Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-02-12
THE PECKHAM NOMINATION
To Be Reported to the Senate Without
Recommendation.
Tie Vote In the Judiciary Committee
TOday-What IL Said Of
the Chances.

The Senate committee on judiciary today
decided to report the Peckham nomination
to the Senate without Recommendation.
Senator Hoar was absent, and the commit
tee divided evenly in it's vote Senators
George Villas. Lindsay. Platt and Mitchell
voting for confirmation and Senators Pugh,
Coke, Hill. Teller and Wilson against.
The first vote of the committee on the
confirmation Of Mr.. Peckham for associate
justice Of the Supreme Court being q tie in
the absence Of Senator Hoar, the committee
agreed by unanimous vote to report with
out recommendation.
very few communications bearing upon
the nomination were read at the meeting
today, and the greater part of the time wa q
consumed In an exchange of views among
members of the committee
What Senator Hill Says,
When asked what he thought would be
the effect of reporting the Peckham nomi-
nation to the Senate without recommenda-
ton Senator Hill said: 1T was better to get
1t reported in that shape than not to have
1t reported at all, or have it DELAYED for a
long time. We could have kept the nomi
nation in committee indefinitely. and the
friends of Mr.. Peckham could have done
the same thing. We have simply agreed to
let the Senate decide the matter, each side
oA opPoi tuilty 10 present the facts
as they appear to them, Respectively ,,
Mr. Hill said ne did not think the Sen.
ate would take up the nomination before
thursday. 1t is understood that Senators
at some length in opposition to confrms- a.
tion Senator Hill summed up the repre
sentations In opposition to Mr. Peckham
and dwelt especially upon the charges con-
cernlng Mr.. Peckham's. temperament, CIV
Ing instances which had come within his
knowledge of Mr.. Peckhams Character in
that respect. Most Of the talking was done
by Senators opposed to confirmation.
The Report VIII Have No welxht.
Senator Platt thought the report without
recommendation would have no weight one
way or the other. The facts would seem
TO sustain this opinion. Both political par
ties were evenly divided In the committee,
three democrats voting for confirmat ton
and three against, while there were two
republican votes on each side. The con-
firmation advocates made a gain of one
vote In Senator Georges change from his
attitude In the Hornblower case, while
they lost a vote on account of the absence
OF Senator Hoar, which there is good rea-
son for believing was not accidental
Ihis even division Of the parties in COM
mittee and OF the committee itself may pre-
vent the report from having any influence
whatever upon the Senate. The best opin-
lon obtainable indicates, however, that
Mr. Peckham will secure some democratic
votes which Mr. Hornblower failed to re-
ceive and that he may lose some republican
votes which were cast in Hornblower s
favor.
Advocates of Confirmation.
1t should be stated that the advocates Of
confirmation feel that they have gained a
substantial victory in securing a non-com-
initial report, and they declare that 1t Is
SO considered by the members Of the COM
mittee on the other side. They point out
the fact that they have made great. head
way in Peckhan's favor. as shown by the
fact that whereas in the Hornblower case
the report was adverse. in the present 1t is
not. They evidently count upon considera-
Die democratic gains when the vote is TAX
en- in the Senate. and they also assert that
those opposed to confirmation who count
upon getting a larger vote on the republi-
can side against Peckham than they secured
against Hornblower are apt to find them
selves mistaken. In support OF this view
they say that Mr.. Peckham's standing as a
lawyer is good and declare that those of
the republicans who are inclined to look at
the matter from the standpoint OF party
expediency will vote for Peckham with the
hope of promoting discord in the democrat
ic party.
Expects to Defend Him,
Mr. Hill, notwithstanding the failure to
get directly adverse report in the Peck
ham matter expects to defeat the nomina-
ton or Peckham by a majority of about
nine votes. There were eleven democrats
who voted against Hornblower and the rest
Of the vote making up the majority of four
was composed of republicans and populists.
1t Is claimed that there are nine demo-
Gratis who are sure to vote against Peck
ham: that the populists will all vote
against him and that the only republican
who voted against Hornblower and who
Will vote for Peckham is Dixon On the
other hand. it is said that Messrs Aldrich.
Hawley, Cullom Cameron, Hoar and Pet
tisrew, who voted for Hornblower, will