The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1881-12-07

Defines lis Position aud Gives the Why's
and Wh0FeT0Fes.


and Wh0FeT0Fes.
WASHINGTON, December Gin the Sen.
ate to-day, when Senator Edmunds called
up his resolution providing for the contin.
uance Of the committees as they existed at
the last session, President pro TEN, Davis,
who temporarily occupied his former seat
on the floor, having vacated the chair to
Senator Harris, said. Mr. President:
The solemn event which excited the sym.
pathy OF the civilized world recently, has
brought about an unexpected change in
the Presidency. The Forty.seyenth Con-
gress now meets under the constitutional
successor to the President who was only
inaugunted last March, and who was
stricken down in the maturity Of his man.
hood, after but four short months expert.
ence in the Executive chair.
These stern facts are full OF adm0nition,
They teach us how irIil are human hopes,
aud how trdnsitoTy is human power In the
presence OF sad instruction, ambition
may well pause, and all Of Us may well
"
too much Of our lives is devoted,
Great as was the bereavement which
spread sorrow over the land and which
touched the heart Of every tireside 1t WIS
sanCtihpd by the consolation that the peO-
pie Of all sections were brought nearer
together by common grief, and thus
came to the understanding each other
better through kindred emotions. The
asperities that had long established
them we're soitened and violence Of faction
was Chastenet by atElction.
Although President Arthur represents
the party that elected General Garfield,
his personal position is necessarily delicate
and trying. He is entitled, by his whole
bearing through this critical ordeal, the
generous CountenancG OF Senators. pro-
pose to extend to his administration can.
did treatment, sustaining it when right and
opposing II when wrong, on all public
questions. Holding to this purpose and in
tending to insist on pure, economical
ana lust administration of the executive
trust, the new President ought to be aided
by all proper Legislative cooperation in
carrying out the general policy he may
propose to the country whatever that poll.
Cy in future may be, he is entitled TO a
fair trial and patient hearing.
With this view OF my duty | shall vote
willingly to continue the committees in this
body rs they are now constituted. It l.
best that the party which has the Presi
dent and House OF representatives should
be held answerable for all public measures,
then there will be no divided response
bility. II the opposition are wise they will
accept this conclusion.
At the special session in March they
made but brief nnd feeble stand against
the organization OF the committees which
shape the great Legislation Of the country
Indeed, they almost conceded that import
ant point to their adversaries. But In the
protracted contest forotiicers OF the Senate
under the same political conditions, my
Democratic friends yielded no ground from
the beginning to the end OF It Doubles.
they had satisfactory reasons for thiscourst
Uf policy.
Last spring took occasion to state the
reasons why my vote should be given foI
the then existing organization of the Sen
ate, although the circumstances have Inn.
terinlly changed since that time. The OBJ
| lirntion which VOLUNTARILY assumed hHs
not been altered, hence | adhere to that
declaration always, reserving to myself the
right Of rejecting offensive candidates.
| am greatly encouraged in this de-.
cisiUu by the course OF my dis.
tinRuished friend from Vermont = EN-.
inent rs n leader OF his party, rs he Is also
eminent for public and private worth. Up.
IN his motion the present chief clerk, dis
tinctly appointed asa Democrat, was inati.
imously made acting Secretary. That
graceful deed Is cheering sign which
| Il affords me pleasure to applaud
publicly, because this Is the first place
where an example should he set against
common scrambling for office that dis.
figures our political life. The country was
almost evenly divided between the two
grtnt parties at the Presidential election.
The majority in the House Of Represen.
tatiyps ia small and in this chamber the
Republicans and Democrats cannot route
each other with like numbers. The com
mittpps are now held by one party and the
offices Of the Senate are held by the Other
party, From my standpoint II would be
nnwise tn disturb this condition Of things
and | do not propose to engage In any
struggle looking that object.
As our politics are organized, the publit
man who sleeps outside Of the pnriy line.
is always exposed to, harsh criticism, nj
matter how proper his motives may be
Machinery enforces rigid discipline ant
lei ounces revolt ns treason.
For the last ten vears NV political posi-
ton has been entirely independent Of any
organization have accepted the goo,
wherever it was found, and | have vntct
for the best men whether they were ellleI
Republicans or Democrats.
The day Is sdmwing near when shall re
tire from this chamber. My only ambi
tinn while here is to be instrumental II
bringing about perfect peace between tn
North and South as the best means OF pro
noting a permanent prosperity to th
whole Union,