
ignntiOn Of Edwin DENLY as secretary
OF the navy with the statement that
mo official recognition can be given to
the passage of the Senate resolution
relative to their opinion concerning
members of the cabinet or other Of
ficers under executive control"
The executive declared he did not
propose to sacrifice "any innocent man
for my own welfare nor retain in Of
flee "any unfit man for my own well
fare"
The complete statement issued by
the President follows:
"No official recognition can be given
to the passage of the Senate resolution
relative to their opinion concerning
members of the cabinet or other Of
ficerS under executive control.
"As soon as special counsel can ad-
wise me as to the legality Of these
leases and assemble for me the peril
nent facts in the various transactions,
shall take such action as seems es-
6VAltlhi ioi tHt luil bioLtStloA VI shS
public interest | shall not hesitate to
call for the resignation of any official
whose conduct in this matter in any
way warrants such action upon my
| part. The dismissal of an officer of the
government, such as is involved in this
case, other than by impeachment, is
exclusively an executive function.
regard this as a vital principle of our
government.
"In discussing this principle, Mr..
Madison has well said: 1T is laid down
in most of the constitutions or bills OF
rights in the republics of America; 1t
it to be found in the political writings
| of the most celebrated civilians, and Is
everywhere held as essential to the
preservation of liberty, that the three
great departments of government be
kept separate and distinct.
''President Cleveland likewise stat.
ed the correct principle in discussing
requests and demands made by the
Senate upon him and upon defendant
departments of the government, In
which he said:
IHeS uSSuIllt tlle light VI lhN
Senate to sit in judgment upon the
exercise of my exclusive discretion
and executive function, for which 1
am solely responsible to the people
from whom l have so lately received
the sacred trust of office.
"'My oath to support and defend
the constitution, my duty to the peo-
pie who have chosen me to execute
the powers of their great office and
not to rClinquish them. and my duty
to the chief magistracy which l must
preserve unimpaired in all its dignity
and vigor compel me to refuse COM
pliance with these demands
1.-The president is responsible to
the people for his conduct relative to
the retention or dismissal of public
officials. l assume that responsible
ity and the people may be assured
that us soon as / can be advised SO
that l may act with entire Justice to
all parties concerned and fully pro-
tect the public interest l shall act.
II do not propose to sacrifice any
Innocent man for my own welfare,
nor do l propose to retain in office
any unfit man for my own welfare.
l shall try to maintain the functions
of the government unimpaired, to act
upon the evidence and the law as
can find it, and to deal thoroughly
and summarlly with every kind Of
wrong doing.
''In the meantime, such steps have
been and are being taken as fully to
protect the public interests"
President Coolidge had been ad-
vised by the Senate to ask for the
resignation of DENLY us secretary Of
the navy.
A resolution declaring the secre-
tary's retirement should be requested
Immediately" was adopted, AZ to "a,
and sent to the White House by spe-
cial messenger.