The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1881-10-15


stood here ready to do their duty.
Mr.. Garland Ark declined to make any
reply TO the intimation that the Democratic
Senators had some Interior object in view.
They believed that they were acting lawfully,
and had no apologies to make to the Senator
from Vermont, or any other person or body
of persons. If they make a mistake, It was
a mistake which they would regret. What
was the Senate here for to day. What was
the purpose of calling this body together
The only object, so far as the country knew
was to place some one between this Govern
ment and possible anarchy in case OF the death
or taking away by any means OF the present
President of the United States; hence It was
a biOb duty and great duty, which preceded
all others IN Importance, to eject at once
President pro ten.
Mr.. Edmunds contended that il was com
petent for the Senate 10 do to-day what Il had
done in 1858, when the oaihs OF office we're
administered by Senator not the presiding
officer. To be sure, then the prize tlt the va
cancy could be called prize which was one
in the lottery of ASSASSINATION was not the
conditional power in a contingency TO admin
ister the oath Of Office Of President OF the
United States. Il was merely prize Of hon
orable mention. The Senator IRON Arkansas
tMr. Garlaudj had admitted that It was con-
petent for the Senate to admit the Senators
elect before the election Of q presiding oth
Ger. But the Senator had also stated that the
Democrats would not permit that course 20 De
followed, because If the Senators were nov
sworn in a question Of great importance Nigh:
be decided differently from what It might De
II they we're excluded.
Mr.. Edmunds' amendment vas then reject +.
ed-yeAs, SO NAYS, S4-Messrs. Malone and
Davis I'm. voting with the Republicans.
Mr. Edmunds then moved 20 amend Mr.
Penaletons resolution 50 as 10 provide that
The election OF Mr.. Bayard as president pro
TEN. shall be for this day only. By agreeing
10 his amendment the Senate would come up
TO the statute and embrace u both IN letter
aud spirit. lie quoted as precedent for
his resolution similar resolution Wh'ea vas
adopted BIZ the Senate in 1884.
Mr.. Beck Ky confessed his inability to
understand Why The President pro ieun- should
be elected for this day and another election
held tomorrow. lie wanted 10 stand ~ me
law. Have President pro TEN. elected and
leave the question hereafter ia the power Of
the majority. II the receat Wee President
had followed the presidents and allowed E
President PRO ten. TO be elected 81 the last
session of the Senate, there woaid have been
nov no necessity for couyening this special
session The Democratic slds vas now iAaai
"a with seeking TO do an indecea, thing be
cause il cid not give unanimous consent 70
propositions made 10 eontTaycntun Of The law
Of the land.
Mr. Eauands desired TO know on what
grounds three Senators elect. whose ercden-
tails we're unassaiied, shoald not b. sworn IN.
He merely wished that the laE and the pre
ceden,s shoall be followed. The fruit vhieh
the Democratic party might gam by iae'F
present course wonld turn 10 ashes o. The
bitieress description. Bat that was Tor the
failure. For the present u vas his nilsson %
appeal 10 the Democrats b. The presidents Of
their party, by the spirit aud letter Of she Con
s,ituijoa, TO give New York and Rhode Is
land the right 20 raise their voices With their
sister States 10 the choice Of a presiding or
Ger. There used 60 be = saying. 20 shame
where Is thy blush - Bet be believed that
modern Shane had lost her blash, and thai i
had come 10 be the hxed purpose Of any lem
porary or accidental poWer ia this body to cx'
clade their fellows and their equals uasli they
could grasp sainnihing Whieh, e their eqasis
we're admitted, they eoald not grasp
Mr.. Morgan Ala. congratulated The Sen
a.a npon tbs exhibition this morning Of the
fact thar the senator from Vermont. after
haviRF BY his vote. frequently participated n
excluding sovereign States from voice N
The Senate, had az lasicome 20 the CONCLUSION
that Senators must be admitted whenever
their credentials were read, without al op-
portaniiy being given for Investigation or an
qairy. he argued IN favor OF the riEni o. the
Democrats 10 elect a presiding ohcer, and
said that il seemed 10 him an intrusion on the
freedom Of the will for Senators on the other
side 10 demand thai the Democrats should
weld the rover which had been placed ~ their
hands. Besides, constitutional questions bad
been urged in regard 10 the la~ial election Of
the Senators elect 10 this body. Wee the
Democrats to be blamed II they lent an ear 20
the complaints ofthe Republican party against
the Legislature Of New York;
Mr.. Beck referred TO the fact that on the
9th Of Jniy, 1858, President Taylor died and
Fillmore succeeded TO bis office, and that on
july II William 4. King had been elected
President pro tem. by the Democratic Sena'
tors.
Mr.. Edmunds inquired whether the party
which happened 10 have technical majority
had excluded three Senators in order 10 elect
King.
M. Beck denied THAI the majority, which
the Democrats had to-day, was accidental.
| IL had been brought about by the wrongful
! conduct Of the Nice.PresideRt aud the fool
/ ish conduct Of the two Senators from NeS
Q
/ daughter aud applause 10 the galleries.
Mr. Edmunds expressed himselfas not sur
/ prised at the manifestation in the gallery. Il
was in graceful keeping with the drama going
1 on. lfa Senator said that two States OF the
! Union we're nov 70 be excluded from repre-
sentation because the Vice President, IN the
1 opinion Of the Senator, had failed TO do
1 something he should have done, OF because
I some former Senators from New York had
] resigned when they ought not, IN the Sena'
/ tors opinion, TO have resigned It was nol
| strange to him that the populace should add
/ their constitutional views TO such an argu
ment.
! Mr.. Morgan then continued his argument
| in favor of the right and duty OF the Demo
cratic side 10 elect President pro ten. be
/ fore admitting the SenatOrs-eleet- The ere
! dentials Of those gentlemen had only been
read this morning. II had been animated
/ that frauds prevailed in the Legislature o.
| New York, and it had also been urged that
/ that legislature had not had the power undel
| the constitution to elect Senators at the time
| they were elected. Was the Senate TO ad-
| init without consideration members who
might turn out afterwards not TO have beer
/ duly elected?
1 Mr.. Vest, (Mo.) criticised the Language
used by Mr.. Edmunds in intlmaung that th'
| Democrats were to grasp prize madt
| possible to them by assassination. The lou
/ Inns of the assassin who had struck down the
/ President had had upon them no invocation
/ for Democratic success, but the Invocation
had been for faction of the Republican
party. If there was responsibility Tor the
/ crime, directly or indirectly, it rested upoT
| his political opponents and not with th'
| Democratic party. He charged no one Blu
the insinuation that the Democrats OF tht
country had anything but tear for the dead
| President, sorrow for his family and execra
ton to the miserable assassin be declared (
be absolutely false. He eontended that il
was the duty of the Democratic Senators t
| elect President pro tenn, and recalled tn
phrase so often quoted at the last session o.
| the Senate, that ''the voice of the Constitu
ton is the voice of God" The constitutions
majority to-day happened to be on the Demo
cratic side, and of course, in the opinion 0
his Republican friends, its voice was searcel.
a divine utterance.
Mr.. Edmunds' amendment was then re
jected-yeas, 49,; nays, "a.
Mr.. Edmunds-The edict having beer
registered lin some other place, | fear) tina
these two States shall go unrepresented thu
| morning and that the Senate by its presen
majority will proceed to elect Presiden
pro tenn, it is my next duty to move to strlk
4 out the name of Thomas +. Bayard and IN
sert that of Henry B. Anthony.
This motion was at once reJeeted-yeas
80; nays, 81. Malone voted with the Re
publieans; Senator Davis did not vote.