St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1896-02-02
c0ppIpGER IS 0. X.
THE SENATE CONFIRMS HIS NOMI-
NATION AS BROADER GEN
ERAL
AFTER A LONG, BITTER FIGHT.
HIS FRIENDS CHARGE A. P. A. IN
FLUENCE TO THE OPPOSE
TION.
AFTER A LONG, BITTER FIGHT
HIS Is A PECULIAR RECORD.
Served IN the Army Thirty Years Be
fore He Became an American
Citizen.

WASHINGTON, Feb latter two
hours contest in executive session to-
day the senate confirmed the nomina-
ton Of Gen. J. J. Coppinger colonel
in the army, to be brlgadier general,
by the decisive vote Of A to II. The
nomination was sent to the senate very
soon after the converting of congress-
but had been scarcely made public
when protests against confirmation be-
gan to pour in from the A. P. A. So
cities In all parts Of the country. After
delay Of about six weeks the SEN
ate committee on military affairs made
unanimously favorable report to the
senate. The opposition to the confirm
alton was led today by Senators Bur-
rows, Gear, Perkins, Teller, Pettigrew,
Squire and Wilson, all OF whom made
speeches during the course of today's
session. Senator'S Hawiey, Bate and
Palmer, all members Of the committee,
champior,ed the generals cause, detail
ing the results Of the investigation OF
{ the committee, which they said were
entirely favorable to Gen. Coppinger.
The opposition to confirmation based
their course Of action almost entirely
on the fact that Coppinger had been
promoted over the heads Of thirteen
colonies who were his senior In rank.
which was dwelt upon as an unjust pro-
ceeding. When they were met with the
statement that Coppinger was selected
because OF his superior military record
they asserted that there were others of
equally meritorious record. 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 Mr.. Coppinger had served
In the American army for almost
thirty years before he took out natur-
alization papers. and one senator at
least said that he would not vote for
any man who had fought, as 1t was ad-
nitted Coppinger had, against italian
unity in the Garibaldian wars.
The opponents were tainted with
being Influenced by the A. P. A. and
with making war on Gen. Coppinger
because he was a Catholic In religion,
but they resented this irnputation to
man. Some Of those who voted for
confirmation declared that they did
so in resentment Of the Interference Of
the A. P. A., and declared that other
wise they would have opposed the
nomination because Of it's invidious-
ness. The debate was most animated
one from start TO finish. It developed
that Gen. Coppinger had come to Amer
lea at the beginning Of the war at the
instance Of Archbishop Hughes, and
1t was asserted that the nomination
had been made, largely at the instance
of Mrs. Blaine. whose daughter was
Gen. Coppinger's wife. There were
also illusions to certain personal af-
fairs Of the general. It was noticed
that all the ex-Confederate soldiers IN
the senate voted for confirmation. IA
did ali but one or two Of the ex-Union
soldiers.
After the Coppinger case was dis.
posed Of, there was an effort to take
up the nominations Of J. c. keenan,,
Of Indiana, to be Indian agent at Neah
Bay, Wash, and George H. Newman.
OF Tennessee. to be agent at Colville
agency. Warrington, who were OF
posed BIZ. the Northwestern senators
on the Hiarge that the nominations
are violation Of the home rule prin-
ciples. A call Of the senate at this
juncture developed the absence Of q
quorum. and then the senate proceeded