Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1879-11-13
SENATOR CARPENTER ON THE
PRESIDENTIAL QUESTION.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 1.-THE Republican
will print tomorrow an interview with Sena-
tor Carpenter, expressing belief that the
democrats intend to unseat Senator Kellogg
of Louisiana, but that they will delay it for
year so as not to be affected by it in the
Presidential election. In speaking Of the
selection of II republican candidate, whom he
thinks will be General Grant, and of the sub
sequent electoral count, he says: 81 might
as well go on with the prediction that have
often made of late. 1t is that the democrats
will protest against the count of the electoral
votes of some one or more of the republican
States, when the two houses meet in joint
convention for that duty in February, 1881.
They will base their protest upon what they
will allege to have been an unconstitutional
exercise of the federal power in the execu-
ton of the national election laws. They
may take California for this purpose, or New
York or Pennsylvania, or any State wherein
the slightest pretence, real or manufactured
for the express object, may be furnished.
Then the two houses will separate, and one
or both will sustain the protest. The vote
of that State will be thrown out, and 1t will
be declared that there was no election, and
the House will assume to elect the President
The preliminary arrangements for that emer-
gency will be made in the House the same as
ate by unseating Mr.. Kellogg so that the
democratic nominee for President will be
elected under the form and color of law.
One step has been already taken in that di-
rection by the unseating Of Bisbee of Florida
and the seating of Hull in his place. This
gives the vote of Florida, on vote by States,
to the democrats, so that the House now
stands on such a vote nineteen democratic
States to nineteen republican States, count
ing the Indiana greenback member with the
opposition. But in that far-of December
session, when the Kellogg case will probably
be acted upon, and when all such action will
be no longer influential upon any coming
elections, they may unseat Orth Of Indiana
or some other republican. The decision Of
the contests in these cases adversely to the
present occupants would give their seats to
the democratic contestants and insure q DEM
ocratic majority by States in the House.
These predictions may be realized. l don't
say they will be, but they may be, and in
view of that possibility it is the part Of wis
dom to take them into careful consideration
now. Forewarned is forearmed. One rea-
son why believe these things may all occur
is the knowledge the democrats have, the
same as we have, that the next census will
materially alter the relative sectional strength
of the two parties as represented in the house,
conceding, of course. that the parties are
sectional, as they really are, and as they are
likely to continue to be for some time to
come. This alteration or change, according
to the best information can get. will be IA
vorable to the republicans. These facts stare
our democ attic brethren full in the face.
They CLEAN from them The certainty that UNI
less they inaugurate their next candidate
they will be relocated to the minority in every
branch of the government, for they will not
be able to Withstand the pressure soon to be
brought to bear for the admission of WASH
ington Territory as a State, and perhaps Da-
kota, the contamination of which events
would make the Senate republican beyond
doubt or cavil. They may attempt to save
themselves in the Senate and by imposing an
unelected President upon the country. 1t
will require the promptings of desperation
itself to induce them to adopt these measures,
but they are rapidly becoming desperate
enough to attempt them. And these are the
reasons why believe they may exert every
possible method to retain their majority in
the Senate. That majority gone, they will,
as have said, lose their fOothold in every
branch of the government To keep that
foothold they must necessarily unseat Mr..
Kellogg and admit Mr.. Spofford or some other
democrat from Louisiana. There is another
contingency to be considered. Suppose now
the preliminary arrangements l spoke of for
a Presidential election by the House should
fail, there is another chance for them so long
as they hold control of the Senate. In the
event Of failure to elect by the House the
presiding officer of the Senate becomes Pres
ident ca o6fcio. Even if the House is tie,
as it may be and will be if the those prelimi-
nary arrangements are not carried out, pro-
tests against count of the electoral votes
might be debated, continued and delayed, and
other devices might be resorted to until the
term of the present administration expires.
Then the Senate would choose President
pro tenn, who would become President Of the
United States. er c6icio, until a new election
should be ordered.