Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1900-05-18

ing seat IN the nignest legislative pou,
of this nation. as we'll as the honor of al
Individual chosen for that position by thu
Ipeople of one of the sovereign state
thereof, should be conducted in strictl!
judicial manner, and that in the pro
ceedings the established rules of evidenc,
should be applied. 1t is we'll known t,
everybody that this was not the case
1t is true that there was strong effor
made by the honorable senators from
| Alabama. Maryland, Kansas and Nortl
4 Carolina at the beginning of the investi
| CATION, to exclude all the irrelevant testi
mony, but their efforts were unavailing.
i The senators who filed minority re
/ port expressed in emphatic terms thei
| condemnation of the proceedings in Thu
l respect, as we'll as denunciation of tn,
character and practices of the principa
i attorney, and of some of the witnesse.
| who testified for the prosecution.
Announces His Resignation.
| Senator Clark announced his resigna
! ton as follows:
Acting upon my own judgment, ani
1holding no one responsible for the re-
suit. l have concluded to place my resig
nation in the hands of the chief executive
| of Montana, and ! here submit copy oil
a letter addressed to him under date OF
| May II. and which is now in his hands
| The Letter of Resignation.
The letter follows:
| Washington, May II, l9eO.-To His Elk
cellency, the Governor of Montana, Hell
ena, Mont Dear Sir:--The sixth legis-
| lative assembly on the Sth day of Jan
uary, 1899, 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
| that position on the first Monday of last
December. after qualifying by taking the
oath of office prescribed by law.
"Oh the 18th day of December. 1899, two
memorials were presented to the senate
of the United States, praying that my
right and title to continue to act as a
senator under the credentials which GER
titled to my election should be investi-
gated.
These memorials with the accompany
ing papers We're referred TO a standing
committee of that body. After a pro-
tracted investigation of the allegations
of said memorialists, the committee has
submitted its conclusion to the senate,
in which it finds that the seat which
now occupy under the credentials issued
by authority of the vote taken in the
joint assembly of the legislature ON the
2Sth day of January, 1899, should be de-
carcd vacant
None of the charges affecting my per-
sonal honor, or which alleged that had
personally been guilty of corrupt prac-
tees, 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 loya! to me during that bitter
contes. did not resort to dishonorable
or corrupt means TO influence the action
of the members of the legislature in their
choice OF senator; yet l am unwilling to
continue to occupy a seat in the senate
of the United States under credentials
which its committee has declared rest
for their authority upon the action of a
legislature which was not free and vol
untary in its choice of a senator.
Self-respect. and due regard for the
opinion of my associates, and a sense OF
duty to the people of the state of Mon
tana, demand that l should return the
credentials 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 in
terests in the national council.
Influenced by these considerations,
deem it eminently proper, without I'M
necessary delay, to resign the position OF
United States senator from the state of
Montana, to which l was chosen by the
Sixth legislative assembly of Montana,
on the 2Sth day of January, 1899.
With sentiments of esteem, l remain,
Respectfully your.
(Signedl wv. A. CLARK"
Mr.. President, desire in retiring from
the senate to state that 1 have here
formed come warm friends, whom 1 re-
greet to leave. i have received from the
honorable presiding officer the most cour-
teous attention. l am deeply sensible of
the generous sympathy and support of
almost all of my democratic colleagues,
and for the cordial good wishes of a
great number of republican friends, l
wish to express my profound gratitude"
Postpone Action.
At the conclusion of Senator Clark
speech, many senators crowded around
him and shook his hand most cor
daily As soon as order was restored
Senator Chandler asked that the con-
sideratiop CT the resolution declaring
the seat vacant be postponed until
Wednesday. which was done.
No Choice.
Chicago, May 16.-The election of
bishops of the Methodist church has so
far resulted in no choice. One ballot