New-York tribune., 1881-08-31
ously whether some part of the bonds recently
extended at the option of the Government may
not be proftably called in and paid
POSSIBILITIES IN THE SENATE.

POSSIBILITIES IN THE SENATE.
Since the President has been lying in peril
the peculiar position of the Government in
case OF his death has been discussed continu-
ally. Much of the discussion has been con-
Quoted by persons who cannot be thought to
have the right to speak for any party. While
the cheap partisans have made haste to mani
fest their unscrupuous ZEAL not many of the
more thoughtful and influential leaders of
opinion have had much to say 1t is to the
credit of a few of the ablest Democrats. how
ever, that they have expressed a desire
to act the part of patriots rather than
of partisans, in this emergency, and
two have stated that Democratic votes
in the Senate would be cast for the cleo
ton of some Republican of high character as
President pro TEN. if Vice-P President Arthur
should be removed from that body by new du-
ties. 1t is scarcely creditable to the Democratic
party that such a suggestion FROM any of its
| leaders should be received with general sur
prise. For the people declared their will, by
the election of President Garfield and
Vice-President Arthur that the Executive
power should remain for another term in Re-
publican hands. Any attempt to take such an
advantage of an assassination that the death of
one other officer, now the Vice President, might
would be strongly resented by the people, and
with reason.
Had a Democratic President of the Senate
been elected before the assassination, the pos
sible transfer of power would be viewed very
differently. But the Senate, also chosen bv
the will of the people, was so closely divided
that the course of Senator Malone left the
Democrats without power to elect. In this pc
culiar emergency, when there was no President
OF the Senate nor Speaker of the House. the
| resignation of our Senators left the greatest
State IN the Union unrepresented. There can be
no doubt that the Republican majority in
the Legislature was entitled to fill, and did
lawfully fill, the two vacant seats and yet
there are Democrats of extreme and unscrupu-
lous partsanship who propose to take adj
vantage of the technical vacancies, which
have in equity been filled, in order to
snatch an Office upon which Executive power
may possibly fall. More sagacious Demo-
Gratis see that such step would be unpopu-
lar and suicidal More patriotic Democrats
realize that it would be an attempt to defeat
the will of tie people.
In the supposed contingency, General
Arthur having become President and having
died, the Executive power could only be held
for short time by the President pro tenn
The statutes provide for new election when
ever the offices of President and Vice Presi-
dent both become vacant. If the vacancy
should occur prior to October Z for instance
theelcction must occur in November of this
year; if after that date, the election would be
a year later; so that in no case could thc in
teTegnum between the death of the Vice
President and new election be more than about
thirteen months. In time so short, hampered
~ ta NIb D.. fI-.l,
to confirm any changes of officers, temporary
occupant of the Executive chair would have
scarcely any power except to stir up intense
hostility to himself and his party. A defeat of
the party obtaining power by such means
would he well-nigh inevitable Hence il would
be an act of supreme folly, ON the part of the
Democrats OF the Senate, to make any attcmpt
to elect possible temporary Executive in disrc-
gard of the public WILL AlarSc and unqucstioncd
Democratic majority would bc apt to commit
even that act of folly, but two Democratic
Senators who have ordinary shIcwdness can
make it impossible, and it seems unlikely that
there will not be found mere than two in this
instance.
The case with respect to other vacant Offices
Of the Senate is very different. There arc
some Republican Senators, at least. who will
never vote for the election of Mr.. Gorhom os
Secretary. Moreover, the Senate is So CLOSELY
divided that a compromise and division of the
offices would be n reasonable solution Rcsnect
for the will of the people does not make il
obligatory in respect to either of the minor
Offices, as it does in respect to the presi
dency OF the Senate that it should he
filled by Republican. Instead of Mr.
Gorham, it would be far better To elect
almost any honorable and capable Democrat.
II lew OF the more conservative and patri-
otlc Democratic Senators see fit to prevent fur
thcr unscemly strife about the organization of
the Senate, they will probably find Rcpubh-
cans disposed to meet them half way