The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-12-29
THE BALLOT IN THE SENATE.

THE BALLOT IN THE SENATE.
General Dodge of Iowa, scandalzed at tho
election Of Beverly Tucker as Printer to the
Senate by Democratic votes, has introduced Il
resolution for the abolition of the ballot system
OF voting in that body. The Uaion, the prin.
cipal sufferer by the election of Mr.. Tucker,
zealousiy advocates :ho resolution, on the
ground that it involves great Democratic
principle. The ballot it holds, may be needed
IN the case OF the constituency, to protect it,
independence, but is out of place in BODY
representing the constituency, inasmuch as il
oxempts 1t from just responsibility to those
whose will 1t should conform to- 81" 1t GER
tainly never was intended it remarks, "by
the Democrats either Of Monticello or of the
Hermitage, that public body, representative
OF thirty States, should shrink and COVER from
the responsibility it owes to its constituents be
hind the screen erected for the protection Of
those constituents. The delegated authority Of
the pablic servant needs, il ho be q faithful
steward, no screen, no secrecy. irresponsible
authority il unknown to American institutions
and is foreign to the soul and to the aspira-
toms Of the American Peoples
We entirely agree with the Union, and hope
that the resolution of General Dodge, requiring
the election OF officers Of the senate to be ezra
0Jce, may prevail
But this resolution OF General Dodge is COM
paratiycIy u small matter it goes but short
way towards making the Senate responsible
body The Iowa Senator should have proposed
NJ onco the abolition of the rule providing for
secret SESSIONS Much OF the time of the Sanat,
IN executive session il spent in voting on nomi-
nations for offices sent in by the President II
AZ even more important for the People to know
the course OF Senators on such nominations
than III relation :, the election of it's Chaplain
or Printer. They have right to know the
principles which determine the ratification or
rejection of an appointment. They are Just
IA mach concerned in this matter as in the
matter Of legislation Senators should no more
wish to screen themselves from responsibility
for their votes ON filling offices of trust and
profit than for their votes on tho passage of
bills and resolutions rho secresy with which
Sncynow invest their executive action, exempts
them from due accountability, not only to
their respective Parties, but to the People-a
much more important consideration.
The Public Interest, az well as due regard 10
the cxigcncics ol Foreign States may at times
require that the consideration of important
Treaties be carried on with closed doors but.
let the determination of this question be left to
the discretion Of the senate, which can at any
time should the occasion in It's judgment d.,
mand resolve itself into secret session
Tho Union, without recommending any such
reform Us We propose seems, however Ia 10.
gard the practice of secret sessions ~ anti.rc
pabIican. II remarks
1t has even been proposed by Democrats n
the senate, 10 huld Executive season with uis q
doors To prevent the iartiom or hostile firm
stlhbing men behind a muiile or escaping un
der cry"t vote 10y ballot from the Fcspons
hllity OF performing the act. tor which ths,
were elected The practice. taken from th,
English Parliament aud migrated ga eur an
rr'irutOns by the il tuencr II the ari-tacrat. ID
ltmIiton's day, has, however Ircyailod ahs
though the upper chamber OF the Brit,-l
Parliament has never dared 10 give iadgmcu
ON an individual, or desde upon III inter,st.
or reputation OF IN individual, IN socrct--a
irresponsible and nun-ccctiSe as that bOi, Is
We yet find under the combination OF th
Whiga and AbolitOuistS aud "a few Democrat,
the senate retrogradlng 10. practices again
which JuniuH ana Chatham, Fox and Frank
lin, Jefferson and Henry, and all the great Ia
tellcots at the world, have for hundred year
persstently rebclled IL ~ a monstrous suppo
tition that any American senator could dcslr,
70 screen himself behind practices so illiberal
po ntolerant, and So secretive To the grca
majority of Democratic Senators, who refuse,
What is Slavery, but the perfection of 81 IRE
sp,usiblc authority and is Slavery unknown 4
American Institutions fore gn To the soul and a.
pratioDs Of the Amorican People These pro sa
very men ate forever shifting their own back Civ
ing attrranr, 70 Truths which convict them OF III
grOs Ost Inconsistency,