The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1890-01-09
A PASSAGE AT ARMS
Between Senators VOORHEES, and
EdmundS About
BLOCKS OF FIVE DUDLEY.
And the Instructions of the Acknowledgement
to District Attorney Chambers, Of Indiana,
Concerning the Same.
The Senate.

up the resolution offered by him yesterday
in relation to the alleged interference by
Chambers, United States district attorney
at Indianapolis, to prevent the arrest of w.
w. Dudley on the charge of violating the
election laws of Indiana in the presidential
election, and proceeded to address the Sen
ate. He spoke of the crime as having in
flicted an indelible stain on a memorable
election and impeached the integrity of the
political result that followed. The fact
that the crime was open, universally known
and practically confessed by its perpetra-
tors, and yet by constant vigilance in OBJ
structing the law and in denying and pre-
venting Justice, the crime had thus far
gone unpur ished. The beneficiary of a
polluted ballot box now in high place
ha6 felt compelled to shield the corrupt
instrument of that success from the
penalties due such notorious guilt. Voor-
hees sent TO the clerks desk and had re ad
the notorious "blocks of-five'' letter. He
went on TO say that the DAYS and weeks
which Immediately followed the publica-
tioa of that polluted and polluting cam
paign document would always be remem-
bered for the rapidity, audacity and
fecundityEwit which the most self-evident
falsehoods were conceived and put forth
by the Republican press to avoid the
odium and escape the legal penalties of an
organized attempt at wholesale bribery.
This document, emanating from an official
of the Republican national committee,
had pointed out, he SAID, that an
ample corruption fund was ready in
band and gave explicit directions
for its use by agents selected for their skill
in such rascality. He spoke of Dudley as
the immediate personal representative in
''the Republican national committee of
l. "a
the presidency and now President of the
United States. He had been put upon that
committee at the earnest request of Harri-
son, and between them were the most con-
fidential and personal relations. They had
been, politically, Siamese twins in the state
of Indiana. When, therefore, the scheme
of bribery and corruption was exposed on
the 3lst Of October, both near and far as
the lightning carried the shameful story.
was it to be supposed that Dudley was left
without the advice, instruction and assist
ance of Senator Quay! The chairman of
the national Republican committee and
senator from the state of Pennsylvania ar
rived in Indianapolis and held repeated and
protracted conferences with those who
held the fate of Dudley and the interests of
the Republican party in the hollow of their
hands.
Quay-I say it is not true that in Indian
apolis | conferred with those who held the
Republican party in the hollow of their
hand, or conferred with any one in regard
to Dudley's case.
Voorhees, the Senator DENY that
he called on President-elect Harrison in
Indianapolis.
Quay called on President-eleet Harri-
son.
Voorhees-The Senator will not blame
me if | draw the inference that he wanted
the prosecution of Dudley stopped and he
went to Indianapolis to see him; and that
he did say certain things in quarters where
it would do the most good, and with en-
phasis which was not forgotten.
Voorhees, went on to speak of Dudley's
threats to use dynamite, which he had in
his pocket, in case an attempt was made
to infiict punishment upon him, and also to
criticise severely the part which Judge
Woods was represented as taking in pre-
venting the finding of bill of indictment
against Dudley. In view of the indignity,
injustice and open outrage inflicted on the
people OF Indiana in the name and by the
authority Of the Republican national com
= mittee, aided and abetted by the action of
the federal court, it would not seem strange
that as the representative OF that in
suited people, he should like to
know by whose instructions and nv
what law an officer of the government
in Indianapolis felt himself warranted a
few weeks ago in ordering United States
commissioner not TO issue a warrant for
Dudley's arrest when he ventured to re-
turn to Indianapolis for the first time in
more than year.
In behalf of the people OF Indiana he
desired the attorney general of the United
States to inform the Senate whether the
action of his official subordinate was in
spired by his instructions or met now with
his Jproval No better opportunity could
present itself to President Harrison than
was now presented to define his connection
with Dudley and with Dudley's crime In
conclusion. voorhees, declared that bride
givers, bribe-takers and all endorsers of
bribery should be regarded as pirates and
enemies of the human race
Edmunds offered an amendment for a
preamble and resolution so as to strike out
the preamble and make it read: 'sThat
the encouragement be and is hereby in
ftructed to inform the Senate what in
structions, if any, the department of JUS
tice has given District Attorney Chambers
for the district of Indiana, on the subject
of the arrest of w. w. Dudley, or his ex-
emption from arrest; and by what author
ity of law any such instructions have
been given, and that copies of all such cor
respondence be transmitted to the
Senate"
He expressed, sarcastically, his admira-
ton and concurrence in the beau
, Indiana TO the value of political mo-
rality. He also gave his adhesion
to Voorhees, denunciation of political i'm
morality. If Dudley had done the thing
imputed to him he had certainly commit
ted, if not crime against the United
States, a crime against that clause of
public morality which the Senator had so
beautifully described, and which, as he
said, was so essential to the safety and
perpetuitV of republican institutions tt
might have been a forgery; there were in
stances of such political forgeries about
the time Of presidential elections, such as
the Morey letter, but he was glad that the
Democratic party had apparently reformed
and that now at least on the anniversary
of the battle of New Orleans, there was
some evidence of allegiance to the prin
ciples OF the only real Democrat he had
ever head of--General Jackson.
Voorhees-lf the Dudley letter is for
gerry, why is it he has not brought his libel
suits against the New York papers to trial?
Edmunds-If Dudley has any libel suits
and does not prosecute them, the defend
ants are entitled to have them dismissed.
This letter, assuming it to be genuine, was
an offense. | take it, against the laws of
Indiana; and if this letter of Dudley's was
used or attempted to be used to corrupt
voters, where is the majesty of the law in
that noble state.
In this connection, Edmunds commented
upon the failure of Democratic United
States district attorney before a change of
administration ito bring the matter to the
n attention of the grand jury. THAT Demo
4 cratic Official" he said, "having apparently
/ done his whole duty in sitting and prepar-
ing the evidence, saw such a flood of
light that he did not care to have
any more hand in the business and