Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1886-04-02
Washington Letter.
From our Regular Correspondent.

Washington Letter.
From our Regular Correspondent.
WASHINGTON, March 10th, 1856.
No one has had anything to gain
by the Senate's party fight but Sem
ator Edmunds of Vermont. He
hoped to obtain through it a cafe re-
election to the Senate next fall.
This has probably accomplished, but
all his adroit little schemes for man
aging the controversy have failed
ignominiously, through tho Presi-
dents adhersion to sound policy,
good precedents and his constitute
onal right and duty in the premises.
Everybody was getting tired of the
useless debate when suddenly in the
midst of a Republican Senator's
speech, Senator Beck infused some
new interest into it. He asserted
that Duskin was unfit to hold Office,
that the Vermont Senator knew il,
and that the papers were called for
in his case because it was thought
the President would comply, and q
precedent be thus established.
It was shrewdly believed thar as
Duskin furnished bad example of
an official appointment under Re-
publican President, this Democratic
Administration would fall into the
trap laid for it by the resolu-
tion, which would make MIR. Ed
munds master Of the situation
and thus enable him to roam at will
through the antecedents of all other
cases. The Kentucky Senator said
that everybody knew that Duskin
was nominated in March 1881, and
the Senate did not see fit to confirm
him. He was again appointed after
the adjournment of tho session, and
nominated at the October term of
the same year, and Mr.. Edmunds
had not felt justified in reporting him
to the Senate for confirmation.
When he had finished this statement
profound silence fell for few min
utes upon the surprised Senator's.
Then Mr.. Edmunds arose with an
expression almost OF pain upon his
face, and turned upon the Senator
who had dared, as he said, to betray
the Senate's secrets by speaking Of
this matter in open session. Mr..
Beck instantly denied having violated
his duty. "The records and the
public papers, said he. "show three
nominations of Duskin, and it is be-
cause the Senator from Vermont
knows that he is unworthy that the
papers were asked for, because he
expected to entrap the Department"
MIR. Edmunds again insisted that
the Senator was out OF order and ap-
pealed to the chair to enforce the
rules. The chair mildly hoped that
the Senator from Kentucky would
see the distinction between public
and private sessions. He had On
undoubted right to public facts, but
Mr.. Beck, Gnterposing, remarked
that he had, and that he would prove
next day by the press Of the country,
and by the records of the House Of
Representatives all that he had asser.
ted. He also hoped in Executive
session to get vote of the Senate to
compel the Senator from Vermont
to prove evidence which was before
his own committee to show Duskin' .
unftness. He hoped to prove that
this effort to make an issue in reg ard
to Duskin was because Duskin's case
was so bad that it was believed the
Democratic Administration would be
glad to prove how bad no was, and
that it could then be claimed as a
precedent in good cases. "And l
hope to prove" continued MIR. Beck,
that this move, made with such a
flourish Of trumpets-well, will not
say what I expect to prove, for
could not do it perhaps in parli-
mentary language"
Mr.. Edmunds claimed to be g,e eat
ly shocked by what he claimed to be
o violation of rules on the part OF
Mr.. Beck. He said he would have
to leave what the Senator from Ken.
tucky had said in utter silence.
Whatever other gentlemen might
choose to do, he could not violate
his "oath" or his honor" by allud,
ing to what tho Judiciary Committee
bad or had not done until he should
have permission.
Senator Beck was not to be im,
posed upon by tame conventionalties
and when o question of honor wa,
hurled at him. he grew warmer
more gesticulatory, and steppin.
toward little raised his powerful
voice higher. "The Senator from
Vermont" said he. "spsaks Of N,