Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1898-02-04
FIFTY-FIFTH CONGRESS.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 4.


At the opening of the Senate to-day
it was decided that when the Senate
adjourn to-day it be until Monday next.
Mr.. Lindsay said: ~ hold in my
hand paper purporting to be an Off
cial copy of a resolution recently adopt.
ed by the two houses of the Kentucky
General Assembly, requesting my resig-
nation, and which it is due to myself
and to the Senate, shall be fully under
stood. While this processes to request
my resignation, it is couched in lam
guage which disregards the ordinary
amenities of life and is, in effect, de-
mand that I shall surrender my place
in order to create vacancy, and thus
make room here for some one hold.
ing political views in harmony with the
author and promoters of the resolution.
The substance of the complaint is that
I am opposed to the free and unlimited
coinage of silver at the ratio of l6 to l
and that I opposed the election of the
nominees of the late Chicago CONVEX
ton, and by 80 doing betrayed the
trust reposed in me by my constituent
cy. I shall not discuss the presiden.
tial campaign of 1895. 1t is not neces
sary to do 30 to meet the charge that l
betrayed the trust of my constituents by
opposing the election of the Chicago
nominees. 1 deny the right of self
seeking political changelipgs, who were
with me in opposition to free silver
when free coinage was unpopular and
are against me now when free coinage
seems to meet democratic approval in
Kentucky, to sit in judgment on my
democracy, or to call in question my
fealty to the constituency represent.
I will remind those who voted for the
resolution that am not the mere
agent of the Kentucky legislature. l
do not exercise my senatorial duties
subject to legislative supervision, nor
hold my place at the iegisla-
i've will. I represent not merely a
party or faction but all the people of
Kentucky. When great public in
tereste, sffscting alike every portion of
the union, are to be acted upon they
are to be considered from the stand
point of the broadcast patriotism, and
this I propose to do, no matter who
may condemn my action or who ap-
prove it. There are occasions when
CO nsiderations of local favor and party
discipline, must for the time, give way
and if q Senator who acts upon that
principle is to be driven from his place
by bis State legislature whenever he
may contravene local sentiment or
temporary passion, the dignity Of the
Senate will soon be thing Of the past.
A scrupulous regard for the division OF
powers between the State and federal
governments, and the careful observ-
auces of the boundary line which sepa-
rates those powers, is cardinal
doctrine of Jefiersonian democracy
vet we have here the spectacle of
controlling majority of State legisla-
ture boldly Overlapping tina. line OF
demarcation and in the rame of de-
mocracy demanding that shall sur
render my commission, because, in their
estimation, I have ceased to be
democrat. Their right to impeach my
democracy, or to put me upon the de-
fense of my record as a democrat, l
utterly and absolutely repudiate. This
much have thought it proper to say,
and with these remarks, 1 dismiss tie
so-called legislative request for my re.
resignation"
The Senate then went into executive
session.