The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-02-05
Speech in the Senate on the Demand
for Resignation of the independent
kentucky Statesman.
He IS NOT ANY PARTY'S AGENT
But REPRESENTS, HE SAYS. ALL THE
RESIDENTS OF HIS STATE,
As Wei the Whole American PeO-
pIe-FiIibuster in the House and De-
bate on the Kansas Pacific Road.
Special to the indianapolis journal

| Special to the indianapolis Journal
| WASHINGTON, Feb. 1.-The brief speech
of Senator Lindsay to-day in response to
| the irnpudent demand of the Kentucky
Legislature for his resignation because ne
had betrayed his trust and proved false
| to Democracy was the most effective bit
of oratory that has been heard for some
time in the Senate The memory of the
Kentucky Democratic legislators must have
| been very short not to have recalled the
fact that Senator Lindsay had been elected
| to the Senate for the second time after he
| had voted and spoken repeatedly in support
! of the principles Of sound money, his cleo
ton being unanimous, and unquestionably
an Endorsement Of his position on this issue.
| This fact was brought out very plainly and
| bluntly by the senator in his explanation
| to-day. He left nothing unsaid which would
| be desired and it is probable now that the
| Kentucky Legislature will let him severely
| alone. After defining his position upon the
| financial question, he made it clear that he
was the representative of the whole people
| of Kentucky, and not in any sense the agent
| Of the Kentucky Legislature. Above all, he
| was, he said, a senator for the whole Amer
| leap people, and as such would perform his
duties and cast his vote in accordance with
| his convictions and with the dictates of his
| conscience No business of Importance was
transacted in the brief open session. After
! the executive session Of three hours the
Senate adjourned until Monday.
AT the opening of the session bill pro-
viding for the erection of public building
at Beaumont Tex, at a cost not to exceed
100000, was passed.
Mr. Platt, of New York, offered resolu-
on military affairs, directing the secretary
of war to return to the Seventh Regiment
Artillery, formerly the One-hundred- and
thirteenth New York Volunteer Infantry,
the flags of the regiment.
bill authorizing the construction of two
bridges across the Choctawhatchee river, d
navigable stream in Dale county, Alabama,
was passed.
Mr. Lindsay then took the floor to speak
on the resOlutio of the Legislature asking
him to resign. He said:
with the relations existing between a
senator and his constituency this BODY has
generally no concern. But there are e&cep-
tional cases in which senator may b.. JUS
tilted in calling attention TO transactions
semi-officlal in their character, which if
LETT unexplained, might create the impress
sion that he stands officially charged with
conduct which would render him unworthy
of n seat on this floor and an unfit asso-
ciate for his fellow
Il hold in my hands a paper purporting
TO be an official copy of q resolution recent
lucky General Assembly and which it is
due to myself and the Senate shall be fully
understood" He then had the resolution
read at the clerks desk and continued
while this processes to request my res
ignatiOn, it is couched in language which
regards the ordinary amenities of life and
is, in effect, a demand that | shall surrender
my place in order to make a vacancy, and
thus make room here for some one holding
political views in harmony with the author
and promoters of the resolution l desire
to protest against this susurpat ton of I'M
granted power, and, inasnueh as the reso-
luton has been made a matter of record on
the journals of the two houses of the State
Legislature, to which | have no access, |
propose to give 1t a place on the records of
such comments as / deem necessary and
proper under the circumstances.
NO SUBSTANTIATED CHARGE.
cit is to be observed that in the arraign-
ment which precedes the resolution there Is
no charge that have ever disobeyed the
expressed will of the people of Kentucky
There is no charge that any act of mine as
senator is subject to animadversion or COM
plant; no intimation that L have ever given
a vote which did not reflect the views Of a
majority of my constituents, have been
wanting in any duty owing to them to
the country, or that / am now opposing
legislation which a majority of the people
of Kentucky regard as essential to the pub
lie welfare, or that my personal conduct at
any time or in any respect has been to the
slightest degree Incompatible with the high
position of an American senator. BY the
silence of the arraignment in these regards
the resolution aft1rmatively implies that my
conduct as senator is free from all blame
and open to no criticism even by those who
are evidently moved by the spirit of bitter
political prescription and intolerance.
1.-The substance of the complaint IS that
] am opposed to the free and unlimited
coinage of silver at the ratio of l6 to /,
and that ! opposed the election Of the NOM
inee of the late Chicago convention, and by
so doing betrayed the trust reposed in me
by my constituency. | shall not discuss the
presidential campaign of 1886. 1t is not
necessary to do so to meet the charges that
l betrayed the trust of my constituents by
opposing the election of the Chicago nomi-
nees. My constituency is made UP of the
people of Kentucky, and that people voted
against those nominees, and twelve out or
thirteen of the electoral votes of kentucky
were registered against them.
IF to be opposed to free coinage and in
favor of maintaining the parity OF our gold
and silver dollars is to be deemed be-
trayal of trust, then / may be pardoned for
calling attention to the history OF current
politics in Kentucky from 1898, when l was
first elected to the Senate, up to the time
of my second election. j was elected to I'LL
an uneXpired term i'll February, 1893. In
August of that year Congress met in extra
session to consider the proposed repeal of
the purchasing clause of the act OF July II,
1890 commonly called the Sherman law. In
October, 1898, l voted against a proposed
amendment TO the bill providing for The tree
coinage of silver at the ratio of 1t 10 l.
voted against an amendment providing Tor
the re-enactment of the Bldnd-Allson act.
| voted against an amendment providing Tor
the free coinage of silver upon CONDITION
that the government should receive IN the
way of seigniorage the difference between
the market and coinage value OF silver
bullion. In the discussion of the Dill de-
clared that / would vote for no amendment
which merely experimental with change
of ratio or that did not provide reasonable
safeguards to insure the maintenance Oh the
parity of gold and silver dollars.
"Those votes and that declaration were
known to all the intelligent people OF the
the adjournment of this extra session the
General Assembly charged with the duty
of selecting my successor was chosen. 1t
convened in January, 1894 My name was
the only one presented to the democratic
caucus, and when the election came to be
member present My views on the SILVER
question were as well known then as they
are known to-day. They were then the
views of an overwhelming majority OF the
Democrats of Kentucky and of an over
whelming majority of the Republican party
in that State.
HIS OPINIONS NOT CHANGED.
II stand to-day precisely where ! stood
when / received that unanimous indorse-
ment by the Democrats of Kentucky. If
those who were in accord with me four
years ago are not so to-day it is because
they have changed their opinions, whilst
/ have remained steadfast ! criticise no
one for changing his opinions, but | pro-
test against being denounced as a betrayer
of my trust because my views remain I'M
changed M