The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1894-02-18
PECKHANS DEFEAT
But Eight Republicans Vote
for His Confirmation.
MITCHELL EsPoUsED HIS CAUSE
The Presidents FavOrite Finds Able
Supporters, but an Insult
ticiency of Votes.

The following dispatch was taken
from yesterdays Oregonian, The as.
turian having failed to receive 1t Frlda,
evening on account of the interruption.
in telegraphic communication with Port
land:
Washington, Feb. 16.--The senate ad.
journed few minutes past \ O'clock,
after spending the better part Of two
days considering the nomination of w.
H. Peckham, of New York, to be asso-
ciate justice of the supreme court. The
vote taken on the motion to confirm the
nomination resulted 80 for and a.
against, and accordingly the nomination
was rejected. The proceedings of tn.
executive session, prior to taking tn,
vote, consisted. entirely of speechmal;
ing, Villas, Mitchell of Oregon, Georg,
and Gray speaking for confirmation ant
White of California and Hawley agains
1t. All addresses, except those of Villas
and George, were very brief and con
sisted mainly Of explanations of the
vote of the speakers. Villas spoke 70.
two hours, devoting himself to a de
fense of the character Of Peckham ant
the presidents right to appoint in i
case like that of a justice of the su.
preme court without consulting the sem
ators from whose state the nominee Is
chosen. He read extensively from let
ters concerning Peckham, which hao
been laid before the judiciary commit
tee, giving extracts from letters Of con-
| demnation as we'll as praise, and an
alyzed and dissected the letters as he
progressed. Summing up, he declared
the balance of the testimony was fav-
orable to Peckham, and showed him tc
be man deserving of the high honor
the president had sought to confer upoil
him. Villas also made an explanation OF
Peckham's telegram to Judge Caldwell
concerning the receivershlp Of the At
Gibson and Topeka, saying his motive
In saying Judge Caldwell's order would
not be obeyed was found in the fact
that the Union Trust company, fol
which Peckham vas acting, was Of the
opinion that the order would place the
trust company In the light of pre-
ferred creditor, instead of the bondhold-
ers, for whom it acted.
Senator George discussed the consti'
tutional points involved in the case and
declared his belief to be that Peckhan
was man entirely fit for the position
He had given the subject careful con
sideration, and had reached the conclu
sion that Peckham should be confirmed
White, of California, said the selection
of a supreme court judge was a matter
which greatly interested the people OF
California. There was now pending ir
the courts suit involving the owner
ship Of the water front Of valuable prop
erty in that state, estimated to be wortf
| $40 100000 This suit, he added, woult
eventually reach the supreme court, an(
be determined by that tribunal. HI
had observed some friends Of the nom
| inee in the present instance were mel
interested in the result Of this and othel
suits, and while this might be a mer'
coincidence, it was sufficient to decide
him against the nominee.
Mitchell SAID he had become con
vinced, from an investigation Of all th'
facts, that Peckham was well fitted fo
the supreme bench. He called atten
tion to the fact that eminent lawyers D
New York and elsewhere had spoken II
| the highest terms Of him. A lawyer
who had personally known all the su
preme justices for 20 years and ha'
been acquainted with Peckham durini
that time, had assured him the nomine'
was entirely capable Of filling the office
The same gentleman was quoted as say
ing he was great deal like the lat
Justice Miller, firm and judicial. Th'
speeches Of Gray and Hawley wer'
brief, but emphatic, the former for ant
the latter agains the confirmation
The vote in detail, with pairs and alb
sentees, was;
Ayes-Bate, Blackburn, Brice, Butler
caffery, Dixon, Faulkner. George, Gray
Hale, Harris, Hunton, Kyle. Lindsay
- -