Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-03-18

oA"e nv" "hdte'eI otner gentlemen NAV
choose to ao 1t there were reports in the
attorney generals office concerning Duskin
they were precisely what the Senate desired
when it passed its resolution calling for ps
pers. 1t appears" MIR. Edmund. continued.
''that the senator from Kentucky can get at
what the attorney general and president of
the Unite States consider to be confidential
and private communications when the Senate
OF the United States cannot. What
the Senate asked for and what il
only asked for was the report of the official
papers and documents on file in the depart
ment of justice respecting the conduct and
management of the office covering q period
OF six months of the suspended officer and six
month of the officer whom we are asked to
appolnt-in order that the Senate might see
how the office had been managed bv its re-
spectlve occupants-whether money had been
embezzled, whether false indictments had
been brought and whether the office had, un-
der both or either of them. been well or hon.
estly administered" If it were true, Mr..
Edmunds continued, that Duskin had been a
bad officer it was OF the highest importance
that not only the Senate but the House of
Representatives should know it and what his
misconduct had been. How any papers stat
ing the misconduct in public Office could be
private and confidential communication which
belonged to the President alone Mr. Ed
mnnds was quite unable to understand.
Mr.. Beck said he had not seen any paper
i'll the Attorney GeneraPa office relating to
Mr.. Duskin, nor had he ever asked to see
one, nor had he ever spoken to the president
in regard to MIR. Duskin. Mr.. Duskin, Mr..
Beck said, was known to be an unfit man for
the place he occupied, and nobody knew it
better than the senator from Vermont; and
be had selected this particular case because
he believed TINT the executive officers, know
ing Duskin was unfit, would show the unfit
ness, and that would give the senator from
Vermont an excuse in other cases to seek to
make trouble BY calling for what he and the
country knew the Senate had no right to de-
mand from the executive, in order to bring
scandals before the country. The senator
from Vermont spoke of his honor, and oath,
and integrity, and compared them with his
(Beck's) and Mr.. Beck was willing to stand
by the comparison. 81 will move now," Mr..
Beck said, sin order to see whether l am
telling what is true or not, and if l cannot
move it now l will do so at the first oppor-
tunity-that all proceedings in March, 1881,
October, 1881, and Dec 1881, and all papers
filed with the Judiciary Committee, and all
proceeding had before that committee in the
case of the nomination of Duskin shall be
made public, so that the country can judge
whether what l say is true or not If have
falsifed anything will take it back, or if
have not l want a chance to prove it, since
comparisons are made betw cen the oath and
honor nf the senator from Vermont and my
self. make that motion and let it lie over
till tomorrow morning, or will do it in the
first executive session, if it is not in order
now. The chair thought the motion was not
in order now, but the senator could ask
unanimous consent.
Mr.. Beck accordingly asked the unanimous
consent.
Mr.. Edmunds said that it was not in
order in open session.
The chair was of the opinion that if it
would lead to discussion it was not in Or
der.
Mr.. Edmunds then moved to go into exec
utive session.
When the galleries had been cleared and
the doors closed, Mr.. Beck offered a resolu-
ton that the injunction secrecy be removed
with regard to the papers in the hands of the
judiciary committee relating to the Duskin
case. He said be didn't wish to rest under
the imputation cast on his honor by the sem
ator from Vermont, and wished to show to
the public that he had good grounds for all
he asserted.
Mr.. Edmunds disavowed all intentions to
cast any aspersions upon the honor of the
senator from Kentucky, whom he held in the
highest esteem.
Mr.. Conger proposed an amendment to the
resolution of the senator from Kentucky.
providing that the resolution should not take
effect till the attorney general or President
should have sent in the papers in the case.
The resolution and amendment was re-
ferred to the committee on the judiciary.
A motion was entered to reconsider the
voto by which r. S. Dement, was confirmed
as surveyor general of Utah.
At 6 ?. Nj. the doors were reopened.
The urgency deficiency bill was received
from the House of Representatives with the
information that certain of the Senate amend
ments had been concurred in by the House
and others disagreed to.
On motion of Mr.. Allison the bill was re-
ferred to the committee on appropriations.
Thereupon the Senate adjourned.
HOUSE.
In the morning hour Mr.. Springer of ILL.,
inois called up and the House proceeded to
consider bill comforting jurisdiction on the
court of claims to investigate private and do
mestic claims and demands other than war
claims against the United States. Pending
discussion the morning hour expired.
Mr.. Burnes of Missouri, from the COM
mittee on appropriations, reported back the
urgent deficiency appropriation bill with the
Senate amendments. The committee rec
commended nom concurrence in the amend
ment appropriating SlS,3l5 for the purpose
of enabling the secretary of war to lay new
marine cable to Block Island.
Amendment No. l of the Senate was an
appropriation of $50, 900 to pay the expenses
attending the funeral of General Grant.
The committee recommend an appropria-
ton for all legitimate expenses either ap-
proved or recommended by Gen. Hancock
Gen. Hancock had reported and paid out of
the quartermaster's fund Sl2,037. He had
also recommended the payment of Sl00l,
These were all the items paid or recommend
ed by Gen. Hancock. The undertakers after
having received about $1,000 had brought in
a second bill not approved by Gen. Hancock
for $780, For this bill the committee had
made an appropriation because it had re-
lation to the honored subject of that mourn
full occasion. The remaining items involved
in the Senate amendment amounting to $4,000
or $4,000 were items contracted for by the
militia of New York and without authority
from Gen. Hancock. Congress could not
allow the bills of the New York militia with
out allowing the bills of .he militia which
had come from Massachusetts and other