The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1861-11-14
United States sen.tor.hin.

Unlted states SenatOrshfp.
We copy the subjoined temperate
and well-written article on the subject
of filling the vacancy in the o., s. Sen
ate occasioned by the death of Kings
ley S. Bingham, from the Hastings
barry County, Republican. 1t ex-
presses, we are we'll satisfied, the feel
ing generally entertained throughout
Western Michigan, and will meet with
general approval n IL kTT8
THE UNITED STATES sENAToRsHIP.
1t appears to be generally conceded
that an extra session of the State Leg
islature will be convened at an early
day. Among the most important du-
ties which will develop upon the Legis-
lature, when SO convened, will be the
election of United States Senator, to
fill the vacancy caused by the death of
Kingsley S. Bingham. 1t is no light
responsibility, and the consequences
following this one official act of the
State Legislature, may bear no small
significance in the future history of the
State and Nation. We are prepared
to agree only in part, with contempt
rary who says =" Mere personal con-
sideration should never determine or
enter into the choice of a United
States Senator" ~ r8
1t is very self evident that any one
of such considerations should never
determine the result; but that they
should be excluded from consideration,
would be to deprive the people of a
proper representation, and the legisla-
ture of its volition. The time has gone
by, when Judges are appointed to pre-
side over the litigation of Districts of
which they are not residents; and the
higher the Office, the more important is
it, that in all respects, the selection of
an occupant be made to conform to the
representative system. @
What, we would ask, is the use of
combining ourselves to the State of
Michigan at all if personal and local
considerations are to be ignored? New
York, or even Canada, could furnish
men of wider spread reputation, and
whose friends will insist, are pre-emi-
nently fitted to represent Michigan, or
any other State, in the U. S. Senate.
The truth is, that local and personal
consideration will, in the future, as they
always have in the past, decide the Sc
lection of the public officers. And it is
not too much to say, while we permit
the memories af the past to tell their
own tales, that in Michigan at least, per-
sonal considerations have out weighed
all others.
We expect in the present instance,
as in all former cases, to be met with
the pleas of "peculiar fitness" and
pre-eminent qualifications" but
what looks most strange to one outside
of the ring, is, that all these preeminent
qualifications should be the growth of
a particular locality, or, at most, of a
small circle of counties. But so it has
appeared for the last ten years, so far as
all the higher offices in the gift of the
State are concerned.
We have no disposition to disparage
the fitness of any man whose name is
likely to be presented, and much less of
the one indicated by our Lansing con-
temporary but we must insist, that
the idea Of the agricultural State of
Michigan taking both its representa-
tives to the highest branch of the Ma
ton Legislature from one commercial
city-and that city as nearly out of the
State as it were possible to place it's
preposterous.
Gentlemen of the Legislature ::
Western Michigan will present the
name of candidate for the high office
of United States Senator-one person.
ally popular-one admirably located
one "pre-eminently fitted" and every
way qualified for that high purpose, and
what we ask of you, is that you weigh
all of these considerations, in making
your selections; and if, in SO doing,
your determination is adverse or favor
able to Western Michigan, we will
unite, with all your constituents, in the
plaudit of " Well done good and faith
full servants"