Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-10-08
The Presidency of the Senate.

EQtt0F morning 0etcs- NOul0 IL DC
right for the Democratic Senators to
compromise with the Republicans in
such manner as to elect a Republican
President pro tempOre The suggestion
appears in Northern and Western jour
mails as an easy resolution Of the extra
session. But would 1t be just to the
Democratic States2 Senators do not sit
in Congress as popular representatives,
but as the delegates of independent
States, and as such are they not bound
to respect the political attitude of their
States in relation to national politics
The question does not include ''the
vexed right of instruction" claimed by
some statesmen as attendant upon
a change of a political majority
in State, for there has
been no change. The Democratic States
are to day as at the election in Novem-
Der last. and Providence having unex-
pectedly opened the way for another
expression Of political opinion, are they
not hOnOrably entitled to re assert their
former views; and are not the represent
atives of their political organization,
acting as ambassadors in q certain sense,
bound to represent the expressed views
Of their States, and not TO act upon their
individual judgments2 Can the Repub
licans fairly object to this position, and
if they filibuster against it, and so delay
and hinder public business, are they not
Justly cOndemnable by the people Of the
United Statesl
The law of March 1. 1892, says, sec
ton 9: That in case Of a removal,
death, resignation, or inability both of
the President and Vice President Of the
United States, the President of the Sen
ate pro tenD0re, and in case there shall
be no President Of the Senate, then the
Speaker of the House of Representatives
for the time being shall act as President
of the United States, until the disability
be removed, or a President shall be
elected.
And the 10th section says: That
whenever the offices of President and
Vice President shall both become va
cant, the Secretary of State shall forth
with cause a notification thereof to be
made to the Executive Of every State,
and shall also cause the same to be pub
lished in at least one of the newspapers
printed in each State, specifying that
electors of the President of the
United States shall be ap-
pointed or chosen in the several States
within thirty-fOur days preceding the
first Wednesday in December then
next ensuing: ProCided, There shall be
the space Of two months between the
date Of such notification and the said
first Wednesday in December; but if
there shall not be the space Of two
months between the date of such Motif
cation and the first Wednesday in De-
cember, ana if the term for which the
President and Vice President last in Of
fee were elected shall not expire on the
third day of March next ensuing,
then the Secretary of State shall
specify in the notification that the cleo
tors shall be appointed or chosen within
thirty-fOur days preceding the first We'd
nesday in December, in the year next en-
suing, within which time the electors
shall accordingly be appointed or chosen,
and the electors shall meet and give their
votes on the said first Wednesday in De
cember, and the proceedings and duties
of the said electors and others shall be
pursuant to the directions prescribed in
this act"
In this law the intention of the Con
stitution is clearly expressed, that the
President pro tempOre of the Senate shall,
in the events stated, &C. temporarily as
President Of the United States until an
election for a President shall be held
as prescribed and it is noteworthy,
that the Secretary of State for
this purpose certifes the facts to
the Governors of the States mot by
proclamation to the people, and notifies
the people by publications in the news
papers The significance of the language
Of these two sections is marked. The
President pro tempOre is, after al. sc see,
but a l0cum tenens to run the Irachine
until a regular engineer can be
appointed. Why, then, so much
subtle discussion by the Republicans of
the Senate's organization on Monday
next? As representatives of Democratic
States the Democratic Senators must
cast their votes in accordance with the
political character of their States, and,
IL Il ANAul uiAl UE RALoCLts anu my AiN IL
the majority, they have the constitu-
tiOnal ard moral right to claim the cleo
ton Of their man, who is nothing more
than thepresiding officer of the Senate. IN
less there shall be vacancies in the offices
of Pre- sident aud Vice President, when be
will act as President of the United
States for few months only, until the
States can appoint or choose, by their
electors, a regular President to fill the
unexpired term.
Why, then, should the Republicans
filibuster against SO plain a constitu-
tiOnal right, except for the unworthy
purpose of continuing an unpatrioiic
partisanship2 Is it that they are afraid
Of the national harmony brought about
by the sufferings and death of the late
President Garfield, seeing in it the de-
structiOn of their sectional politics and
consequent dissolution of their anti
national party? Whatever the reason, if
the business of the extra session be
blocked by Republican manGuvres to
defeat a legitimate majority, they will
stand before the country blamable and
unworthy of further popular confidence.
Fair play is jewel, and all that the
Democratic Senators and people ask for
is, that the jewel shall be preserved.
DEMOCRAT OF THE OLD SCHOOL.