The Evening critic. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1881-1885, 1884-04-10
LA-NSBURGH & BRO.
CONFIRMATION STRUGGLE.
The Senate Repudiates the Execu-
tive of Dakota TerritOry-An In.
yeStigRtfOn Needed.

vestigatiOn Needed.
In executive session yesterday the Senate
confirmed tho nomination of Colonel
Charles T. Mccoy, Register of tho United
States Land Office at Aberdeen, Oak. This
closes one of the fercest fights that was
ever made over nomination. Mccoy was
nominated during the recess, last fall.
Early in October Governor 0rdway, Of
Dakota, came hero to oppose the conirma-
tion. Ordway and Mccoy have long been
enemies, on account of the latter joining
the great majority, and almost unanimity,
of the people in the Territory in opposing
the present
Executive MOnstrOsity.
At the outset ordway boosted that his
long residence in this city and his intimate
relations with certain Senators would en-
able him to defeat the confirmation in any
event. The grounds upon which he pro-
posed to defeat the confirmation were based
upon the Douglass County bond matter. AS
a dealer in land scripts bonds, etc. Mccoy
had handled some of that famous paper. SO
an immense pile of documents were filed
pro and con. Mccoy proved by all the
parties that were conversant with his con-
nection with the bond transaction that he
WAS uI1 1UUOCcDL anu IudJ 10 SUDH US
he learned the bonds were of questionable
validity he redeemed every dollars worth
that had passed through his hands and bore
the loss himself. Not only did he prove
himself to be
A Man of Honor.
but scores and scores of kilograms, affi-
davits, letters, etc, signed by hundreds of
influential and honorable citizens in the
Territory and States poured in upon the
Senate Committee on Public Lands. certify
ing to McCoy's honor aud integrity and
asking his confirmation. Ordway was
doomed. But the rain did not cease pour
ing there. Letters, petitions, ETC., began
coming in to the committee and to the
President cendcmning Governor Ordway.
One document received by the committee
and President was u pamphlet containing
extracts from upwards Of 135 newspapers of
the Territory
Demanding that Ordway be Removed
from his official position and donouncing
his official and personal acts in the stoutest
terms. Nearly all of the Newspapers
surely 9S per cent of them-demanded the
confirmation of McCoy's nomination.
The fight waxed warm. At times there
were dozen or moro Dallotians in the city
personally urging the confirmation, aud
demanding that Ordway, whose official
term expires next month, bo not reap
pointed. These mon were among the most
reputable in the Territory, where the fight
for Mccoy and the protest against Ordway
was almost revolutionary.
Crdway Staked His Political Future
Upon McCOy's Defeat.
He declared that If Mccoy was confirmed
he did not want further residence in the
Territory. Well, he can leave now. The
committee reported the nomination unan-
imously, after the freest and fullest posi-
bic investigation, and the confirmation
was prompt.
Mccoy is one of the leading citizens of
the Territory. His honor was never ques-
toned by those who knew him best. He
labored under the single embarrassment of
having sold some bonds that were subse-
quently found to have been illegally issued
That was fully and satisfactorily explained
as soon as he came here in person. BY his
confirmation it is considered in the circles
familiar with the affair that Governor Ord
way has been repudiated by the Senate as
well as the press and people of Dakota. The
President could not possibly justify his re-
appointment and the Senate would not
confirm It,
The CRITIC again calls attention to the
investigating committees of Congress to the
fact that an investigation of Governor Ord
ways official transactions should BIO hal,
| and had at once Iii