The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1886-03-25
WashingtO Letter.
WASHINGTON. March 10, 1886.

No one has anything to gain by the
Senate's party fight but Senator Ed
munds of Vermont. He hoped to OBJ !
tain through it safe re- election to the 4,
Senate next fall. This he has proba-
bly, accomplished, but all his adroit
little schemes for managing the con-
troversy haYe failed ignominiously,
through the Presidents adhesion to
sound policy, good precedents and his
constitutional right and duty in the
premises.
Everybody was getting tired of the
useless debate when suddenly in the
midst of RepublicanSenator's speech
Senator Beck infused some new inter-
est into it. He asserted that Duskin
was unfit to hold Office, that the Ver-
mont Senator knew it, and that the
papers were called for in his case be-
cause it was thought the President
would comply, and a precedent be thus
established.
1t was shrewdly believed that as
Duskin furnished bad example of an
appointment under Republican
President, this Democratic Admins
tration would fall into the trap laid
for it by the resolution, which would
make Mr.. Edmunds master of the sit.
uation and thus enable him to roam
at will through the antecedents of all
other cases.
The Kentucky Senator said that ev-
erybody knew that Duskin was NOM
mated in March 1851, and the Senate
did not see fit to confirm him. He
was again appointed after the adjourn
ment of the session, and nominated at
the October term of the same veal, and
Mr.. Edmunds had not felt justified in
reporting him to the Senate for con-
firmation.
When he had finished this state
ment profound silence fell upon the
surprised Senators. Then Mr.. Ed
munds arose with an expression al
most of pain upon his face, and turned
upon the Senator who had dared, as
he said, to betray the Senate's secrets
by speaking of this matter in open
session. Mr.. Beck instantly denied
having violated his duty. "The rec
ords and the public papers," said he,
| "show three nominations of Duskin,
and it is because the Senator from
Vermont knows that he is unworthy
that the papers were asked for, because
he expected to entrap the Department.
Mr.. Edmunds again insisted that
the Senator was out of order, and ap-
pealed to the chair to enforce the rules
The Chair mildly hoped that the Sem
ator from Kentucky would seethe dis
tinction between public and private
sessions. He had an undoubted right
to public facts, but-Mr. Beck, Gnter-
posing) remarked that he had, and that
he would prove next day by the press
of the country, and by the records of
the House of Representatives., all that
he had asserted. He also hoped in
Executive session to get vote of the
Senate to compel the Senator from
Vermont to produce evidence which
was before his own committee to show
Duskin's untitness. He hoped to
prove that this effort to make an issue
in regard to Duskin was because Dus-
kin's case was so bad that it was be-
iieved the Democratic Administration
would be glad to prove how bad he
was, and that it could then be claimed
as precedent in good cases. "And I
hope to PROVE" continued Mr.. Beck,
" that this move, made with such a
flourish of trampets-well, 1 will not
say what expect to prove, for could
not do it perhaps in parliamentary
language"
Mr.. Edmunds claimed to be greatly
shocked by what he claimed to be a
violation of rules on the part of Mr.,
Beck. He said he would have to leave
what the Senator had said in utter
silence. Whatever other gentlemen
might choose to do, he could not vio-
late his "oath" or his honor" by al.
luding to what the Judiciary Commit
tee had or had not done until he should
have permission.
Senator Beck was not to be imposed
upon by tame conventionslities, and
when question of honor was hurled
at him. he grew warmer, more gestic.
ulatory, and stepping forward little
raised his powerful voice higher. "The
Senator from Vermont" said he,
speaks of my honor, and oath, and
integrity. and compares them with his
own. I am willing to stand by the
comparison. Whatever 1 say, I say
boldly and openly. I do not believe
hypocricy, or in circumventing any,
body" Mr.. Beck had more respect
for the man who meets his enemy in
the open field and either knocks him
down or takes a fair knock down him
self, than he had for the man who
stabs his brother under the fifth rib
while shaking hands with him and
asking him, "How is it with thee,
my brother?" He proposed to have
all the proceedings in March 'S1, Oct.
'81, and Dec. 'Sl, and all the papers
filed with the Juciary Committee, of
which Mr.. Edmunds is chairman, and
all the proceedings bearing on the
Duskin case made public, so that the
country could judge whether he had
told the truth or not. If he had not
falsified, he wanted a chance to prove
it, since comparisons had been made
between the oath and honor of him
self and the Senator from Vermont,
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