Mr. HENDERSON. I am not prepared to vote for the amendment offered by the Senfrom Massachusetts at the present moment, and would not like to vote for it without having it thoroughly considered; but while this subject is under consideration, I desire to call the attention of the Senate to a letter from the SecyNavy, in an swer to a resolution of inquiry which I had the honor to present in the early part of the session in reference to removals that had been made in the Norfolk navy yard. I need only read it in order to condemn it, and in order to insure its condemnation by every Senator. I do not know to what extent these removals have been made by the Secretaries, because I have not inquired into the subject. I presume that the figures presented by the Senfrom Pennsylvania, Mr. CowAN] who seems to have devoted considerable attention to the subject, are perhaps correct. I do not know to what extent the President himself has exercised this power of removal; but notwithstanding a contrary practice has existed from the foundation of the Government to the present time, I have my opinion clear upon the subject that the President has no power in the vacation of the Senate to remove an officer and to substitute another in his stead. Others, however, believe that he has the power. If it be true that he possesses that power, then of course the Senate may not have any control over appointments at all. If the President can remove an officer after we adjourn, and the officer appointed by him under the Constitution may, as he no doubt can, retain his commission until the last day of the next session of the senate, immediately when we adjourn then the President can reappoint that party or some body else, and that commission will last until the last day of the next session, and immediately thereupon the President may make another appointment, and so on to the end, and in that way the Senate is deprived of any advising power at all. Sir, that never was the intention of the Constitution; it never was the intention of those who framed it. If by some easualty, the President having nothing to do with it, a vacancy occurs in an office during the recess of the Senate, the President can fil it, and that commission will extend until the last day of the next session; but beyond that the President has no power of removing officers and filling the vacancies that he himself makes. I undertake to say that he has no authority