The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-02-21


Indiana News.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 16.-Whccler II.
Peckham the presidential appointee to
the vacancy on the supreme bench of
the United States, was rejected by the
senate this afternoon by "A vote of % to
4. The question of confirmation has been
before the senate the past two days and
as soon as it was disposed Of the senate
adjourned. The vote was as follows:
Yeas-Messrs. Bate. Blackburn. Bryce.
Butler, Caffery, Dixon, Faulkner. George,
Gray. Hale Harris Hunton. Kyle Lind
say, Mcpherson, Martin, Mills Mitchell
(Oregon), Mitchell CWis). Palmer, Pasco,
Petugrew, Plat. Proctor. Ransom,
Roach, Squire. Stockbridge, Turpie. vi
las, Voorhees, and White Ua.)-Total, 81.
Nays-Messrs. Aldrich. Allen. Allison,
Berry, Call, Cameron. Carey. Chandler,
Cockren. Coke. Cullom, Daniel. Davis,
Dolph. Frye, Gallinger Gigson. German,
Hansbrough, Hawley, Higgins, IIill,
Hoar. Irby, Jones (Ark). Lodge, Nc
Laurin, Henderson, Morrill,. Murphy,
Stewart. Teller. Vest. Washbury. White
(Cal) and Wilsoh-Total, Al.
PAIRED for Peckham-MeSsrs. Cam
den, Gordon. Mcmillan, Martin. Morgan
Total, = Paired against Peckham-
Messrs Dubois. Jones New, Quay.
Vance and Walcott-total. ;. Absent
without pairs-Messrs. ColGuitt and
Sherman.
Senator Colquitt released Senator VIII
son, who voted against confirmation. and
Senator sherman released Senator Brice,
who voted for confirmation.
There were for confirmation-DemO-
Gratis, %; republicans, s; pOpulists. /
total 81 Against OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
Gratis. j.; republicans, -; populists, D
Total, Al.
The Executive session.
The proceedings of the executive ses-
sion prior to the taking Of the vote con-
sisted entirely of speech-making. Sena-
tors Villas, Mitchell of Oregon, George
and Gray speaking for confirmation and
Senators White of California and Haw-
ley against. All the addresses, except
those of Senators Villas and George. were
very brief and consisted mainly of OK
plantations of the votes of the speakers.
Senator Villas spoke FOR two hours de-
voting himself to a defense of the char
acter of Mr.. Peckham and of the presi-
dents right 10 appoint I'm a case like that
of justice of the supreme court without
consulting the senators from whose state
the nominee was chosen. He read eN-
tensively from letters concerning Mr..
Pcckham, which had been laid before the
judiciary committee, giving extracts from
the letters Of condemnation as well as
praise and analysed and dissected the
letters as he progressed. Summing up,
he declared that the better testimony was
favora BILE to Mr.. Peckham. and showed
him to be a man deserving of the high
honor which the president had sought TO
confer upon him. Mr.. Villas also made
an explanation of Mr.. Peckhams tele-
gram TO Judge Caldwell concerning the
receivership of the AtchisOn, Topeka q
Santa Fe railroad. saying that his mo-
tive in saying that Judge C-idwelrs or
der would not be obeyed was found i'm
the fact that the Union trust company,
for which Mr.. Peckham was acting, was
of the opinion that the order would place
the trust company in the light of a pre-
ferTed creditor. instead of the bond-hold-
ers for whom it acted.
Senator George discussed the consti-
tutional points involved in the case and
declared his belief that Mr.. Peckham
was a man entirely fit for the position
He had given the subject careful con-
sideration and had deliberately reached
the conclusion that Mr.. Peckham should
be confirmed.
Against the Nominee.
Senator White of California said that
| the selection of a supreme court Judge
was a matter which greatly interested
the people of California. There was
now, he said, pending in the courts a
suit involving the ownership of the
water front of valuable property in that
state, and estimated to be worth $20.-
100000. This suit would eventually
reach the supreme court and be de-
| termined by that tribunal. He had OBJ
served that some of the friends Of the
nominee in the present instance were
| men who were interested in the result
| of the suit, and while this might be
a mere coincidence, it was sufficient TO
| decide him against the nominee.
| Senator Mitchell said that he had be-
| come convinced from an investigation of
| all the facts that Mr.. Peckham was well
| fitted for the supreme bench. He called
| attention to the fact that eminent
| lawyers Of New York and elsewhere had
| spoken in the highest terms of him. He
| stated that a lawyer who had person
] ally known all the supreme justices for
twenty years and had been acquainted
\ with Mr.. Peckham during that time as
well. had assured him that the nominee
| was entirely capable of filling the office.
| The same gentleman was quoted as say
/ ing that he was a great deal like the
late Justice Miller. firm and judicial.
| The speeches of Senators Gray and
| Hawley were brief but emphatic, the
| former for and the latter against con-
! firmation.
| Occasionally there is heard speculation
as to what will be the presidents course
| in view Of the rejection of the second
| of his nominees for the associated jus
| ticeship. No one whose opinion is of
value will venture a surmise or suggest
| a name. The supreme court is now in re-
| cess. and will be until the 5th of March,
so that the necessity for full bench will
not be urgent until that time.
Judge Pecl<ham Has Nothing to Say.
| NEW YORK, Feb. 1e.-A representa-
| tive of the Associated Press called to-
night at the home of Mr.. Wheeler IL
Peckham and sent up his card. Mr.
| Peclxham sent back word that he had
| nothing to say to the representatives OF
the press In regard TO his rejection.
Ne. Willism b. Hornblower was seen
| by an Associated Press representative
at hts home. He said: II am very sorry