The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1864-03-23

General Assembly shall meet on the Ist
Tuesday OF January in every year, and by
section XI of he same article, that Leach
House" Ii. e. when they meet on that day.
shall elect lis Speaker and other oficers.
II appears TO The undersigned frat the
words "each House shall elect lis Speaker
are sufficiently certain 10 determine the
question that no one elected Speaker by the
Senate of 1863 could exercise the duties
OF that office over the Senate Of IS64-ihe
latter being new and distinct body, made
up of other members wi 0 had never parici-
pated in an election for Speaker, and as by
the express terms oithe Constitution, "each
House shall (when ihep mee, on the first
Tueseay in January in each year, elect lis
Speaker and other officers" it is manifest and
clear that the Senator from Aleghany had
no shadow of right TO exercise the duties
OF speaker over this new Senate which had
never elecied him iis Speaker, and we have
never recognized him as such. Bot admit
ting, for the sake of argument, tina, the
words OF the Constitution are Ambiguous and
certain, then precedent and usage, If they
exist, must determine their meaning, and
by this test the undersigned desire that their
( position may pc tried.
! During period OF seventy years, from
1 1894 until this day, there is but one other
instance where Speaker elected by for
mer Senate attempted 10 exercise the du
ties OF his office over succeeding and new
IL L ~.
+ War" when the late Charles Penrose,
( the Speaker holding over entertained two
motions relative 10 contested seats but
when lhess were determined, euen he vaca,-
ed the chair, and did not dare 10 resume it,
until by ihe vote of The nep Senate he was
elected Speaker. II The republican mem
| bers oil the Senate OF 1864 can gather COM
| fort from this one solitary exception in the
unbroken line of precedeDis, they are vel
come to il. The .bodness and magnitude
of their act Of usurPalion has destroyed its
significance as deed OF revolution
The Senator from Allegheny, no,wiih-
standing The express words of the Conslilu-
iion, with their meaning illustrated by the
action of all former Speakers, save one. for
period OF seventy years, after The reading
of the certificates OF election whice created
the new Senate, failed 10 yaca,e Tho chair
which he occupied by courtesy and for the
sake of convenience. He requested the
new Senators 10 come forward TO be sworn.
This the Republican Senators did and, and
also the Democratic Senators tho LATER
however, under protest, in which, in briei
and emphatic terms, they denied his right
10 administer the oath Of Office 10 them
they having been elected members oil abody
of which he had never been elected Speak
er. Ii is here 10 be observed that this
course was necessary on their part, for the
reason that il was The evident intsnt'on OF
The Republicans, should the Democrats re-
fuse TO take the oath, TO leave their names
of the roll, whereby our opponents would
have secured a clear majority of those
voting.
Alter this act Of usutpaiion the new Sen
ate, by unaniul0uS vote, adobled a resolu-
ton 10 proceed 10 an election for Speaker.
II it is not true that the Office was vacant,
(as The undersigned coatend,) why The me-
cessiiy TO elect a Speaker But under
this resolution several ballots were held on
that, the first day of our meeting, each re-
suling in tie between the Republican
candidate, Nix. Penny, AMI ;he Democratic
candidate MIR. CIy ner. The Senate ad-
journed until the next day, when, after sew
eral Intellectual ballots, the Senator from
Berks, Mr. Clymer, on behalf OF the under
signed, made the following proposition of
compromise, viz: That The Republicans
should select Speaker Of the SENATE, the
Democrats the Clerk, and so alternately
until all were filled. This basis of sslile.
meni The undersigned considered to he just.
1t was made, not tor The purpose of securing
place or position, but 10 vindicsle a prin-
ciple. II was precisely The paeis of com.
promise adobIed in 1855, when the Demo
Gratis having an actual majority (ahhough
not presenD were given the Speaker, the
Know Nothings of that day Cat present Re
publicans) the clerk, aud so alternately &c
The end of the list. But this proposition the
Republican Senator'S OF 1864 refused to &C
CSpt- AuO1 udU PoAtOh
and they determined to adhere TO it with
all lis consequences.
During the protracted struggle which fol
lowed, this offer Of compromise was renew
ed from time TO time it was always reject
ed, and not one proposition tending 10 So
luton OF the difficulty ever come from the
Republican side, save The sbsured sugges'
ton Of the Senator from Erie, Mr.. Lowry
that he would vote for the Democratic can
didale for Speaker, ProUided either he or SOM
Que of the undersigned l0ouId agree nsUer Il
Sots on any party or test question.
1t is thus matter OF history that the Re-
publican Senators refused fair and jus
proposition which, had il been accepted
would have organized the Senate on the
second day OF It's meeting. They stiemp