New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-11-06
mar orr or THE UNION.

We wonder if the Senators who are taking
things easily at Washington, sitting an hour
or so n day, and comfortably killing time
while waiting for the House 20 send them an
appropriation bill, ever read Section Of Ar
tclc Of the Constitution of the United States
That article says: " The Senate Of the United
" States shall be composed OF two Senators
" from each State, chosen by the Legislature
thereof for six years; and each Senator
"shall have one vote.' Now, in point Of
fact, the present Senate is not thus composed
The State of South Carolina has only one Sen
ator and the State Of Louisiana none at all.
1t would seem as if this condition of things
would trouble the members Of the body, and
that they would make haste to fill the empty
seats, lest a question should be raised as to
whether they are a valid Senate, within the
meaning of the Constitution. They do not seem
to be at all worried however. In secure pos
session Of their own salaries and easy chairs,
they are waiting until a dilatory committee
shall tell them what they had better do about
the vacancies. The committee, meanwhile, in
stead of deciding at once on the questions OF
priua facc right, is going into the merits of
the contests, and getting on about as rapidly
as a chancery court.
Passing over the South Carolina case, let us
look for n moment at that of Louisiana. From
January, 1878, to March, 1877 the State was
allowed. by the action of the Senate, only one
Representative upon its floor, and since March
last it has been wholly excluded Thus Lou
isana is placed in the attitude of being
half out of the Union. Her people are
rcprcscntcd in the House, but the State
Itself is cut of entirely from direct re-
lations with the General Government;
for it is only in tie Senate that State, rs an
organization, participates in the affairs OF
the Government. Louisiana has TO voice
in the confirmation of Federal appointments,
and none in the ratification of treaties, and
she has only half her rigltful voice in the
levying of taxes, the voting Of appropriations,
and the general legislation Of Congress. 1t
Will, perhaps, be said that She is herself to
blame. and that she owes her exclusion from
the Senate to her violent internal dissensions,
and her fondncss for revolutionary proceed
ings. But profound peace now prevails within
all her borders, and her government has, since
March last, been complete and stable in all It's
departments. Her right 10 two seats in the
Senate is as absolute as that of the State of
Ncw-York. For the seat now four years
vacant, but one applicant appears Mr.
j. b. Eustis His election, although by
an undsputed Legislature, was irreSu-
lar, because the Senate had not at
the time formally rejected Mr.. Pinchbach's
claim, and his credentials are not in due form,
wanting, as they do, a certificate which Mr..
Kellogg, then Governor, refused TO give. II
he is entitled to admission on the credentials
he presents he should be admitted at once,
and if not, the Senate should say so without a
DAYS delay, so that the Governor Of Louisiana
can name some one to occupy the seat until
the Legislature meets. Instead of taking this
course, the Senate sends Mr.. Eustis to the
Committee of Privileges and Elections, and
that committee tells him that he must wait
until the more reccntly-arising contest for the
other seat is disposed Of
Now in that contest the question for the
committee is whether Mr. Kellogg or Mr.. Spot
ford has the better prima faclo night, on the
credentials presented and on the known facts
concerning their conflicting claims. This Ques-
ton could be decided in two days ms well "a
in two months The decision ought to have |
been made long ago and reported 10 the SEN !
ate, and one or the other contestant should |
have been seated pending the final determi- |
nation of the merits of the contest. Every day |
that the Senate meets with the State of LOusi- |
ana uureprescntcd, the spirit Of the Consttu- |
ton is disregarded.