Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-04-30

;, ths mt shs time for which the commission
shall run 1t seems to me- then upon this ssoecS tne
practice Of the Senate and the language o. tae
ton are clear and imperative, and that the word uni
does not qualify the time the appointment is to run, but
simply the power Of the Governor 70 make
What then IL that be the fact vacancy occurred e
the 2sh Of June, the day On which Mr Clay expired
,r,s that the power make the appointment runs be-
yond the time that has already been fired BY the Legsa
reY No sir but in the commission which he gives to
NJ Meriwehcr he limits the time that portion Of the
term which would exist provided Mr. Clay had power to
resign the way be did If ever these questions to
have been TO they should have been raised
when Mr. Meriwether here with that commission
If the Governor OF Kentucky had simply said ~ hereby
authorize you to FIJI the vacancy occasoned by the death
Of Mr. Clay and stopped there it would have been for
the Senate TO decide it, But he did stop there quail
fled his own power He did undertake appoint If
he had the power beyond the first Monday Of September
Up that period there clear and undsputed
cy The honorable Senator suggests number Of cases
which only exist in Imagination He supposes the
Of being elected for six years whe resigns the
last year. when the Legislature appoints then the ap
pointee resigns the fifth year. and another appointments
made and he resigns the fourth year. and SO on But it
happens in the actual condition Of things by which we
surrounded That there is Legislature in the uni
ted States that continues than years. and have
heard of Legislature Of any State undertaking
make election to Office which to commence in
period when their own political existence would have ter
minated.
think the subject entirely destitute Of any questions
Of that sort asof the whether dead resign
No Legislature ever made such attempt has been
imagined, andG trust will Therefore, the
lists only in imagination and by possibility exist in
reality II s well suggested by the Senator from Ken
lucky mr. UNDERwooD) that the thing Is too absurd
be thought OF and If the idea tolerated that
the Legislature might elect Senator whose term to
commence after the termination of their political
istence they might elect for hundred years in perpe
tuity 1t hasne been done Such attempt has new
been made, and will be made; and therefore it
is evil which exists only in fancy and need not disturb
the deliberations of the Senate on this question.
1t seems 10 me that this is the whole case do not
say that can, by any argument eucdate it SO as to
convince the minds of Senator'S have given up all
idea OF undertaking to convince any body of shedding
light though confess had light shed my mind yes
terday by the remarks of the honorable Senator from
Connecticut But do not aspire to any thing of that
sorts simply wish to state here in my place the
which influence me- want to express with oil the deci
sion feel with all the Difference entertain to other
gentlemen my conviction that by possibility by none
OF the lnsiRuatons of sophstry even doubt my
mind be thrown the right Of Mr. Dixon to seat in
the Senate But sir, having said that, do not under
take to that others will not doubt because know
is So see men, better informed than am and perhaps
better able TO form opinion, entertaining different
opinion only speak for myself do not entertain
doubt; cannot work myself up to it. / believe Mr..
Dixons title is good mine is, and good any
Senatorsis So far any other considerations may be
supposed to weigh upon me in this matter except
pie desire to do justice to the honorable gentleman
Mr.. UNDERWOOD. !" Honorable Senator"
Mr. HALE Well honorable Senator-for think he
Is Senator-the honorable Senator (Mr. Dixon will par
don me for saying between him and his predecessor
Mr.. Meriwether, am as Indifferent as can well
be- do not know that to their relations personal
political, would turn my hand way the other.
They both belong to healthy political organizations
Mr. Meriwether belongs to which is rather swol
Lem That to be sure, does not indicate entire health
Laughter Mr. Dixon belongs to one that is rather
ank Neither does that indicate entire health Laugh
ter So that one is far from healthy Political
ganzaton as the other But to the slight intercourse
which have had with either of Them it has been that
which one gentleman has right to expect from another
do not know that have in my life been placed in
situation in which have felt such entire indifference
as do in this natter but DESTROYS that the Senate
should decide the question rightly was exceedingly
gratfed with the result which the Senate came in the
Florida contested election The conclusion which
they came was unanimous. There was no dissenting
voice, because in the judgment Of the Senate that
perfectly clear It struck the whole Senate per-
fecty clear
But sir, while state the clearnes Of my own convc-
tons, beg that may not be considered speaking
arroganty Or questioning the integrity intelligence of
those who differ from have lived long enough in
the world-I have seen too many ingenious questions
started and too many plain disputedto be aston
shed at thing And my experience in the Senate
taught something Of that 1t reminds me of an anec
dote told of young practitioner Of law When the Judge
pronounced his opinion contrary what he expected he
declared himself to be astonished at the decision The
judge thought 1t was contempt Of court and i'm
parchment of its integrity and about to deal with
him accordingly but older member of the bar got up
to apologize for the young man. and said Your honor
think my young friend meant contempt; and think
when he has practced long in your honors
have he will not be astonished at any thing Laugh
ter. That sir, has been the effect upon my mind.
have practiced too long in your honos court to be
tonished at any thing.
Ingenious the question which the honorable Sena
tor from Connecticut has sprung upon us, remember
once to have met equally ingenious and that
not so easily settled / remember when Capt. Symmes
Of Ohio, lecung upon his theory Of hollow Spheres
he CHANGED to TO where was college, and gave
notice that he was going TO lecture He gave very in
genous lecture but after over an ingenious young
Irshman told him that he did not through it entirely
and wanted to propose one question The captain SEEM
ed to listen with great Difference the question 1t
this He said that when should come to the opening
of the earth TO enter the hollow sphere the atmosphere of
the earth would in with the hemisphere and
produce conclusion, and he did not know how animal
heat was TO be generated there Laughter. believe
it is question which Captain Symmes never solved 1t
was ingenious
Having seen so many ingenious questions started so
difficult Of solution and many which appeared plain to
my mind disputed bow with Difference TO the wisdom
and intelligence and candor of the gentlemen who differ
widely with But, sir this is q new age and new
era, and Of revelations and If there be any
thing in this modern-I do not know whether call 1t
science humbug. for l tread cauouslybut If there
be any thing in this modern theory Of spiritual commune
cation" spiritual rappings" vulgary caledthis ques
ton, whether dead men resign may prac
cal Importance Of which have not yet conceived
[Laughter] am sorry to see gentlemen laugh. am
that while dealing with such grave subjects
as these honorable Senators cannot bring to their con-
sderaton that gravity to which they emnenty
titled Laughter. Can dead resgnf ask, in the
widest vagaries Of thought If Imagination grasped
such aqueston that think sir il is well that this
.sc foI