Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1864-03-16
The state Senate lte course Of the
Democrats rriumphantly vfudicatod

paradinE the yeas and nays upon certain
Quos,ions, for the purpose Of rrcjudicing
tho Democratic Senators with their con
slilucnts. For instance, the last Jaco5ia
organ Of this place, stealing from the Hes
sian Tclyrdgh at Harrisburg, exhibits the
vote on the resolution requesting Con-
press to increase the pay Of private sol
ders and non commissioned officers, as
showing, that because the Is Democrats
voted against that resolution, that there
fore they arc opposed TO such increase Of
pay. To complete this system Of decep-
ton our neighbor refers to vote taken
in the Senate on this same question JGtorc
the election of DR.. st. Clair in the room
Of Harry White, remarking that some Of
the copperhead minority then opposed
these resolutions, for the reason, as they
alleged, that the Senate Was not .fpIly organi-
;cd."
Here we have the candid admission that
! the reason why the Democrats refused TO
vote for that resolution then was because
they did not believe that the Senate was
fully organized" So far so good. For
once our neighbor tried to be honest.
I But he goes on in bis last issue:
"The Senate being now full, and the
retaining Mr., Penny as Speaker by the mo
iority of that body, the former Plcc for yot-
- IL n n
longer cIiStS.
Will our neighbor be kind enough to
tell US Lo,o this "plea" has been altered ?
II is not enough that the Senate is NOW
full" Although full, until they elect SDea-
kr it is no more an organized body than
it was the first day they met. This is the
position of the Democrats, The Consti.
tuition says distinctly that leach House
shall choose its own Speaker. This ha6
been the invariable practice for seventy
years. There is no other legal way OF
procuring Speaker. Yet our neighbor
speaks of retaining" Mr. Penny as Spoa.
ker pho nerer ,sas elected by the present
! Senate. And this is what the Democrats
contonded for at Tie commencement OF
the session, and as honorable men they
cannot yield their ground. And this was
also the position Of the Abolition Senators
when they first met, for they held a eau
cus, nominated their candidate, and after
wards ballottcd for him many times. They
! then, in the hope of hrow-beating the
Democrats into an Ignoble surrender Of
their position, assumed that, as Mr.. Penny
had been elected Speaker by the last Sen
ate at its adjournment, he should be IRE
tanned" as Speaker Of the present Senate
Their only reason for assuming this un
+ tenabe and revolutionary position, wa'
because the Senate was equally divided
and therefore unable to elect Speaker
except upon some such plan of comprom
ise rs was proposed by the Democrats, ant
} rejected oy the Abolitionists.
The condition Of affairs in the Senate
is now different The election of st. Clail
/, gives the Abolitionists majority of l, anC
they can elect Speaker whenever they
wish. For failing TO DO so, they are alone
responsible. Until Speaker is elected
there can be no organization, and III,
T. Democrats are therefore left no choice bu
to oppose crcry attempt at legislation. !
5 is not because they oppose or .taror this o
e that measure, that they vote for or agains
A it but because they are not an organized jodg
Y This is the reason why the Democrati
e Senators voted against the resolution ask
= ing for additional pay TO the soldiers, an,
r the only reason; and this fact is vel
+ known TO these JacoJm editors and
= they had the moral honesty of profession
= al r;ckpockets, they would not attempt t
. conceal the fact.
The SENATE ORGANIZED Since the fore
going was written, we are advised tba
Mr.. Penny, on Wednesday last, wen
through the forms of resigaing his pos
ton as Speaker, IA position which expire,
by its own Limitation when the presen
Senate met, when the Senate immediate
ly went into an election ofSpeaker, whiCl
resulted in the'ohoice Of Mr.. Penny. Thu