Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1886-03-20
THE NATIONAL CAPITAL.
THE DEBATE IN SENATE ON THE Ed.
MUND'S RESOLUTION.
How Kenna Of West Virginia Went for the
Vermont Man
From our regular Correspondent.

the Senate and OF the Capitol, ended
there with the funeral services over
the decease California Senator, Mr..
Miller. The obsequies were attended
by the Pre- sident and Cabinet, the Su-
preme Court and both Houses of Con.
gress. The Senators in body, escort
ed the remains to the depot, en- route
to California. while the Marine bsnd
headed 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, prominent lawyer
OF that State, or Mr. Geo. Hearst, editor
oil the Sanfrancisco Examiner.
The Senatorial debate has been going
on steadily with crowded galleries.
After the Vermont Senator's cele-
brated speech, Senator Pugh, of All
bama, led the Democratic assault on ii @
Eimunds position. Mr.. Pugh is O
lawyer OF fine abilities and he made a
strong legal reply to the Vermonters
assumption. Some OF his points were
very effective, one Of the first showing .
flaw in the Edmunds argument. Mr..
Edmunds claimed that Duskin, the
official who was suspended by the At
torney General, was still suspended
official and that, therefore, information
concerning his suspension was proper
matter Tor the Senate's consideration
Mr.. Pugh showed that the term of Office.
to which Duskin had been appointed,
had expired last January, before the
Senate Judiciary committee had sought
to obtain its information through Mr..
Edmunds.
Senator Wilson next assailed the
President in speech that was very un
satisfactory to the Republicans and was
laughed at by the Democratic Senators
for its weakness and absurd assertions.
The Iowa Senator troubled himself bur
little with arguments, but devoted his
time TO purely partisan denunciation
OF the administration. The burden OF
his comploint was that Mr.. Cleveland
had failed in his protested intention to
carry out the principles OF Civil Service
Reform Then Mr.. Kenna, the young.
est man in the Senate, spoke from q
Democratic point of view, In the
West Virginian, Senator Edmunds mel
an adversary entirely worthy of him in
the unworthy cause to which he is now
devoting his energies. 1t was Mr.
Kenna's second speech in the Senate
although he has been member of tina
body for more than two years. He ha,
been serving his novitiate, as it were
There is an unwritten law that REQUIRE,
new Senator's to be little more thar
voting members. But after listenin!
to Mr.. Kenna's first great effort, th,
popular comment among his friend
was that he had been kept in the back
ground too long.
The effect OF Mr. Kenna's speech wa
to show that the Republican Senator
who claim to be standing on such higl
moral ground in this controversy hav
been actuated by partisan feelings alone
He made many telling hits at Senstor
Edmunds, Sherman, and Logan, quo
ting them against their present position
as when, for instance, he read the fac
simile of a letrer written by Sherman
then Secretary Of the Treasury, il
which he (Sherman) refused to furnis
the Senate's request for papers of
confidential character filed in the de
partments. Mr.. Sherman said, in III
same letter, that no law required tn
President to give reasons.
He read an extract from Mr.. Blaine
book that was received with bursts c
laughter. 1t was where the Maine his
torian stated that the Tenure-ol-Ofic
law was enacted lest President Johnso
should remove Republican Office hold
ers toe rapidly, and it was afterward
practically repealed lest President Gran
should not remove Democratic oftic
holders rapidly enough.
Mr.. Kenna was merciless in his crit
cisms of the leader of the present cor
troversy, and while the audience wa
listening attentiyely to the speaker
was also watching Mr.. Edmunds' fac,
During this scoring the latter resorte
t, his old habit y pretending to be al
sorbed in a book which was open befor
him. 1t was noticed, however, that h
did not turn leaf during the Ion
reading OF another choice extract froi
Mr.. Blaine's book which showed tn,
Mr.. Edmunds had contradicted him
self upon the right Of the Presidents
remove without giving any reason II