Democratic Sentinel, Volume 10, Number 5, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 March 1886 — THE MESSAGE IN THE SENATE. [ARTICLE]

THE MESSAGE IN THE SENATE.

Edmunds Likens It to One of King; Charles I. —Referred to a Committee. When the message had been read in the Senate, Mr. Edmunds arose and said that it reminded him of the communications of King Charles I. to the British Parliament. The Pri Bident, he said, had, unintentionally, no doubt, entirely misstated the question involved between himself and the Senate. Continuing, tho Senator said: I think lam safe in saying that it is tho first time in the history of the Republic that i.ny President of the United States has undertaken to interfere with tho deliberations of either House of Congress on questions pending before them otherwise than by messages on the state of the Union, which the Constitution commands him to make from time to time. This message is devoted solely to a question for the Senate itself, in regard to itself, that it has under consideration. That is its singularity. I think it will strike reflecting people in this country as somewhat extraordinary, if, in these days of reform, anything at all can be thought extraordinary. The Senate of tho United States, in its communications t,o the heads of departments—not his heads of departments, but the heads of departments created by law—directed them to transmit certain official papers, and that is all.. The President of the United States undertakes to change the question into a consideration by the Senate of his reasons or motives for putting acivil officer, as it might be called,“under arrest” —with which the Senate has not undertaken in any way to make any question at all. By every message he has sent to this body—and they are all public—he has asked tho Senate to advise and consent to the removal of one officer and the appointment of another. That is what he has done, and the Senate in calling for those papers—to say nothing of Wider considerations about any deficiencies in tho Department of Justice — is asked to remove these officers, without knowing the condition of the administration of their offices. Mr. Edmunds moved that the President’s message be referred to the Judiciary Committee. Mr. Harris, of Tennessee, remarked that, for reasons to which he could not then refer, he had no desire to discuss the matter involved, and moved that the message be printed and laid on the table —ihe usual course, he said. Aftsr a little parrying between the two Senators tho motion of Senator Edmuuds was agreed to and the message was sent to the Judiciary Committee.