The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-12-09
For the Union.
THE VICE PRESIDENT-PRESlDE OF
THE SENATE.


The Office Of Vice President is second only in dig
nifty and importance that of President Of the Uni
ted States-its occupant possessing in an equal de-
gree the confidence of the American people, and being
considered worthy to fill that higher and more ex-
allied station. The office of Vice President is of that
unobtrusve character calculated to form an Illus
tration free republic, of the possession Of pow
er attended with the utmost didence and discretion
in its exercse for, president of the Senate" he
has power under the constitution To realize a
proper conception of the elevated position of that
office, is only necessary to view il as placing its
occupant in the chair, as head of the Senate OF the
United Satesthe elevation of the head being appre-
cated by the purity and moral strength of the body
ofwhch such head may be member For business
purposes and parliamentary usage, it has been com
pared with the highest deiberative assemblies OF
other times and other countries; but in It's attributes
of power, of wisdom, and of honor, it stands unri-
vailed in history. Of power, in the exercise of le-
gisative, executive, and judicial functons--of wis
dom, in the calm, COOL and deliberate exercise OF
those functions-and of honor, in the collective and
individual observance of tone of moral RESPONSE
bility amounting to the true chivary and dignity Of
man. So strong has been this high sense of honor,
that the warmest feelings of party asperity have
vanished In It's mere contemplation, giving place to
the more generous and noble feelings that actuate
the breasts of American patriots and statesmen.
Courtesy and kindness mark official and private in
tercourse; and well may it be said that the Ameri-
can senator true representative ofthe sovereignty
and power of independent State. In its intercourse
and relations with the other coordinate branches,
and with the departments of the government this
spirit is manifest and has not been forgotten in
the arrangements Of its own household. As regards
the order and decorum of this honorable body, and
the facility with which business may be conduct
ed, much depends upon the intelligence, discretion,
and frmness of the presiding officer; whose legti-
mate duties too delicate and responsible to rem.
der desirable that duties of the greatest delicacy
and responsibility belonging to the Senate itself
should be imposed upon that officer; and the pres
ent occupant of the chair the Honorable George Nd.
Dallas although never avoiding just responsibility,
refusing to perform his duty to his country, no
doubt has felt relieved from an embarrassing under
taking, by the refusal Of the Senate to change its
rules with view Of placing the appointment Of the
standing committees in his hands. The propos on
proceeded from one, and was supported by nearly
ALL Of his political friends; and was opposed by the
majority, Composed in part also of his political
friends,) from feelings Of dsrespect or unkind-
ness, but because il contrary to the universal
rule Of the Senate with one or two brief exceptions,
as understood from, the debate, and inconsistent,
their view with the responsibilities which of right
attached to themselves Mr.. Dallas possesses in n
high dsgree the qualifications and only requires in
the opinion Of the writer short practice, to render
him one Of the ablest presiding officers that has
occupied that chair; and will, no doubt, as such,
perform the duties Of the chair with impartiality
and justice, and with that courtesy which has ha-
btualIy resided in that elevated station.
WASHINGTONIAN.