Middletown transcript., 1886-03-19
Our Washington Letter.

Our Washington Letter.
WASHINGTON, March. Is, 1885,
The week which began with a bonn
bardment of the Administration in the
Senate end of the Capital, ended there
with funeral services over the deceased
California Senator, Mr.. Miller. The
obsequies were attended by the Presi-
dent and Cabinet, the Supreme Court,
and both Houses of Congress. The
Senators, in body, escorted the re-
mains to the railroad depot, en- route
to California, while the Marine band
heated the procession playing with
muffled drums the funeral march.
Senator Miller's death temporarily
gives the Democrats another seat in
the Senate. The prevailing opinion
among California Democrats is that
Governor Stoneman will appoint to the
vacancy either Mr.. Delmas, promi-
nent lawyer of that State, or Mr.. Geo.
Hearst, editor of the San Francisco
Examiner,
The Senatorial debate has been
going on steadily with crowded gal
leries. After the Vermont Senator's
celebrated speech Senator Pugh, of
Alabama, led the Democratic assault
on the Edmunds position. Mr.. Pugh
is a lawyer of fine abilities and he
made strong legal reply to the Yer
monter's assumption. Some Of his
points were very effective, one of the
first showing a flaw in the Edmund's
argument. Mr.. Edmunds claimed
that Duskin, the official who was
suspended by the Attorney General,
was still suspended official, and that
therefore, information concerning his
suspension was proper matter for
the Senate's consideration. Mr.. Pugh
showed that the term Of Office, to which
Duskin had been appointed, had ex-
pired last January. before the Senate
judiciary committee had sought to OBJ
tain its information through Mr..
Edmunds.
Senator Wilson next assailed the
President in a speech that was very
to the Republicans and
was laughed at by the Democratic
Senators for its weakness and absurd
The Iowa Senator trou-
bled himself bat little with arguments,
but devoted his time to a purely partisan
of the Administration.
The burden Of his complaint was that
Mr.. Cleveland had failed in his pro-
fessed intention to carry out the prin-
ciples Of Civil Service Reform.
Then Mr.. Kenna, the youngest man
in the Senate, spoke from Democratic
point of view. In the West Virginian
Senator Edmunds met an adversary
entirely worthy of him in the unworthy
cause to which he is now devoting
mis- energies. It was Mr.. Kenna's
second speech in the Senate, although
he has been a member of that body
'or more than two years. He has
oeen serving his novitiate. as it were.
There is an unwritten law that re-
Iuires new Senators to be little more
han voting. members. But after
istening to Mr.. Kenna's first great
'ffort, the popular comment among
lis friends was that be had been kept
n the background too long.
The effect of Mr.. Kenna's speech |
vas to show that the Republican Sem
tors who claim to be standing on such |
Ugh moral ground in this controversy |
ave been actuated by partisan feel
ng alone. He made many telling |
its at Senator's Edmunds, Sherman,
nd Logan, quoting them against
heir present position, as when, for
he read the fac -simile of a
stter written by Sherman, then Sec
etary of the Treasury, in which he
Sherman) refused to furnish the
enate's request for papers of a conf
ential character filed in the Depart
lents. Mr.. Sherman said, in the same
,tter, that no law required the Presi-
ent to give reasons.
He read an extract from Mr.. Blaine's
ook that was received with bursts
f laughter. 1t was where the Maine
istorian stated that the Tenure-Of-
|fice law was enacted lest President
ohnson should remove Republican
flee holders too rapidly, and it was
fterwards practically repealed lest
resident Grant should not remove
Office holders rapidly
1ough.
Mr.. Kenna was mersiless in his crit
'isms of the leader of the present
ontroversy, and while the audience
as listening attentively to the speaker
was also watching Mr.. Edmunds,
zee. During this scoring the latter
,sorted to his old hadit of pretending
be absorbed in a book which was
pen before him. It was noticed, how
yer, that he did not turn leaf during
le long reading of another choice
ltract from Mr.. Blaine's book which
lowed that Mr.. Edmunds had con-
addicted himself upon the right of
le President to remove without Civ
lg any reason for it. When the
oung Senator closed with the p1edic-
on that Grover Cleveland would hand
own to his successor the prerogatives
his office undiminished, he was
lrrounded by a throng Of Senators
I'd Congressman who had come over
ON the House to hear him. They
lowered congratulations upon him
I'd shook both of his hands until his
ms ached. To-day Mr.. Edmunds
ill be reinforced by Senator Cullom
Illinois.
The He or She nP IT,