The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1881-04-26

"
Avery prominent Democrat Who has riyen
cloee attention 10 the Senatorial deadlock Lays
down the following thirteen propositions as. in
his jndgment, governing The case. He studied
the grounds Of the dispute carefully and intelli-
gently, and the thirteen points which he presents
deserve attention, not only for the strength with
which they are presented, but also because they
represent, in forcible way, the grounds upon
which the Democratic Senators justify their
course The following aie the thirteen PROPOSE
tons:
First. A party cannot be considered TO have
majority in legislative body when it 10 unable
10 take single step or adopt single motion I'M
less some one Of the alleged minority will aid il
by voting, and thus.making the desired and nee
essary quorum.
Second The Republicans in The Senate. with.
out Malone added, have just one-half the Sen
ate. Unless some member of the Democratic
half lends his aid the Republican Senators, plus
Malone, cannot command quorum, and can do
no business of any name or nature except adj
| journ.
Third. The vote of The Vice President cannot
| be made available until the Democrats shall be
obliging enough TO create the tie, which he will
then be able 10 unloose. OF original power the
| Vice President has not one particle, and the Re.
| publicans are enraged because the Democrats
=
opportunity TO turn out Democratic office-holders
| who are faithfully discharging their duty
| Fourth. The Vice President has never in the
history of the government, save in q single in
stance, voted in the election of Senate officers,
| and that was in case where vacancy was to
be filed. II vacancy were to be filled to-day
| every Democratic Senator would be perfectly
willing to have the. Vice President vote if tie
should occur but the Democrats affirm. and will
to the end maintain, that the Vice Presidents vote
lal~o
accusation is made against the incumbent and
where the change is TO be made for political pur-
poses only.
| Fifth. The rule of The majority, about which
| the Republican Senators talk so loudly, is the
| " rule which they will enforce if one or more
Democratic Senators will help them to do it,
| Sixth. The Republicans are irritated because
the Democrats will not lend their aid TO the con-
Summation OF the Malone bargain by the election
OF Gorlanl and Rddeberger
! Seventh. At the opening of the session and
! for seventeen days after, the Democrats had
clear and absolute majority in the Senate, but
the Republicans interposed dilatory motions
| every time the appointment of committees was
proposed, and they had the Senate in totally
unorganized if not disorganized condition until
! the vacant seats were filled and the trade with
! Malone completed.
| Eighth. When the Republicans got ready to
| appoint committees the Democratic Senators in
| ierposed no objections because committees were
essential TO the proper organization of the body,
/ and they submitted quietly TO having all the
| chairmanships taken from them and transferred TO
/ the Republicans, although they never ought 10
| have done this and they set an evil precedent
| in allowing it, which must be corrected at the
| very first opportunity
! Ninth But when it is proposed to take another
| and needless aggressive STEP one entirely need
| less. except 10 give Malone his pay and turn out
/ two excellent and acceptable officers simply be-
! cause tEcy are Democrats, the Democratic Sen
! atOrs say No, you shall not do it, and we will
! stop you by precisely the same means you en-
! ployed for seventeen days to stop lis from organ
! izing the committees"
| Tenth Whenever the Republicans shall have
a majority, even Of one in the senate, no Dem
ocrat will interpose single diatory motion
| against the election of new officers; but so long
| as The Republican Senators united with Malone
| have only one-half Of Tie Senate and the Demo
! Gratis have the other hall, the Democrats will not
| aid, directly or indirectly, in turning out Demo-
| cratic officers
| Eleventh. The Republican Senators may make
| up their minds that neither at this session nor at
! the next session will they be able TO turn Messrs
| Birch and Bright out of Office unless by some
| means they first acquire majority Of the Sen
| ate.
| Twelfth. One word more When committees
1 are to be appointed next December, if the Sen.
| ate continues evenly divided as now, fair warn
| ing is given to The Republican Senators that the
| Democratic Senators will insist a fair and
! equitable division Of The committees and chair
/ manships- There are thirty-eight Senators on
| each side of the chamber, and common fairness
| demands an equal partition of the committees.
| Thirteenth. For The Republican Senators 10
| demand all the committees and all their chair
mansbips by the casting vote of the Vice Presi
| dent is simply 10 empower The Vice President 10
/ appoint the committees. That has never been
| consented 10 until this session, when, for the
sake OF peace, the Democrats permitted it, 1t
| viii never be permitted again, and due and
| fair warning is now given to that effect
| Ii IS held by Democratic Senators that these
! propositions present their case in the clearest
manner and entirely justify, TO any one but even
slightly familiar with the rules OF legislative pro-
| ceedngs, the course they have adopted and which
they persist in.