The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1892-04-20

WASHINGTON, April 1S.-Mr. James
Rankin Young, late the executive clerk
of the senate, has addressed a letter to
Vice-President Morton in relation to the
action of the senate in declaring his Office
vacant for alleged betrayal of executive
business session secrets. After reviewing
the circumstances connected with his dis
missal, Mr. Young calls on his accusers to
come out from behind the closed doors OF
the senate and make the charges against
him openly, so he may be able to protect
himself. The most striking parts of his
letter follow. He says:
A portion of the committee on foreign rela-
tions. in panic over the Boring sea business,
under some influence l may not divine,
eOnceives the fancy that a CLERK is responsible
fer the publication OF secret news. Ii could
have summoned that clerk and had at least the
advantage OF ten mlautee inquiry. Something
in his manner even II he had been a hardened
crsminaI. and not in my case, trusted OIL
cial of fifteen years standing, would have
ebled its members to have formed a reasonable
suspicion of guilt. But i resolution is
passed removing the clerk and reported
20 the senate In secret session. Here
again the clerk could have
been questioned az his desk by
the senators. He cOul0 have made some state
ment or explanation. But no, the doors are
not only closed, but he is specially asked to
leave and no intimatiOn given MN of any
charge of suspicion. An earnest debate ensues.
Certain senators intervene TO arrest what they
deemed an Injustice The resolution Is with
drawn only upon the assurance OF senator
that he will practically obtain from the clerk
an admission OF g1ilE This admission would
be found in Il resignation, which, as an act OF
mercy, would be aece Dted.
The senator alluded to approached Mr..
Young and asked for his resignation, but
was met with flat refusal and demand
for an investigation. The letter continues:
am not writing In any spirit of exaggera-
ton. My right a citizen to absolute justice
is sacred as the dignity of the senate, and II
| cannot obtain Is at that august tribunal / can
appeal to one even more sugust-that of ny
sountrymeB- This L now do through you. L
have approached no senator for aid nor sought
In any way to influence tle act of gentlemen,
30 many OF whom have become
dear to me through. years OF friend
ship and association. When friends adj
vised me TO poll the senate end
make some kind of campaign. as is often the
custom when matters e re at issue. l said that |
ssked defense. no exculpatiOn, no pallia-
non, no appei for mercy. He my enemy
who would do il IN ny name. l simply asked
cold. unsparing justice. Weeks passed and the
Ienase resumed my case. After debate and
nnder pressure OF 6. portion OF the committee
IN foreign relations. a resolution was passed
declaring my Office vacant. The senate which
passed it, l unders and, was small THAI
quorum was obtsiaed with difficulty.
So ends my fifteen years OF service. All
asked from the senate was an inquiry. This
slim, cOercsd. reluctant majority denied.
Because declined to accept the advice OF Sen
stor Cameron and resign my office has been
declared vecaat.
All ask nov is that one Of the senators
who have pursued me in secret should waive
the constitutional privilege OF immunity for
words spoken in debate and avoE IN public q
responsibility for charges made during two az
ternoons OF angry discussion. / shall then be
IN the open and able to protect myself. 1 can
promise q sw if and decisive answer one that
will satisfy the country. This Is appeal to
manlinsss, justice and fair play. 1 cannot be-
heve that il is made IN vain.
The vice president announced in the SEN
ate this morning that he had received a
communication from Mr. Young and that
it would be laid upon the table IS it had
been printed In the morning papers.
Watr~rson'- letter.
Mr. Henry Watterson today sent the
following letter to Vice-President Morton :
WASHINGTON, April is, 1892.
Ny DEAR SIR have Just read IN the Wash
Ington Pos of this daoe letter addressed 10
you by James Rankin Young, late executive
clerk OF the senete. and without his knowledge,
Dr. that Os any of his friends. / venture to join
nv entreety his, ami with him appeal to
Fou and through the senate for an act OF JUS
ice not only to @ citizen, but to an entire body
of citizens. whose character and honor the re-
cent act of the seua ate. IN manner, questions
and assais. To the force OF the argument made
by Mr. Young let add the suggestion that
secrets shared by eighty-eight persons cannot
IN the nature of the case i've wholly safe, aud
that the responsibility for their disclosure
mould be coDclusIveiy escGrtained and clearly
before condemnation can be justly visited upon
any individual.
During the second sessiou of the Forty
fourth congress I served as chairman of @ eau
rus committee appointed to investigate trans
actions OF this kind. Then, az now suspicion
lay upon certain gentlemen connected with the
newspaper service. The result of the inquiries
showed that no one person 10 blame, but
that little by little, word here and a whint
there, enough had been gathered from those
within by those without TO make q tolerably
lair report
have known Mr. Young from his boyhood
and can fully attest his integrity and discre-
lion. But private sentiment aside, there is n
principle of justice involved, and the press and
public have claim upon the ear OF the senate
which can be best reached through not merely
Its chief organ and officer. but the one direct
representative Ia the senate Of all the people OF
the United States. | address you both 90 q
citizen and journalist, confident of receiv-
Ing AZ your hands that never failing courtesy
and exalted sense of duty which have marked
your personal ard Official career, and / am
Obedient servant Henry WATTERSON.
To the Hon. Levi p. Morton, ce-president Of
the United States.