New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-04-16
a. SIM O " s o n,
THEY ADJOURN IN DISllONOR
DEMOCRATIC SENATOR'S SUPPRESS TIL
ROACH INQUIRY.
THE sENATE'S SPECIAL SESSION ENpEO-AN
AGREEMENT DELIBERATELY VIOLATED
SpEECE.

| AGREEMENT DELIBERATELY VIOLATED
SENATOR PL>TT's sCATHING SPEECH.
tBy TELEGRAPH TO THE 1RrBUSEl
| Washington April I5-The Democratic majority
| in the senate has covered Itself with dishonor Afei
| the Senate had seated man in nnconSconShe's VI
| the fact that he had been defarl'cr ana al 'n'
bezzer o, trust funds; after II had become known ''
he had been fugitive from justice after no h'u
refused even ~ deny the accusations against MN
after he. his behalf, and his colleague OH
hchalf of The State OF North DakOtn. had Roth de
| manded an Investigation Of the accusations agi"''
| him. the Democratic minority. In violation ho o"N
OF all precedent but OF the dictates Of legislative hohor
and dcccncy. refused 10 allow vote 10 be hR''
Oh n resolution TO inquire 20 whether The senate
had jurisdiction TO inquire into the charges ana nv
riedly adjourned the special session sine die
This was done in the face OF agreement, III op n
Senate between senators Harris. representing III"
majority and senator lIoar. representing The minority
an agreement against which not shadow OF "oJer'
ton appeared when 1t made early IN to"aF
sitting. Thls agreement was rcpndat'd by 'h' MA
jcrity which inglorious,y he'd from the field CARRYING
off an associate with besmrched reputation In order
that his vote might he available for future parry
emergencies. This snirchcd statesman Is not only
screened by. but he has been made chairman on i
SENATE Committee q Investigate TrcsplSScrs on lndlhh
Land, and appo!n,cd member Of the COMMITTEE on
Indian Affairs the Committee on Agriculture ana
and the Committee on Irrigation.
II has been said tina, the refusal Of the Democrats
to allow a vote the Roach resolntl ms was III vio
aiion OF agreement In open Senate ~ came "'ou'
in this way Senator lIoar had entered a monoh 10
reconsider the vote BY which tho resolution WIS
adopted. to notify 70 the President thar the senate
was ready to adjourn n he had further business
for H. Senator Harris the author Of the resolution
today asked Mr.. Iioar 10 withdraw III" moon
senator lIoar replied that n he couc receive an
assurance that a vote would be taken On the Roa'h
resolution before adjournment he would % 80. ana
Mr. Harris ,sscu,cd. wherchpon the motion 10 re-
consider was Withdrawn by senator llonr Late III
The a!tern-o on an executive session was held 10 clear
the calendar Of pending nonIna'ionS-ihc President
haviig Informed the Senate In tn mean time mat II"
would have no morr business for H. Immediately
afi"r the executive so~-ion Il b"cam" KNOWN 'ha'
there 10 be vote on The Roach r"folli rs
The Democrats evidently verr afraid TO lace ~"
music and place Themselves upon the record Ihry
might we'll have don" for cvary Intelligent ma"
Knows where they stand.
The debate Oh The resolution today was bl no
means improbable one 50 Tar ~ the Republicans
were concerned Senator lfaitS speech lef The Dem
otras without leg - stand Oh. II" said that III"
question before the senate was not orc ~ m"ih-'
i'm, Of criminalfv. Tie charge wa that Roach nd
been guilty Of n erin" and had become iIsIuN"
from Justice 80 far n he knew. tbs ohnrsc had
never been denied by Roach or by any other person
When Mr.. Roach presented his credentials and took
his seat on March there was no Lint OF suggestion
that srch "A charge hung OYER him; II was not PROB
able that the facts known TO The Legislature o
North Dakota when II elected him. He Ind held his
seat two weeks before the char-cs were puhlshcd
and 10 notice had been taken OF them by the >"nate
until March -. when Mr. lIoar offered his resolution
for investigation Al this point senator inincr
desired know whether any responsible person had
fatherod the charges. and Mr. Piatt replied that The
pending resolution which had been favorablS reported
from the Committee on Privileges and Elections BY
senator Vance was u sufficient reply TO this question
All this time senator Roach. the "man ~ splendid
nerve" sat In his seat alternately engaged In writ
Ing letters and reading book. During the entire
debate indeed. he paid 10 heed to the speaker
Senator Plat remarked that II the senate had ia,
right TO MAX" the proposed inquiry he thought no
senator would object 10 1t. To deny the right Of the
senate purge itself OF unfit members was prepo5
ferrous. he continued "SnppOs, that this chargc
agalns. the from North Dakota Is true. Must
We sit here with embczzlrr and legIsate against
embczzlemcnt aud other crimes We cannot do It.
Senator Pats argument III fi.v.r OF the right and
power the Senate It's discretion to investigate al
legged misconduct OF members prior TO their election
aud to expe them by n twOllrds vote II the crcum
stances such rs to demand II. were conclusive
and inpregnable. lie Said that the pIccedents
necessarily few, In The nature OF things. but he
showed that In at least three the Senate had
senator, on account OF acts alleged TO have been com
mittcd before their election
senator Mills undertook to reply, ana he sp0le
with great energy. not 10 say ychcmcncc. FOR
than an hour He referred 10 Mr.. Rolcii's "cnlb,r
easements" and deporcd and rcProLntcd the spirit
which inspired men 10 60 nosng abou 10 dig up
something I'm the past record OF a man IN order 10
smirch his rcpuailon' Mr. Wills made a tonciin.
sc,pural allu-ion and begged the wicked Republicans
TO cast "A Veil OF oblivion over the acts OF III,
erring. He took the broad ground that ia" senate
right 10 "xpl one Of it, members except FIR
.disordery behavior senator. OF course sen
ator Mills exhibited tender regard for the tOnstitu
lion Of the United states. Is thus con. iil,d ly him.
General IIaw,cy spoke briefly but Oribly, In snp
port Of the resolutions. Among other things, h"
said that rot more than two three members oi tn.
North Dakota Legislature knew anything about the
charges AGAINST Roach at the time VI his election
and that having elected him the State j. now power
less. II the charge lad been known ut that nc.
MIR. Roach woud probably not have been chosen.
Mr. Chandler took occasion 10 reply To gidicu-
ions and false assertions In regard 10 himself. which
the searching inquiry into his personal and of
cial integrity.
senator Voorhees, lame reply that he had Ioi
accused The New Hampshire Senator Of wrong doing
but had merely repeated assertions which he heard
and that not very long ago.
senator IianSbrOug obtained the floor and despite
"A Democratic attempt 10 choke him on was allowed
grant the request Of Mr. Roach that the resolution
offered 10y Senator Iioar Ice adopted and TIE Inv, I'll
CATION be undertaken. Mr.. ansbroush's appeal was
met with chorus OF objections.