The effect of it was that the confirmation
of Mr. Cleveland's nominees for important offices was postponed
for several months, in some cases eight to ten, but as they
were exercising their functions under temporary appointments,
it made no difference to them. When they were at last confirmed
by the Senate, they received commissions dated from the appointment
which took place after the advice and consent of the Senate.
So the four years, for which they could hold office, began
to run then, and when a new Administration of a different
politics came into power, they held their office for a period
considerably more than four years, except a few who were
actually removed by President Harrison.
I do not think the people cared much about the dispute. The
sympathy was rather with President Cleveland. The people,
both Republicans and Democrats, expected that the political
control of the more important offices would be changed when
a new party came into power, and considered Mr. Edmunds's
Constitutional argument as a mere ingenious device to protract
the day when their political fate should overtake the Republican
officials.
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