The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-02-02
His Promotion I'm the Army strongly
Opposed by the A. II. A. Because
He Is a Catholic.
ONLY II VOTES AGAINST HIM
MIR. HEMENWAY BEFORE THE RIv-
ERS AND HARBORs COMMITTEE.
Resolution Censuring ambassador
Be Presented to the House.

WASHINGTON. Feb LATTER a late
hours contest in executive session to-day,
the Senate confirmed the nomination OF Gen.
j. j. Coppinger, a colonel in the army. to DE
brigadier general, by the decisive vote of A
TO II. The nomination was sent to the Sen
ate very soon after the converting of Con-
gress, but had scarcely been made public
when protests against confirmation began to
pour in from the A. p. A. societies in all
parts of the country. After a delay of
about six weeks the Senate committee on
military affairs made a unanimously favora-
bic report to the Senate. The opposition to
the confirmation was led to-day by Senators
Burrows. Gear, Perkins, Teller, Pettigrew,
Squire and Wilson, all of whom made
speeches during the course of to-day's ses-
sion. Senators Hawley, Bate and Palmer.
all members of the committee, championed
the generals cause, detailing the results of
the investigation of the committee, which
they said was entirely favorable to General
Coppinger. The opponents of confirmation
based their course Of action almost entirely
upon the fact that Coppinger had been pro-
NOTED over the heads of thirteen colonies
who were his senior in rank. which was
dwelt on as an unjust proceeding. When
pinger was selected because of his superior
military record they asserted that there
were others of equally meritorious records.
They also made the point that in case of
war the probabilities were altogether favor
able to younger men coming to the front.
The opposition did not fail to point out that
General Coppinger had served in the Ameri-
can army for almost thirty years before he
OIIf al IA liza ION mai nor nd
ator, at least, said that he would not vote
for any man who had fought. as it was ad-
mitted Coppinger had, against Italian unity
in the Garibaldian wars.
The opponents were tainted with being in
fuenced by the A. p A. influence, and with
making war on General Coppinger because
he was a Catholic in religion. but they re-
sented this imputation to man. Some of
those who voted for confirmation declared
that they did so in resentment of the inter-
ference of the A. p. A. and declared that
otherwise they would have opposed the
nomination because OF its invidiousness. The
debate was most animated one from start
to finish. 1t developed that General Cop
pinger mad come to America at the begin
ming of the war at the instance of Arch
bishop Hughes, and 1t was asserted that the
nomination had been made largely at the in
stance of Mrs. Blaine, whose daughter was
illusions to certain personal affairs of the
General. The vote favorable to confirmation
included all the members OF the committee
on military affairs, who were supported by
the more conservative Senator'S, who gen.
orally follow committee recommendations. 1t
is also noticed that all the ex-Confederate
soldiers in the Senate voted for confirmation,
as did all but one or two Of the ex-Union
soldiers.
After the Coppinger case was disposed of
there was an effort TO take up the nomina-
lions of J. c. Keenan,, of Indiana, to be
Indian agent at Neah Bay, Wash, and Geo.
III. Newman, of Tennessee, to be agent at
Colvilie agency, Washington, who were OPP
posed by the Northwestern Senators on the
charge that the nomina tons are a violation
of the home-rule principle. A call of the
Senate at this juncture developed the abb
sence of a quorum, and the Senate then pro-
ceeded with the confirmation of nominations
co which there was no objection.
The Senate has confirmed the following
nominations: John A. Mason, of New York
to be collector of internal revenue for the
Cleaves, OF New York, 20 be surveyor of
customs of Greenport, n. Y; Lieutenant
Colonel ]. f. Bent, to be brigadier general
Lieutenant Colonel Ovenshne, to be briga-
der general: Lieutenant Colonel j. II. Page,
to be colonel; Lieutenant Colonel j. III. An
drews, to be colonel; Major c. NJ. Bailey to
be lieutenant colonel Major j. ]. Powell. jr.,
to be lieutenant colonel; Major Lloyd Whea-
ton, to be lieutenant colonel; Major j. E.
French, to be lieutenant colonel; Major A. S.
Daggett, to be lieutenant colonel Also, a
large number of other nominations in the
army.