Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1881-10-14
POLITICAL DEMAGOGIsM

Wehave consoled ourselves with the rehec-
ton that those scenes of political demorali-.
cation which had grown to be of such fire.
quent occurrence in the Senate chamber of
the United States pending the war, and SO
unbecoming the dignity of so exalted a
body, had, with the return of better days,
been swept away But it would appear
that the days of the political demagogue have
not yet been numbered in the National
Senate, which was once characterized not
only for its profound craftsmanship, but for
its grave, dignified and patriotic bearing,
Upon the assembling of the Senate on Mon
day last in special session in accordance
with the proclamation of President Arthur,
and upon the motion of Senator Pendleton
that Senator Thomas F. Bayard be elected
president pro tenn, Senator Edmunds in
opposing the resolution, exhibited politi-
cal depravity, which we could have only
anticipated from The soap-iocked politicians
of the bar room, or the loud-mouthed brag-
gadocio of some cross road meeting The
circumstances which had called the Senate
in extra session, intimating that the crime
attached to the Democratic party, and all
for the purpose of giving his remarks more
weight and force, have parallel only in
some of the more wicked and depraved
harangues of Catalina to the midnight rab-
bic, who were seeking to destroy the liber-
ties of the Roman people.
The motion of Senator Pendleton to pro-
coed with the election of Senator Bayard as
president pro tenn. to fill the vancancy oc-
casioned by the installation of Vice-Presi-
dent Arthur as President of the United
States, was thoroughly in keeping with
precedent and not in violation Of any con-
stitutional provision of the Senate or rule
Of the Senate. The first business Of the
Senate upon converting was its organiza-
ton; the Democratic Senators were pres
ent with a legitimate majority, any other
course than to nominate one of its own
members would be in utter violation of the
established rules and usuages which have
been in keeping in our legislative bodies
since the formation Of parties. The vacan-
cies in the Senate, two arising by resignation
and one from death, have been filled during
the recess The recognized custom of the
admission of Senators is upon credentials,
which may or may not be referred to the
proper committee as the circumstances sur
roupdinu tho i,loction ,,ov dotormina Tbio
is done when the Senate is in full organiza-
ton, In the present case, the Senate was
without an organization, the Democrats were
present with clear constitutional majority,
and any failure to organize the same in ac-
cordance with the political complexion Of
the existing majority would indeed have
been new departure.
Independent Of the right Of the Senate to
proceed at once with its organization, there
had been grave and serious charges coupled
with the election of the New York Senators,
that their election had been received by
bribery and other dishonorable means. 1t
was known that these charges were made
by leading Republican journals and leading
Republicans, and it was but right and pro-
per that some inquiry as to the correctness
of these charges should be made before their
admission.
We have neither the time nor the desire
to write an extended article in defence of the
position taken by the Democratic Senators /;
they have pursued a course which the hon
est intelligence of the country has endorsed,
and which the facts and custom warrant
1t is only to condemn such political dema-
gogism as was made manifest in the re-
marks of Senator Edmunds. With usages
SO apparent, with rights the soundness of
which none could bring the slightest plau-
sible argument against, the course pursued
by the Vermont Senator was one of indecent
taste as it was of wicked origin, provoking
the disgust of every honorable member of
that body, and meriting the censure of every
intelligent journal in the country.