St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-04-15
COURTS AN INQUIRY.
Senator Roach Asks the Sem
atorS to Make an Inves-
tigation.
He Had Yielded to the Advice
Of Friends in the Sem
ate.
MeSsrS. Chandler and Voor-
heeS Argue on the Sem
ate's Right.
Hansbrough Complains Of In
terVieWs Published in the
Globe.

WASHINGTON. April 14.-The senate
was occupied during the greater part of
he day with the resolution for the i'll
vestigation of the charges against SEN
ator Roach, of North Dakota. Mr..
Chandler had obtained yesterday unan-
imous consent that he should address
the senate today in support of that
resolution, and he did so at much
length. But all the point and interest
had first been taken out of his
speech by Mr.. Roach rising, as
soon as the journal was read,
and expressing his entire willingness
and desire to have the investigation
made. Mr.. Chandler was replied to by
Mr.. voorhees,, and. at the close of his
speech, Mr.. Harris moved to lay the
resolution and amendment on the table,
and only withdrew that motion because
it was unbeatable, and Mr.. Platt de-
sired to reply TO Mr.. Voorhees,. As soon
as the journal of yesterday was read,
WI. IlOdClls w uO W do az lllO lDOihChb w
cupying Mr.. Biackburn'S seat near the
trout aisle, rose and addressed the
chair. He said:
Mr.. ROach's Statement.
"Mr. President: My colleague, the
senior senator from North Dakota, Mr..
HansbrOugh, is reported to have said,
referring to the charges in the reSolu-
ton of the senator from Massachusetts,
Mr.. Hoar, that | told him that desired
to offer a resolution for an investigation,
or that | thought it the best thing to do.
l rise now to confirm that statement and
to say that | am perfectly willing
that the investigation shall be pro-
ceeded with. After the conversation
referred to by my colleague yielded to
the-advIce of friends in the senate, and
did not act on my impulse in the matter.
Hence | did not offer the resolution
which desired and intended to offer.
New to this body and entirely unfa-
miliar with its custom and uSageS,
l naturally attached weight to
the advice and opinion of
those old in the service and
versed in the practices and precedents
of the senate. l was informed, or was
given to understand, that, however
L
veStigatiOn, it was not the practice of
the senate to take notice or jurisdiction
of alleged acts or conduct prior to the
election of senator, or having connec-
ton with the legality thereof. Now, l
desire to say az this time that am per-
fectly willing and desirous that this
investigation be proceeded with. That
has been my position from the begin
ming. | have been blamed for not
speaking, and l have also been criti-
ciSed because it is alleged that | did
say something. | desired to say this
much in justice to my colleague and to
myself and with reference to what has
been said in the newspapers, because
this thing is proceeding so far on news
paper allegations"
Mr. George Objected.
Mr.. Chandler-In view of the state
ment now made by the senator from
North Dakota / venture to ask the sem
ator from North Carolina (Mr. vance,
whether there is any objection now 10
have Mr.. HOar'S modified resolution
agreed to without debate.
Mr. Vance aid not object. but Mr..
George did, and Mr.. German gave no.
tIce that when the resolution should be
reported back he would offer the follow
ing substitute for 1t:
''ResOlved, That the committee on
privileges and elections be directed to
INQUIRE into and consider the question
whether the senate has authority or
jurisdiction to investigate charges made
against senator as to conduct Or Of
fenSes occurring, or committed prior to
his election, not relating to his duty as
senator or affecting the integrity of his
election"
Mr.. Chandler then took the floor and
commenced his speech in support of the
resolution offered by Mr. HOar on the
10th of April. After Mr.. Chandler had
been speaking few minutes, an effort
was made by MIR. Hoar to have time
fixed, at the present session, for taking
the vote on the admission of the
three senators appointed by the
governors of the states of Mon
tana, Washington and Wyoming;
but objection came from Democratic
senators, who said. however, that they
would confer upon it. The resolutions
for the Investigation of the claim of Mr..
Ady to a seat in the senate for the state
of Kansas and for an inquiry into the
conditions of the territories of Arizona,
New Mexico, Utah and Oklahoma as to
their fitness for admission as states,
heretofore offered, were taken up and
agreed to.
Cited Numerous Precedents.
Mr.. Chandler then proceeded with his
argument in support of Mr.. Hoar's reso-
luton. 1t was only possible, he said, 10
defeat that resolution by laying down
the rule IN the American senate. in the
year 1898, that no matter what crime
may have been committed by person
occupying seat in the senate under
whatever circumstances of atroc-
ity and otherwise - it is not
within the constitutional power of
the senate even so much as to
instruct committee to make an inves-
of that conduct or the crime. He had he
ready been made public. and which he
now read. He then proceeded to make
numerous and vOluminons citations
from English and American history
bearing ON the question whether expul-
sion from parliamentary body
can be based upon acts COM
mitted before the accused person had
become a member. He claimed that the
precedentS established that right. In
conclusion, Mr., Chandler said that he
should have refrained from making any
statement Of the facts in the case, had it
not been for the fact that senators on
the other side had given notice that the
case was not to be investigated. He did
not think that the senate would ever
put itself on record as making declara-
ton of
The Constitutional Principle
that there is no power under any cir
cumstances to investigate the conduct