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Show SENATOR KENNA'S SPEECH. One week ago to-day, the Republican obstructionists in the Senate were fairly; electrified by an unlooked-for and most powerful speech delivered by. Senator John E. Kenna, of West Virginia, in support of the President's action in refusing re-fusing to transmit to the Senate certain papers relating to the suspension from office of Duskin, ofi Alabama. In the course of his speech, Mr. Kenna resurrected resur-rected and read with telling effect the following letter which President Jackson sent to the Senate in 1833, and this he held up as precedent, warrant and authority for the attitude assumed by President Cleveland in his present controversy con-troversy with the Senate : To the Senate of the United States: I have attentively considered the resolution resolu-tion of the Senate of the 11th inst., requesting request-ing the President of the United States to communicate to the Senate a copy of the paper which has been published, and which purports to have been read by him to the members of the executive department, dated the 18th day of September laBt, relating to the removal of the deposits of the public money from the Bank of the United (states and its offices. The executive is a co-ordinate and independent branch of the government, govern-ment, equally with the Senate, and I have' yet to learn under what special authority that branch of the legislature has the right to require of me an account of any communication, commu-nication, either verbal or in writing, made to the heads of the departments acting as a cabinet council. As well might I be required re-quired to detail to the Senate the free and private conversations I held with those officers on any subject relating to their duties and my own. Feeling Feel-ing my responsibility to the American people, j I am willing upon all occasions to explain to them the grounds of my conduct; and I am willing upon all proper occasions to give to either branch of the legislature any information informa-tion in my possession that can be useful in the execution of the proper duties confided to them. Knowing the Constitutional rights of the Senate, I shall be the last man under any ciroumstances to interfere with them. Knowing those of the Executive, I shall at all times endeavor to maintain them agreeably agree-ably to the provisions of the Constitution and my solemn oath to support and defend it. I am constrained, therefore, by a proper sense of my own self-respect, and of the rights secured by the Constitution to the Executive branch of the Government, to de cline a compliance with your request. f Andbew Jackson. In that controversy "Old Hickory" held that the Executive was "a co-ordinate and independent branch of the Government Gov-ernment equally with the Senate," and he denied the right of the latter branch of the national legislature to compel him to give it any communication, "either verbal or written," made to the heads ot Departments. In the controversy which the Senate has forced upon President Cleveland, the latter treats as "confidential" "confiden-tial" such letters as the Senatorial obstructionists ob-structionists have asked him to transmit for their inspection, and will not surrender surren-der them. President Cleveland stands on solid ground in this fight, and there is no earthly reason for supposing that the Senate will be able to bring him to their terms or even to effect a compromise. Democrats everywhere expect to see him emulate "Old Hickory's" example, and in the end place in office men" drawn from the ranks of his own party, and who hold political views in accord with those of the Administration. : |
