Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1886-03-18
AJILT THE SENATE.

his speech, commented on the fact that the
office. holder Duskin had made no complaint,
but had assumed that he was suspended Tor
political partisanship. ;.
Mr.. Beck said it was no wonder to MN
whv Duskin was not there. Everybody,
knew, he said. that Duskin was nominated
in 1851, and the Senate did not see Ut 10
confirm him. He was again appointed alter
the adjournment of the Senate, anu nonl-
mated at the October term OF the same year,
and the Senator from Vermont MIR. Ed
munds) had not felt justified in even report
ing him to the Senate Tor continuation.
Mr.. Edmurds- turned to the Senator VINO
had dared, as he said, TO violate his duty IN
respect to the proceedings III executive ses-
sion. Mr.. Beck instantly denied that he
had violated his duty. 'The records and
the public papers, he said, "show three
nominations of Duskin, and it Is because the
Senator from Vermont knows that he is un-
worthy that the papers are asked for, be-
cause he expects TO entrap the department.
Mr.. Edmunds appealed to the chair to
decide Mr.. Beck out of order, and the chair
mildly hoped that the Senator from Ken
tuckv would SEQ tho distinc:icI and observe
the rules OF order :,
ITO morrow" said Mr. Beck, II will
provo the public facts by the records of the
House Of Representatives, which are public,
that Duskin is man utterly unit to hold
the place from which he was removed, ana
the Senator from Vermont himself knows
tho facts" Mr.. Beck thought he would
produce the records from the Attorney Gen
erals office, the republican Attorney Gene
raj. Brewster, verifying the facts stated by
him, Mr.. Beck. He hoped also in executive
session to get vote OF the Senate to com.
mel the Senator from Vermont TO produce
evidence which he had before his own COM
mittce 10 show Duskin's unfitness. He
hoped TO prove that this effort to make an
issue in regard to Duskin was because the
Senator from Vermont believed Duskin's
case so bad that the democratic administra
ton would be glad to prove how bad he was,
and then the Senator would claim it as
precedent in good cases. sand I hope to
prove" continued Mr.. Beck, that the move
now made with such flourish of trumpets
II will not say what / expect to prove, for
could not DO it, perhaps, in parliamentary
language"
Mr.. Edmunds replied that he would have
to leave entirely in silence what the Senator
from Kentucky bad stated in regard to at.
fairs in executive session. Il feel bound in
honor" he said, "not to make any allusion
to any such subjects. The ideas of Senate
rial honor, under the rules of the Senator
from kentucky and my own, are entirely
different. Perhaps mine are wrong per-
haps his are right. Every Senator is sworn
to faithful performance Of his duty as Sem
ator, according to regulations OF the Senate
that are made under the Constitution. If
the Senator from Kentucky thinks it is hon
L. fofn fhn ipfn
of circumstances in closed doors, Of course
have no criticism to make upon his sense of
what is honorable and right. cannot
make any reference to what has taken place
under any circumstances when, under the
are closed Therefore, l can make no reply
to what the Senator from Kentucky has
said on the subject to which he has alluded
as in Executive Session."
Mr.. Edmunds began to speak of the re-
ports in The Attorney Generals Office, when
Mr.. Beck interrupted with the remark that
he referred to the Committee on the Judici
airy, of which the Vermont Senator was
chairman. Again Mr.. Edmunds surrounded
himself with frigid reserve. II cannot al
lude, he said, ''to what the Judiciary Com
mittee had or had not done until have per-
mission. shall not violate my oath or my
honor by doing it now, whatever other gen.
tlemen may choose to do" And then Mr..
Edmunds rather sarcastically referred to
the ability Of the Senator from Kentucky to
get at what tho Attorney General and the
President call confidential communications
when the Senate could not. If Mr.. Duskin
had been bad officer, it was Of the highest
Importance not only that the Senate but
the House OF Representatives should know
it, and what his misconduct had been. How
any paper stating misconduct in a public
office could be private and confidential
communication which belonged to the Pres-
dent alone, Mr.. Edmunds was quite unable
to understand.
Mr.. Beck said he had not seen any paper
in the Attorney Generals Office relating to
Duskin, nor had be ever asked to see one; nor
had he ever spoken to the President in regard
TO Duskin. ..And as to my honor and my
OATH continued Mr.. Beck, ~ hope it is as
sacred as that of the Senator from Vermont
If it were not at least as good as his,
would not have as much regard for myself
as 1 have now. propose to stand upon
my integrity as man and Senator; and
say TINT forty parson power would not d
justice to much of the hypocrisy that is now
presented to the Senate in pretenses Of |
desire to establish public Justice" Duskin,
Mr. Beck said, was known to be an unfit |
man for the place he occupied, and nobody |
know it better than the Senator from Yer |
mont; and he had selected this particular
case because he believed that the executive |
knowing that Duskn was unfit,
would show the un[itness, and that that would |
give the Senator from Vermont an excuse
10 other cases TO seek to make trouble by
asking for what he and the country knew
The Senate had no right to demand from the
Executive in order to bring scandals before
the country. The Senator from Iowa (Mr.
WILSON, had not been aware, perhaps, Of
how cunningy this Duskin matter was
worked up in the hope of catching the ex
pentive officers, knowing that they had
good case against him. Growing
warmer and warmer, and stepping forward
a little, he said:
The Senator from Vermont speaks of my
I, and oath aud integrity and compares
them with his. / am willing to stand by the
comparison. Thank God, whatever say l
say boldly and openly. l mean what saw.
DO not stand on the corners of the streets
nH hak