The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-03-27


charge and disprove it. Still ne got no satisfac
ton. Mr.. Harrison had then written the Post
master-general TO inquire whether the letters
had been received and whether reply had
been sent, and received from the Postmaster
general a reply saying that if any answer had
been written to the man referred to- no copy or
1t had been kept in the Postofice Department
Mr. Harrison also mentioned the case Of q Mrs.
DE Ia Hunt, who had been removed from post
Office on a secret charge of partisanship, the
fact being that she was the widow Of an army
officer who had been lifelong Democrat. Mr.
Harrison read aletter from this lady to the Post
general, representing the injustice OF that
oricer's entertaining secret charges against her,
but she got no satisfaction. Whoever had
sworn to such statements, she assured the Post
mastergeneral, had committed deliberate per-
jury. Mr. Harrison mentioned other cases, al!
OF which, he said, were picked out at random
believe that the President was aware of many
of the things that were occurring in this depart
mert. What the contingency of not believing
it involved, Mr. Harrison said, he could not will
ingfy conceive. He lifted up heartfelt prayer
that future Presidents would either pursue
civil-service policy pure and simple, and give
men a chance to know what charges were made
against Them ''or, for Gods sake let us have
frank and bold, if brutal, method of turning men
and women out for opinions sake" The one
method or the other should be adopted. They
would not mingle on the subject of bad appoint
ments under the "civilservice administration"
Mr. Harrison mentioned, among other names,
that Of Barney Conroy, who, he said, was o
.twice-convicted felon." Considerable merri-
ment was evolved when Mr.. Harrison read the
names of the indorsers of Couroy's application
for appointment to office. The list included the
Governor of Indiana la Democrat), the Auditor
and Treasurer of State, and other Democratic
officials all certifying that they had known Con-
roy long, and that he was San honest man and
good Democrat" always at the polls early and
late" and a ard-working and honest citizen"
In-~ NJ afo 10 n
man who had been discharged for having used
letter head bearing picture of General Logan,
and then read letter from q newly appointed
postmaster on q letter-head bearing picture OF
benefactors" he did not think all Democrats
would subscribe to the truth of that motto.
[Great laughter.l Men had been turned out for
editing Republican newspapers, and yet a num-
Der of Democratic editors were Immediately APP
pointed. Sixteen Democratic editors had been
so appointed in Indiana, some of them among
the most important positions in the State. AS
to the effect of the new administration on the
soldiers of Indiana, Mr.. Harrison said he had re.
ceived returns from all the counties OF
the State, except four, with the follow
ing information: Thirty-thre presidential
postofices that had been held by Union
soldiers had been vacated, either by removals,
designations or expiration of terms, and OF those
who took their places only ten were soldiers In
the whole State 361 soldiers and eleven soldiers
widows had to go, and ninety soldiers and one
soldiers widow had come In.
Mr.. Voorhees,, abiding to the Barney Conroy
case, said it was case in which a number of
highly respectable gentlemen had been grossly
imposed on. He was not thoroughly advised as
to the statistics of the soldier interests in Ind
ana referred to by Mr.. Harrison, but would take
pains to inform himself and would refer to the
subject hereafter.
Mr.. Harrison said he had figures and names
in his statistics.
Mr. Edmunds in closing the debate, reviewed
the whole question carefully, and contended
that the two houses of Congress had right to
see papers affecting the business Of the govern
ment The Republican party, he said, was in
favor of preserving liberty, justice equal rights
and fair play, and would go steadily forward
through thick and thin for the preservation of
civil and political liberty. They would go on to
vindicate the political rights of every American
citizen-now overthrow, swamped and sutfo-
Gated in many States of the Union and when 1t
had done that it would try. in spite of Demo
cratic opposition, to give to the labor of the peo
ple-which was the cheapest capitalists protec-
tion announcement and defense, which was the
capital of every honest workingman in the
United States Applause in the galleries
The question was then on Mr.. VanWycks
amendment providing that In all such cases of
removal, the matter of confrmations shall be con-
sidered in open session Of the Senate" Mr..
VanWyck made strong speech in advocacy OF
Mr.. Logan said he would vote for the amend
ment but for the fact that it was thought that it
would cucumber the resolutions.
Mr.. Hoar raised the point that the amendment
was not in order, inasmuch as it changed the
rules of the Senate, and no notice had been
given of It
The President pro tenn. sustained the point of
order and an appeal taken by Mr.. Butler was
Ibid upon the table-yeas 81, nays rs This was
strict party vote, except that Messrs: Van
Wyck and Riddleberger voted with the Demo
Gratis. The vote is not considered test OF
strength of the proposition for open executive
sessions, since Republicans who favor the prin--
ciple voted to table the appeal, and Democrats
who opposed it voted against tabling It.
Mr. Harris having demanded a separate vote
upon the Edmunds resolutions, the first resolu-
ton, adopting the report OF the committee on
the judiciary, was adopted-yeas 81, nays 26.
The second resolution, condemning the re-
fusal of the Attorney general to. send copies of
papers called for by the Senate, was adopted
yeas 80, nays %
The question being on the third resolution de-
claring it to be the duty of the Senate refuse
its advice and consent to proposed removals
of officers, the documents in reference to the
supposed misconduct of whom are withheld, Mr.
Gray raised the point that it changed rule of
the Senate and was not in order Tho President
pro tenn. overruled the point OF order, and Mr.
Gray appealed from the decision.
Mr. Morgan, inferring from the remarks OF Mr.
Edmunds that he held the Senate 60 have right
answer the demand made on him by this resolu-
ton, inquired Of Mr.. Edmunds whether that in.
ference was correct
Mr.. Edmunds replied that he was bound to
saw. for the progress Of constitutional liberty
and law, that any official of the United States,
except the President, about which he would not
90 into discussion now, was lawfully bound
to answer demand of either house OF Congress-
and that if he failed he could be punished for
contempt
Mr. Morgan-The Senator has stated in his
resolution that the Attornev-general is lawfully
bound to obey this order
Mr.. Edmunds-Most undoubtedly.
Mr. Morgan said that Mr. Edmunds meant to
saw that the Senate had right to call him before
it on this issue and imprison him for contempt
If he did not produce the papers. That was the
doctrine that the Senate now proposed to assert,
though it had been'carefuly concealed
Mr. Blackburn defended Mr.. Gray's point of
order. After stating the parliamentary force
and propriety of the point, he argued from the
Senate rules and the principles of common JUS