Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1881-04-21

LUZ w uouiasSOo correspondent Va $50
New York Herald obtains from promi-
nent Democrat the following clear and
forcible statement Of the position OF the
Democrats in relation to the Senatorial
deadlock, in thirteen propositions.
These points deserve attention not only
for the strength with which they are
presented, but also because they repre-
sent in forcible way the grounds upon
which the Democratic Senators justify
their course. The country is beginning
quite thoroughly to comprehend the ex-
act situation, and the more fully it is
understood the more fully will the posi-
ton OF the Democrats be endorsed. We
are glad to lay this summary before our
readers and commend it to their consid-
Grafton:
First-A party cannot be considered
( !, have majority in legislative body
when il is unable to take single step
or adopt a single motion unless some
one of the alleged minority will aid 1t
by voting aud thus making the desired
and nect ssary quorum.
Second-The Republicans in the Sem
ate, with Malone added, have Just
one-hali the Senate. Unless some men,
Der of the Democratic half lends his
aid to the Republican Senators, plus
Malone, cannot command a quorum,
and can do no business Of any name or
nature except adjourn.
Third-The vote ofthe Vice President
cannot be made available until the DEM
ocrats shall be obliging enough to create
the time, which he will then be able to
unloose. OF original power the Vice
President has not one particle, and the
Republicans are enraged because the
Democrats will not so vote as to give
the Vice President an 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 instance, voted in the
election OF Senate officers, and that was
in a case where vacancy was to be
filled. IL a vacancy were to be filled to-
day, every Democratic Senator would be
perfectly willing to have the Vice Presl-
dent vote ii a tie should occur, but the
Democrats affirm and will to the en1
maintain thar the Vice Presidents vote
shall not be used TO create vacancy
where no accusation is made against the
incumbent, and where the change is to
be made for political purposes only. .
Fiith-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 10 do it.
Sixth-The Republicans are irritated
because the Democrats will not lend
their aid to the consummation OF the
Malone bargain by the election of Cor
ham and Riddleberger.
Seventh-At the opening OF this SEES
sion and for seventeen days after, the
Democrats had a clear and absolute
majority in the Senate, but the Repub-
licans interposed dIlatory motions
every time the appointment OF commit
tees was proposed, and they held the
Senate in a totally unorganizsd ii not
disorganized condition until the vacant
seats were filed and the trade with
Malone was completed.
Eighth-When the Republicans got
ready to appoint committees the Demo-
cratic Senators interposed 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 to have
done this, and they set an evil prece-
dent in allowing it, which must be cor
rected at the very first opportunity.
Ninth-But when it is proposed to
take another and needless aggressive
step, one entirely needless except to
give Malone his pay and turn out two
excellent and acceptable officers simply
because they are Democrats, the Demo
cratic Senators say: "No, you shall not
do it, and We will stop you by precisely
the same means which you employed
for seventeen days to stop us from or
ganizing the committees"
Tenth-Wheneve the Republicans
shall have a majority even OF one, in the
Senate, no Democrat will interpose q
single dilatory motion against the cleo
ton OF new officers; but so long as the
Republican Senators united with Ma
hone have only one-half of the Senate
| and the Democrats have the other half,
the Democrats will not aid directly or
indirectly in turning out Democratic OF.
| ticers.
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. Burch
and Bright out OF office unless by some
means they first acquire majority OF
the Senate.
Twelith-One wcrd more. When CON-
mitteees are to be appointed next
| December, II the Senate continues evenly
divided as now, fair warning is given to
the Republican Senators that the Demo.
cratic Senators will insist on a fair and
equitable division of the committees and
chairmanslips. There are thirty-eight
| Senators on each side of the chamber,
and common fairness demands an equal
| partition Of the committees.
differentiation the Republican Sem
ators to demand all the committees and
all the chairmanships by the casting
vote OF the Vice-President is simply to
empower the Nice-President to appoint
the committees. That has never been
consented to until this session. when,
for the sake OF peace, the Democrats
permitted it. 1t will never be permitted
again, and due and fair warning is now
given to that effect.
1t is held by Democratic Senators that
these propositions present their case in
the clearest manner, and entirely justify,
to any one even but slightly familiar
with the rules OF legislative pi oceedings,
the course they have adopted and which
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