The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1898-01-15
Senate Pour Hours 10 Executive Ses-
siOn Over the QuestiOs.
REPORT TO CoRBETT
vste 10 Committee % rsrty Lines Mani
iesto BY ks,iossl Democrats. rspu-
lists and Silver Republicans.

Washington. Jan. H-When tine senate
went into executive session today the re.
port of the judiciary committee on ths
nomination OF Attorney-General AlcKenna
to be asSoclate justice OF the United States
! supreme court was called up After de
voting the greater part OF the day Il
McRenna's nomination the senate weni
out of executive session without taking
any action upon II.
Further consideration was postponed IN
Ill a week from today.
Almost the entire four hours Of the ex-
e,utive session was devoted 10 the direct
consideration Of the nomination Of Nc
Kenna- The discussion was the result OF
an effort on the part OF AlIen 20 secure
postpOnement for two weeks In the
end compromise was reached, deferring
constellation OF the matter until a week
from today. on condition that the Ne
brska senator's should agree 10 allow a
vote 10 be taken on that day.
y The debate upon McKennas nomlna-
ton was preclpitated by Senator Hoar.
chairman Of the committee on Judiciary
who called up the nomination in accord
aDce With his notice. and asked for i'm
mediate action. In doing this. Hoar
spoke briefly OF the opposition to Nc
Kenna. saying that rlle judiciary commit
tee had investigated mos. OF the chrges
made ami had reaohed the conclusion that
they were without Foundation He said
that the greater number Of charges had
been made by members OF the American
TlFs5,f tfssa a M -
been founded solely upon the fact rhat
Mr.. McKenDa was Catholic in religion.
they had not been deemed wrothy OF Sc
rious consideration. Hoar dwelt at some
length upon tliis point eucor!a.iHg any
man who would attemD, 70 inject the
question OF religion into the controversy
over a mans fitness for office. He said
That such effort was entir,-ly un-American
and unpatriotic and should not for a mo-
merit receive the consideration OF fair
minded men.
Senator White also spoke OF the efrort
OF the A. p. A. to i0eerfere with .lle course
Of the senate in giving proper attention
to the question. the determination or
which should depend upon the considera-
tion Of fitness and justness as between
man and man. rather than upon an ap-
peal to bigotry. prejudice ana the false
claim OF patriotosm. He spoke Of the
\. p AS ar fools who could not be prop
erly chracterized IN the senate. He had
no patience. NE said with men who held
the opinion that Catholics must nscessa-
rily consult people or some other hign
functionary of the Catholic chur, n in
every important transaction of their
lives, andadded that he was convinced
that the American senate would not b.
Influenced for a moment by such repre-
,sentations an order OF the character or
the A. P. A. would make
McKenna's confirmation should depend
upon different considerations For him
self, while he did not contend THAI Nc
Kenna was IA giant in his legal attain
ments. still he believed him TO be an hon
orable man. a competent iawyr and a just
jurist. and hes hould support his confir-
nation.
1t was here that Allen interpose,i an oo-
lection to immediate action esaid so
far as the opposition OF the A. P. A was
It did not influence him ana
lle agreed with all that had been said as
to the propriety OF any Interference in
the matter Of this character on account
of religious preiudices or predictions.
There were still othre charges which were
to his mind far more serious. and TO
prove that such was the case, he read at
some length from letters and newspapers
attacking McKenna's record as an attor-
ney and jurst on the ground of waat OF
legal attainments