National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-03-13

attendance at the Senate Monday, in an
ticipation OF the opening OF the debate upon
the subject OF the refusal Of the Attorney
General to send In the papers called for by
the Senate with reference to the Duskin
case. Long before the morning business
was concluded the galleries were crowded,
and hundreds. OF people were In the corrl-
dors anxious but unable to gain admittance.
At o'clock Mr.. Bowen obtained uuani-
nous consent to address the Senate on the
subject Of his bill "to provide new basis
for the circulation Of national banks.n
Mr.. Bowen did not claim for his bill per-
fiction In details, but said the principa
cont9ined In II was sodnd lie would
launch II on the legislative sea, not know
ing where It might now cast anchor, but
with an abiding faith that some day he
hoped, before II was too late, the wisdom
of its provisions would be appreciated.
The fact that legislation OF the subject OF
our currency was necessary, he said, ad-
mitted OF no doubt.
MIR. Bowen continued at considerable
length to discuss the other features Of the
bill and the silver question generally, aud
when, ut $50 p. M, his remarks were con
cludGd MIR. Stanford announced to the Sen
ate the death of his colleague, Mr.. Miller, Of
California, and, out of respect to his mem
DRY, moved an adjournment The motion
was agreed to, and the Senate forthwith adj
lourncd.
MIR. Blanchard, OF Louisiana, rising
to question Of personal privilege, in
the house on Monday sent to the
clerks desk and had read an article from
the indianapolis JO,rHdl with reference to
the nomination of Mai. Lewis Merrill for
promotion and its subsequent withdrawal
10y the President. The article charges that
Mr. Blanchard was arrested In 1874 In
Louisiana by order Of Mai. Merrill for con-
ncction with kuklux outrages, and that
animated by revenge he had rushed to the
Secretary OF War and succeeded in sccur.
ing the withdrawal OF Mai MerrilPs nomi-
nation.
Mr. Blanchard said that the article was n
beautifully. reconstructed, carefully-arranged,
and ingenlously. contrived bloody shirt aud
kuklux outrage story. But the incXora
bic logic Of cold facts ih.pelled him to its
destruction. There was not one word Of
truth In It from beginning to end. He had
never been arrested by Maj Merrlll's order,
and he had had nothing whatever TO do
with the withdrawal OF Merril's nomina-
tion. lie had never at any time, APP
preached the Secretary of War or the Presi-
dent on the subject. He had not even
known that the nomination had been sent
to the Senate until he had seen In the press
the news OF its withdrawal. He had no
doubt that the President had good and suf
flcient reasons for the withdrawal, but he
(Nr Blanchard) had had nothing to do
with 1t. While he believed that the conduct
of Mai. Merrill in Louisiana In 1874 was
subject to censure, he (Mr. Blanchardl was
not amenable to the charge OF trying to
prevent his promotion in the army.
Mr.. Morrow, of California, arose and
said The melancholy duty devolves on
me to announce the death of Senator John
+. Miller, of California, who died In this
city to-day after prolonged Illness Con-
gross will undoubtedly set apart some day
hereafter for the purpose Of giving expires
sion to the sentiments entertained for the
character and great public services Of Sena.
tor Miller. l offer the following resolu-
lions:
Rcsoircd, That the House has received with
profound sorrow the intelligence ofthe death
OF Senator John +. Miller, of California.
RCSO'rcd That out of respect to his memory
this House do now adjourn.
The resolutions were unanimously
adopted, and accordingly at 4:O5 the House
adjourned.
The largest audience that has filed the
galleries OF the Senate this session was in
attendance Tuesday To witness the begin
ing of the eagerly anticipated debate upon
the pending issue between the Senate and
the administration.
At 9 O'Clock the unfinished business'-
the resolutions reported by Mr.. Edmunds
from the committee on the judiciary-was
taken up.
Mr. Edmunds began his remarks In q
rather low tone, but his voice soon acquired
its usual full, clear. ringing volume. He
said the calm and orderly administration Of
constitutional government is subject In
which the Senate and the House OF Repre-
sentatiyes and the President and people
are equally interested, and for which they
are all In their respective stations and
places equally responsible. IL was in sup
port of that calm and orderly constitutional
exercise of the functions of government
that he now addressed himself to these reso-
lutiOIs. IT has been, he said, at least forty
years since any occasion Of this kind has
arisen between the executive department
of the government and the Senate, and
VIXEN little more than forty years ago q
similar hut not the same question arose, IL
had then been long time since any such
question had engaged public attention.
The instances IN which there has been
eVinced the slightest reluctance on The part
either of the Executive or the heads OF
departments to respond to the calls OF
either House Of Congress or OF the
committees for papers In possession
either Of the Executive or OF the depart
ments have been very few indeed. Some
times in the case OF political fever, as II
might be called, there has been eyinced
wide years apart, q reluctance and hesita
ton on the part Of the Executive or tht
heads of departments to do this thing, and
then, that storm being over, the orderly ad
ministration of constitutional government
went on as before, and either house OF Con
gress on its request or demand, as the cast
might be, and the committee OF eithe
house could, without direct and positiv,
authority TO send for persons and papers
always obtain from the departments, or
their mere request everything they found
necessary for the proper discharge of thell
duties.
Now again, after almost half century
the Senate found itself confronted by thu
refusal OF the head Of the Department o.
Justice to transmit copies of official paper
and documents relating not to persons bu
to things, relating not TO officers but Il
offices, on file in the department. In orde
that the Senate might perfectly understand
how the question stood, he caused to be reaC
the statutes relating to the tenure Of Office
and recess suspensions (sections 1867 ant
1868. Mr.. Edmunds himself read portions
OF the statutes creating the Department o.
Justice prescribing the functions and duties
of its he'd, and providing for the appoint
ment of subordinates by the Attorney Gen
eral. which subordlnates are responsible u
the Attorney General. Under these provis
ions, he continued, the Attorney Genera
has made regulations for the control ant
guidance Of his subordinates. Mr.. Duskin
the attorney for Alabama, was appointed b!
the President, by and with the advice anC
consent Of the Senate. Mr.. Edmunds reat
WV N'mh'oeioh VI M bubhlui 10 Hc CUP
posed IL to be. lie had not copy Of It
and did not know but II might have beer
thought, had 1t been called for by tn
Senate, to be one Of those things tina
would bear upon the suspension
Of Duskin, and therefore not within tn
authority Of the Senate TO ask for or receive
Holding this commission, Mr.. Edmund
continued, and so far as we yet knew, faith
fully performing its duties on the 18th da
OF July, 1885, the President OF the Unite
States, under the authority of section 176
Revised Statutes, suspended this gentle
man, and on the same day, pursuant TO tn
same statute, he designated John d. Burnett
OF Alabama, to perform the duties OF th