National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1881-04-14
The Revolt in the Senate.

at0rS, who are now obStructing all business
in the Senate, win have seats in that
body: Pugh of Alabama, Walker of Ar
kansas, Bayard of Delaware, Jones and
Call of Florida, Brown of Georgia, Voor-
hees of Indiana, Williams of Kentucky,
Jonas of Louisiana, Groome and German
of Maryland, George of Mississippi, Vest
and Cockrell of Missouri, Vance of North
Carolina, Slater of Oregon, Hampton of
South Carolina, Jackson of Tennessee,
Maxey of Texas, and Camden of
West Virginia. Here are twenty If
the Republicans carry every senatorial
election next year these will be left, as
none of their terms expire until 1885 or
1887. Twenty Senators are just enough
to dissolve the Government, and four to
spare. Enough-that is to say, if the
majority must wait upon "one-fifth OF
the Senators present indefinitely to call
the roll of ayes and noes on dilatory and
frivolous motions. If the Senate has no
power to conclude a debate or to put
stop to dilatory motions, then for four
years no law can be passed except at the
pleasure of the twenty Senators named.
They can present the conditions on which
during the next four years the ordinary
appropriations shall be made.
If there is no parliamentary mode of
carrying on parliamentary business, if
we really are at the mercy of q despotiSm
Of ol,e.tTth of the Senate, the sooner we
bend to the yoke the better. Let us not
fight the inevitable. The twenty Sena-
tors we have named will not require the
attendance of either House to witness
their deliberations. Let them formulate
their decrees.4 Let us know our fate.
How far back must the clock be turned?
They are our masters. What simplicity
in the form of government! All our
complex machinery is stopped if the
twenty Senators SO ordain. Nothing can
become a law except in the very words
they choose. They may, therefore, as
well originate all measures as to alter
them over to their liking before allow
ing them to pass. Is this not true?
No; it is not true 1t would be if a
minority, however strong, could take off
all limits upon its power of obstruction.
But, however difficult it may be to devise
a remedy, the Government will never be
allowed to go to pieces at the demand of
a minority. A great people like ours will
be Nation despite all obstacles. The
fell spirit of discord, fiercely battling to
maintain power against numbers and
against law, will be silenced. The next
four years will not be spent in supplica-
ton to Hill and Brown of Georgia, Call
of Florida, Jonas of Louisiana, and their
associates to allow the Senate to 90 on
with its business. Nor will the next two
years be spent in begging the larger
minority to allow General Malone to vote
as he pleases. The deadlock will educate
the people after time. They are already
murmuring. They are not complaining
because the majority does not yield to the
minority. They know the right and
they hate the wrong. They are strong
enough to break in pieces the enemies of
majority rule They will be assembling
in their cities and towns to cry out
against the conduct of the minority in
the Senate. They will look to wise and
able Senators to find way out of the
deadlock without the consent of the
minority. Of course the way can, and
will, and must be found. sooner or later.
Time enough! No strong measures until
the strong and mighty people shall speak
to the Senators of both sides. Perhaps
the minority will obey then. They know
their voices of old. If they do not obey,
then they will be overruled.
The Constitution provides that upon
the demand of one-fifth of all the mem
bers present for the ayes and noes on any
question they shall be entered on the
journal in either House of Congress. But
the Constitution does not provide that the
entry of the ayes and noes on any ques-
ton shall be indefinitely prevented by
frivolous calls for the ayes and noes On
motions involving no question. The time
may come when the rights of the majority
may transcend in public importance the
caprice and childish willfulness ofthe mi
nority. The Republican navigators will
carry the ship of state over the shallow
bar of the one-fifth despotism, with all the
cargo of rulesand technicalities on board,
if possible; but whenever the ship can
only be saved by lighting it, it will not
be the will of the constitutional majority
which will go overheard.