Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1881-10-11
President Pro Tenn. Rejected
by One Majority.
Davis and Malone Vote With
the Republicans.
Senator Bayard Elected
President Pro Tenn.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 10.
SENATE.

the Senate was witnessed by large number
of persons who as early as III O'Clock, filled
the galleries.
The desk formerly occupied by Burnside
last year, was draped in black, while several
bouquets ornamented the desks of prominent
senators. Senators-elect Aldrich, Lapham
aud Miller occupied seats on the floor on the
republican side.
The Senate was called to order BY Harris,
who, after prayer by Chaplain Bullock, who
alluded in feeling manner to the deaths of
President Garfield, Senator Burnside and
Secretary Burch, said II have been request
ed by number of Senators on both sides of
the Chamber to call the Senate to order. If
there be no objection will call the Senate
to order, that we may proceed with its bust
ness The Senate will please come to order,
and the clerk will report to the Senate the
message of the President converting the ses-
SION
President Arthur sent the following mes
sage to the Senate:
Coffee OF PRESIDENT OF THE L. S.
October 10th.
To the United States Senate.
l transmit herewith a copy of the
Proclamation for converting of extraordinary
session of the Senate of the United States at
the Capitol in Washington, on the 10th day
of October. inst, at noon.
(Signed) CHESTER A. ARHUR.
(EIere follows proclamation published
September l2th.)
The Presidents proclamation having been
read, Mr.. Pendleton moved the adoption of
the following resolution THAT Thomas +.
Bayare, Senator from Delaware. is hereby
chosen President pro tenn of the Senate"
Edmunds said that OF course he did not
object to the present consideration of the
resolution, but that he thought under exist
ing circumstances, it was his duty to present
the credentials of Senators elect, which he
thereupon did The credentials having been
read Edmunds moved that the oath be ad-
ministered to those gentlemen bv Senator
Anthony, senior Senator.
Pendleton moved to lay the motion on the
table, carried-yeas SO, nays "a. Davis of
Illinois, voted with the republicans, Malone
did not vote, and Plat and Fair were
paired.
Edmunds said no reason had been given
why the senators elect should not be allowed
to take part in the organization of the Senate +,
and he therefore moved to amend Pendleton's
resolution by providing for the immediate
qualification of the Senators-elect, and that
the oath of office be administered by Senator
Anthony.
''No reason, he continued, has been given
for this attempt to exclude two states from
any voice in the organization of the Senate,
| so he would take the liberty to state the rea-
| sons himself. The Senate had not under the
| extraordinary circumstances occasioned by
events, the consequence of which might have
| put it within the legal technical power of a
| bare majority of the states. conditonallv to
provide for Presidential succession, and to
| provide for it, when if their sister states were
| provided, different provisions might be made
| To provide for it now was to exclude the
chosen representatives of two states, who
stood here ready to do duty. 1t has been
| said by the newspapers that the laws of Con-
| gress required the oath of office. to Senators
elect, to be administered by the President of
the Senate He contended. however, that
when just exigency arose this body was en-
titled to receive members in time to vote on
| the first question which might arise. Well
| as last, why should not the oath be admins
| tered now to the Senators? Did the statutes
forbid it? He denied it. Was it contrary to
| precedent? He denied it. He believed if
there was not some question dlterior to this
one of electing the presiding officer, there
was not single Senator who would vote
mo" upon his proposition. Garland declined
to make any reply to the intimation that dem
ocratic Senators had some Interior
| object in view. What was the Senate here for
today? The only object was to please some
| one between the government and possible
|
| archery in the case of death or taking away
by any means OF the present President of the
| United States Hence it was the high, DUTY.
| which preceded all others in importance. to
elect at once President pro tenn 1t ranked
| the question of swearing in the Senate. 1t
| ranked all other questions the democratic
| side proposed. Decently and in order and ac-
cording to law to fill the possible gap at the
| earliest possible moment. Edmunds con-
tended it was competent for the Senate to do
| today what it had done in 1855. when the
| oaths of office were administered By 4 senator
not presiding officer, to be sure then the
| prize. if that vacancy could be called prize.
| which was won in the lottery of assassina-
ton was not conditional power in conting-
| ency to administer the Office of President of
the United States. 1t was merely prize
of honorable mention. The senator from
| Arkansas (Garland) had admitted twas COM
| petent for the Senate to admit a senator
| elect before the election of the presiding Of
| ticer, but the senator also stated that the
democrats would not admit that course to be
followed, because If senators were now sworn
IN question of great Importance might be
decided differently from what i, might
be if they were excluded.
The amendment offered by Eimunds TO
Pendieton's resolution, gave rise to short
discussion, but was finally rejected-yeas So,
nay dIu laws voting with the
republicans. tEtE s 0Ilf
Edmunds then proposed an amendment
providing that Thomas r. Bayard be elected
presiding officer for this day only. and argued
in support of the amendment. contendpe
that it would comply with the letter and
spirit of the law, and would allow the States
Of New York and Rhode Island to have a
vote in the election of permanent President
pro tenn He quoted as precedent for his
resolution similar resolution adopted by
the Senate in 1854.
The amendment was discussed by Edmunds
and Morgan
The yea and nay vote on Edmunds' amend
ment, resulted it its defeat. by 80 to "a.
Mr.. Beck said it was his inability to under.
stand why the President pro tern should be
elected for this day and another election
held tomorrow. He wanted to stand by the
law and have the President pro TEN elected
and leave the question hereafter in the power
OF the majority. II the recent Vice Presi-
dent had followed his predecessors and al.
lowed the President pro tenn to be elected
= the last session Of the Senate, there would
nave been now no necessity for -copveninR