New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-04-18
UNWHOLESOME TRUTHS FOE MIR. VEST
THE LITTLE MISSOURI GIANT" woRsTED.

| he vIyDs Mr. KDMurps DULwARk OF sIshNoA
ON MATTERS or HISTORY.
WASHINGTON April II (Speciap. "A lively de-
bate arose In the Senate this afternoon over sno
bill providing for tho admission OF South Ia
kota into the Union. between Senator Edmuhos
and Senator Vest. 1t traversed the whole history
OF the Electoral Commission and gave MI. Ed
munds an opportunity Of telling the Little NILS
soun giant some rather unwholesome tku'nA
Mr.. Vest attempted to browbeat Mr. Enmunds inoo
an admission of having said certain things ana
did not hesitate even to put On Interpretation OF
his own upon them which nothing that ME- Ed
munds had really said warranted. Tho result
WAS that Me- Vest found himself at the end OF
spirited debate. lasting perhaps half an nour'
completely worsted, and unable to continue ex-
cept by changing his ground snd resuming MS Az
tack In another quarter Hero he was equally
unsuccessful As is his custom when cornered'
Mr. Vest appealed repeatedly to the shades OF Jef-
ferson to set him right, but that worthy's ap-
pearance in debate did not help Mr. Vests cause
much, and had the effect only Of making Mr. E9-
munds almost demonstratlvely hilarious. wnicn
speaks volumes for Mr.. Vests power OF saying
funny things with a perfectly straight face, but
Is not saying much In behalf OF his argument.
Mr. Vest said that 1t was unfair for the hepup..
ican party to undertake to divide the TERRITORY VI
Dakota II any Southern community had under.
taken to do what the people OF Dakots had d9ne
there would have been outcry only exceeded
by that In regard to Fort Sumter: and the SEN
ator from Vermont would have proposed piece
of legislation equivalent to that celebrated iegis.
laton which he bad carried IN 1875 which pun
Uayes into the Presidential chair.
Mr.. Edmunds wished to say, with emphasis,
that he believed with nine-tenths OF the people
of the United States who knew anything apous
it that President Hayes was lawfully elected
by the votes of the States, and that the only
evil which had existed was the attempt OF
body Of men in New-York to buy the electors
Of the State of South Carolinaj and those men
had not been Republicans Mr.. Vest declared
that he merely based his assertion on the opinion
on the foremost man Of tho Republican party,
had been heard to say In the Senate chamber that
tother fraud Hayes claimed to be President OF
the United States
Mr. Edmunds in reply declared his belief than
II Mr.. Oonlsling had ever made such statement,
(which he did-not believe), It arose from dmcqltes
and differences which followed after Mr.. Hayes
had come in, End paid o warm tribute 70 the
position which the ex-senator had taken In Try
Ing to preserve tho peace Of the country at that
time Mr.. Vest, continuing. declared that there
was no necessity for the commission, and launched
as to the suppression of votes In the South, his
reflections upon the Republican party meeting with
an incisive answer from Mr.. Edmunds AS 10
tho object of the Democratic opposition TO the
bill being the keeping ont of the three electoral
votes of South Dakota, Mr.. Vest denied It ener-
getcally; and declared his belief that Mr.. Oleve-
land would be elected President by majority,
In which three votes would not much AFFECT
the result The Democratic Senators were willing
to admit the whole Territory OF Dakota as
State, but they were not willing to divide IL