Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1864-03-19

Speaker. If il is not true that the Office
was vacant, Gas the undersigned contcnd.)
why the necessity to elect Speaker q
But under this resolution several ballot,
were held on that, tho first day of our
meeting, each resulting in tie between
the Republican candidate, Mr.. Penney,
and the Democratic candidate, Mr.. ely
mer. The Senate adjourned until the
next day, when, after sevearl Intellectual
ballots, the Senator from Berks, Mr.. Cly-
mer, on behalf of the Undersigned, madc
the following proposition OF compromise,
viz That the Republicans should select
the Speaker of the Senate, the Democrats
the clerk, and so alternately until all were
filled. This basis of settlement the under
signed considered to be just, 1t was made,
not for the purpose Of securing place or
position, but to vndicate principle. 1t
was precisely the basis of compromise
adopted in 1855, when the Democrats
having an actual majority (although not
presently were given the Speaker, the
Know Nothing of that day (at present
Republicans the clerk aud so alternately
to the end Of the list. But this PROPOSE
ton the Republican Senators of 1854 re-
fused to accept They had entered upon
! usurpation, and they determined to adhere
to it with all its consequences.
During the protracted struggle which
followed, this offer Of compr omise was re-
newed from time to time it was always
rejected, and no. one proposition tending
10 solution of difficulty ever came from
the Republican side, save the absured sug-
gcstion Of the Senator from Erie, Mr..
Lowey, that he would vote for the Demo-
cratic candidate for Speaker, proviied
either he Or some 0ne of The undersigned
'coud agree neUer 10 Uote on any purity or
test question,
1t is thus matter of history that the
Republican Senators refused q fair and
just proposition which, had it been accept
ed, would have organized the Senate on
the second day Of its meeting. They at
tempt to justify their conduct on two
grounds. First, that the Senate is ever
organized, the Speaker of a former Senate
being the Speaker of the subsequent one
and, Second, that Major White, if present
would have given them majority.
We have heretofore exposed the fallacy
OF the first position by reference to the
words of the Constitution, and to the un-
broken prec enents Of seventy years. In
addition, we will present test which will
so clearly expose the unwarranlable and
unconstitional nature of their claim, that
no one, however preiudiced, may mis-
take or misunderstood it.
By the XIII section, Article lst, OF
the Constitution of this State, it is provid.
ed that all bills passed by the Legislature
and presented to the Governor for his sig
nature, within ten days of the fnal ad.
Ijourumcnt. shall become laws ,Oithoi@ his
Signature, unless sent back with his OBJ.
Ijections) ,oithn three days after their
meet meeting,
In 1855 the Legislature met on the see-
ond day of January. The contest for
Speaker was prolonged until the fifth,
when the Hon. VIM. NJ. Hester, of Berks
county. was elected. Upon the sixth, the
Jou'th day after their meeting, the Cover
nor Of the Commonwealth returned, with
his objections, several of the most impor.
tant bills passed by the Legislature oI
1854. If the position OF the Republican
Senators of 1864 is correct, viz: that the
Senate is always organized, and that the
Speaker Of the former Senate is the Speak
er of the new Senate, then those bills oi
1854, voted by Governor Bigler on the
fourth day of the session Of 1855, are
laws Notwithstanding his vetoes. That
this is not so, or at least that none of the
eminent lawyers and statesmen who com
posed that Senate (among whom were
Price, Buckq qlew, Hester and Darsie) SC
thought, is evinced by the fact that they
all voted upon those vetoes as required by
the Constitution, which they surely would
not have done had they been Of opinion
they had been sent in too late. The Sen
ators of 1855 did not even claim to have
met until they had elected a Speaker
must less that they 1Cere organized. Oul
view Of this question is further strengthen
ed by the act of 1904, which obviously
contempla'es the election cf Speaker o.
each House at the beginning of each sess
ion, and requires him first to be sworn be
fore be can administer the oatbs of Tho
newly elected members. 1t has been lef
for the Republican Senator'S of 1864 tt
igno re the Constitution, to defy precedent
and 10 attempt to destroy the very founda
tions Of law and order.
This disposes of their first ground of de
fence. We will now probe the second rea
son assigned for their revolutionary con
duct.
WHO'S accountable for the absence o
Major White, or rather, who is TO blam
} that his seat was not filed on the frs
day we met !
4 1t is alleged that Major White resigned
bis seat in this Senate, that resignation
having been received by his father, Judg
White, about the middle of November
1868. Ii is 10 be assumed (the under
signed reserving their individual opinion
f thereon that the resignation was genuine
. since in iurtherance and in support OF III
c surpation inaugurated in January, a
e election was ordered thereon by the Speal
If er de fGc'o of the Senate, and new mem
e Der elected and sworn. Assuming it to b
,fl IA (; Ia Il -