New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-03-30
WASHINGTON.
NATE WAR AGAINST THE PAPERS.


~ 1s RESOLVED TO FIND OUT WHERE THE TRIBUNE
orrs IT'S REPORTS OF EXECUTIVE SESSIONS
A., pASAs CASE LAID ASIDE TO DISCUSS his
OTHER QUESTION.
IBY TELEGRAPH THE TRIBUNE.l
WASHINGTON. March 29.-The case of Richard H.
Dana was laid aside to-day in Executive session OF
.bc Senate to enable Senators to complain OF the
.ousnaners The reports of the doings of the SEN
ate in secret session which have appeared IN the
newspapers from time to time lately have been re-
garled with disfavor by several Senator'S who hold
the dignity of the Senate above all other eonsdera-
tions and they naturally assume that the world has
no right to know what occurs when the doors are
closed The fact that no information can reach
tbe outside except through. themselves OF
tbo;r officers seems 20 have been forgotten
Inv them. and another attempt is to be
made 70 punishlthe newspapers for making public
the Senate's secrets. day or two ago The TRIBUNE
nrinted synopsis of the proceedings in Executive
session On the Dana case and Senator Thurman COM
nlmented the paper for its admirable report OF SEN
tor Cameron's speech against Mr.. Dana. There
rnon Senator Conkling reminded Mr.. Thurman that
,roof Sins of what he intended to say were already
in the Office of The TRIBUNE. TIE TRIBUNE report
was read and generally commended for accuracy
TODAY However, il is proposed to make
another attempt to discover the source VI
Tur TRlBUNE's news. There was a time when
Senator Edmunds took high ground as to the duties
and responsibilities of Senators, and the importance
of deyoting the time Of the Senate TO public ques
tons affecting the public good. Lately however,
with the advance Of age, he has been hnlcal ana
oueruous. qubbling over small points and follow
inc seentless trails and leaving the open highway Of
duty. Always good lawyer and possessing the
finest legal and analytical mind in the Senate, he
leaves important questions before the Senate in
order to discover where this newspaper or that one
obtains its information. lie has been in petulent
state for several days. and to-day he spoke his mind
and is no doubt more tranquil.
The Senate went early into Executive session on
the case Of Mr.. Dana, with Mr.. Dawes upon the
floor He was not he said, in good health, and he
smoke with difficulty. He spoke only for short
time and not long enough to develop his views
with any clearneSs Ii had been supposed that he
would oppose Mr.. Danas confirmation on the ground
If for 10 other that Mr.. Dana issued circular
against him when he was running for SENATOR
charging that he was unfit for the place in conse-
ouence of his Credit Mobiier record. But it may be
stated with authority that he spoke in favor of Mr.
Dana. Owing to his illness he asked that some
othor gentleman might take the floor until he should
feel better.
Mr. EdmUnds thcreupon took the floor and called
the attention of Senators to reports of the proceed
inrs of the Senate in secret session which found
their way into the newspapers. He thought 1t was
an outrage and the body owed to itself the duty OF
discovering the person who reveals its secrets. lie
also referred to the fact that the decentralization has
reached that point where the secrets of committees
are no longer sacred from the newspapers. In this
Dana case particularly, it seems that all
the facts that ought to have been Kept
secret have gone into the newspapers. Even
the proceedings of the Foreign Committee, and
their decision regarding the present nomination,
were known to the public before they were reported
TO the Senate. He thought there ought to be a
change, and for the purpose of ascertaining where
the leak is, Mr.. Edmunds offered a resolution IN
structing the Committee Privileges and Elections
to make a thorough investigation, and spare no
pains to accomplish the object
The resolution authorizes the Committee to send
for persons and papers, examine persons under oath
and to report at any time by bill or otherwise The
resolution was passed without division and so Mr..
Morton's Committee has another investigation on
hand The case Of Mr.. Dana was lost sight Of and
went over until tomorrow.