The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-05-16


generously for their labor. have occupied
many positions of honor and trust. / was
never in all my life charged with dishon-
orable act, and propose to leave my chil-
dren a legacy worth more than gold. an
unblemished name.
LETTER OF RESIGNATION.
"Acting on my own judgment and hold
ing no one responsible for the result,
have concluded to place my resignation
in the hands of the chief executive of
Montana and L here submit a copy OF a
letter addressed to him under date Of May
II. and which is now in his hands"
The letter follows:
Dear Sir-The sixth executive assembly
on the Sth day of January, 1893, elected me to
represent the State of Montana in the
Senate OF the United States for the term
commencing on the 4th day of March, 1899.
Under the authority of the credentials
signed by the Governor of Montana, / en-
tered upon the discharge of the duties of
tnat position on the first Monday of last
December, after qualifying by taking the
oath OF Office prescribed by law.
'On the 4th day of December, 1899, two
memorials were presented to the Senate of
the United States praying that my right
and tltle to continue to act as a senator
under the credentials which certified TO
my election should be investigated. These
memorials. with the accompanying papers,
We're referred to a standing committee
OF that body After a protracted investi-
cation of the allegations of said memorial
lists the committee has submitted its con-
clusion TO the Senate, In which ii finds that
the seat which L now occupy under the
credentials issued by authority of the vote
taken in the joint assembly of the Legis-
lature on the 18th of January. 1899, should
be declared vacant. None of the charges
anecting my personal honor, or which al
legged that / had personally been guilty
of corrupt practices, have been sustained
by the finding of the committee.
Conscious of the rectitude of my own
conduct, and after a critical examination
of all the evidence taken by the commit
tee, convinced that those friends who were
so loyal to me during that bitter contest
did not resort to dishonorable or corrupt
means to influence the action of the MEM
bers of the Legislature in their choice of
senator; yet / am unwilling to occupy
seat in the Senate of the United States
under credentials which its committee has
declared rests for their authority upon the
action of a Legislature which was not free
and voluntary in its choice of a senator.
Self-respect and due regard for the
opinion of my associates. and sense of
duty to the people of the State of Montana,
demand that / should return the creden-
tials under which 1 am acting as one OF
the representatives in the Senate of the
United States, leaving the State and her
people to take such action as will conserve
and promote her best interests in the
national council.
Influenced by these considerations, ]
deem 1t eminently proper, without un-
necessary delay, to resign the position of
United States senator from the State of
Montana, TO which l was chosen by the
sixth executive assembly of Montana. on
the 2Sth day of January 1897
Continuing, Mr.. Clark said: 'Mr Presi-
dent. desire in retiring from the Senate to
state that 1 have formed some warm
friends, whom 1 regret to leave. have
received from the honorable presiding off,
Ger the most courteous attention. L am
deeply sensible of the generous sympathy
and support of almost all of my Demo
cratic colleagues, and for the cordial good
friends / wish to express my profound
gratitude
COLONIAL POLICY DISCUSSED.
When the Senate resumed business Mr..
Ross called UP his bill regulating appoint
ment to and removals from civil Offices
in outlying dependencies of the United
States" and addressed the Senate upon it.
He held that the appointments should be
nonpartisan and no officeholder should be
removed without having an opportunity
to meet charges properly made and duly
established.
Mr.. Hale said he did not share in the
expectations of Mr.. Ross as to the carrying
out Of the perfect programme marked out
by him for our insular possessions. ''The
history of colonial possessions said ne,
from the days OF the Romans to the pres
ent time is a history of robbery, pecula-
tion, extravangance, wrongdoing In high
quarters and corruption broad and large.
I do not think that the examples of to-day
are going to show that the American peo-
pie are to be exempt from the monstrous
evils which always have attended a
colonial policy. The jaunty way in which
the American people have embarked in the
enterprise of colonial possessions has cer-
tainly received a rebuke in what has been
seen to happen during the last few months.
The senator from Vermont and 1 will be
older thai. we are now before the rule
which has been written down in all history
is changed by the American republics"
Mr.. Ross having called for a vote on his
bill. Senator Scott, of West Virginia, moved
to postpone the bill indefinitely. The mo-
ton was lost-10 to 35
1t was noted that In calling the roll the
clerk omitted the name of Mr.. Clark, of
Montana, indicating that so far as the
Senate is concerned his resignation is an
accepted fact.
Mr.. Mason addressed the Senate in a
humorous vein in opposition to the bill.
The Senate at $50 p. m. adjourned.