Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1880-11-24
Ex-Presidents as Life Senators.
INTERVIEW WITH SENATOR BLArxE on THE
PROPOSITION TO MAKE Ex-PREsIpExrs
Senator's FOR LIFE.

AUGUSTA. Me-, Nov. 20, 1880.
Your reporter met Senator Blaine to-day
and in the course of . long conversation on
public topics we fell on to the recent PROPOSE
ton to make ex-Presidents members Of the
Senate tor life. The following is given as a
substantial outline of the talk on that point.
and as Senator Blaine neither authorized its
publication nor objected to it, take the re-
sponsibility of printing it and vouch for its
correctness. give only the substance of the
conversation and omit many Of the questions
which called forth the Senator'S answers.
II think" said Senator Blaine, THAT those
who are urging this innovation have not care
fully examined the Constitution of the United
States in its letter and spirit. If you will
look at the clause defining the mode Of
amending that instrument you will find
very remarkable exception made to the
power Of amendment. II is specially pro-
vded that mo State without its consent shall
ever be deprived of its equal suffrage in the
Senate This, you remember, was the
guarantee OF equality required by the
smaller States as a condition precedent to en-
tering the Union. On every other subject
three fourths of the States can amend the
Constitution, but equality in the Senate can
not be changed except by unanimous con-
sent.
IL know" continued Senator Blaine, sit
NAV be commended that ex-Presidents as Sen
ators at large would be held to represent one
| State as much as another, and therefore
there would be no Interference with equal
suffrage in the Senate But that would be a
mere theory In practice and in fact the ex-
President would be third Senator from his
own State.
A man is not freed from the ordinary in
huences that govern human nature by being
made President. John Quincy Adams was
as much Massachusetts Representative dur
ing all the years he served in the House
from 1881 to 1913 as any other man from the
State; and John Tyler, when he came to the
National Peace Congress in 1861, was as in
tensely Virginian in his sentiments as any
delegate present. Andrew johnson re-en-
tered the Senate in 1885, after he was Presi-
dent, just as thorough partisan as he was
before he was President.
At this point your reporter suggested that
at any one time there would be but few ex-
Presidents, and from advanced years each
one would remain probably but a brief
period.
but you forget" said the Senator, 'the
plain facts of history. Virginia had three
cx-Prcsidents living at one time. She would
not have had, under the provision suggested,
| less than three Senators at any time between
Jefiersen's retirement in March, 1909, and
Madison's death in June, 1886. During if
teen years of that period she would have had
four Senators, and for nearly year and a
half FIVE Senators"
| But ventured to suggest that the old Vir-
gnia rule of Presidents presented an excep-
ton not likely to be repeated.
"But look at New York." said Mr.. Blaine,
4.
left the Presidency in March, lS4l. He
died in July, 1862. Meanwhile Mr.. Fill
more's term closed in 1858, and he lived till
change New York would have had three
Senators continuously for thirty-three years,
and for more than nine years of that period
she would have had four Senator'S"
| After some immaterial questions at this
point, Mr.. Blaine resumed: "Virginia of
course presents the strongest case" said he,
''for the life of John Tyler as ex-President
is to be given in addition to those l have
cited. Mr.. Tyler died in the winter of 1862,
nearly seventeen years after he left the White
House. 1t would be curious" continued
Mr.. Blaine, ''to sum up the extra years of
Senatorship which Virginia would have en-
joyed had this provision been originally in
serted in the Constitution. Washington,
jefferson, Madison, Monroe and Tyler, alto
gether, would have given more than sixty
two years, equivalent to third Senator from
Virginia for two-thirds Of the lifetime of the
Federal Government
''But no other State" / suggested, 'pre-
sents such an extreme case as Virginia
mot so extreme, indeed" replied Mr..
Blaine, 'but still the case of Massachusetts,
is remarkable, for she would have had a
third Senator from March, 1901, when the
term of the elder Adams closed. till the death
Of John Quincy Adams in February, 1913,
with the exception of two years and eight
months
"Then you think, Senator, that the pro-
posed amendment would violate the provis-
ion of the Constitution guaranteeing equal
suffrage to all the States in the Senate"
"Most assuredly do" replied Mr.. Blaine.
"That guarantee is perpetual in its terms and
it is not to be tempered with or meddled with
in any way whatever. You might just as
tuition by vote of less than three-fourths of
the States as to change this part
without the consent Of every State.
Equal suffrage in the Senate may be
destroyed without reducing the exist
ing number Of Senators to each State, and
just rs effectually. Take two States, Virgin
ia and Pennsylvania, for instance, each with
two Senators. Their equality is as complete
ly destroyed BY adding a third Senator to
Virginia as by taking one from Pennsylvania
In the one case it would be three against
two. In the other two against one. Equality
is destroyed in either case. The difference
is only in degree"
'.Well, could this amendment be made by
every State consentiug?" asked.
"Oh, of course. As We used to say in the
House of Representatives, unanimous con-
| sent can do anything. And the Constitution
itself implies that it may be done with every
State consenting."
"Do you think il possible to get the assent
Of every State?"
by no MEANS" replied the Senator. 'sI
should be surprised if the assent of even one
State could be secured, because, although
immediate advantage might accrue to q par
ticular State, no one could tell where it
might hit in twenty or twenty Ave years. If
the. amendment were adopted this winter,
Illinois and Ohio would each have three Sen
ators at the opening of President Garfeld's
administration. Gen. Grant and President
Hayes are both under sixty and have many
years of life before them. as We all hope. At
the end of Garfeld's term of service, wheth-
er it be four years or eight years, Ohio would
have four Senators on the floor, and perhaps
the two at large would be as young - the
- L. Al CA-A