Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-10-11

Inc senate was calleO TO OrQer Dy Mr..
Harris, who, after prayer by Chaplain
Bullock, who alluded in feeling manner
to the death of President Garfield and
Senator Burnside aud Secretary Burch, said:
al have been requested by number of Sena-
tors on both sides of the chamber to call
the Senate to order. If there be no
objection l will call the Senate to order
that we may proceed with its business
The Senate will please come to order and
the clerk will report to the Senate the mes
sage of the President convenipg this session
OF the Senate"
The Presidents proclamation having been
read. Mr.. Pendleton moved the adoption of
the following resolution:
"That Thos. F. Bayard, a Senator from
the State of Delaware, is hereby chosen
President pro TEN. OF the S4nate."
Mr.. Edmunds said that, of course, he did
not object TO the present consideration OF
the resolution, but he thought that under
existing circumstances 1t was his duty to
present the credentials Of the Senators elect,
which he thereupon did.
The credentials having been read, Mr.
Eimunds moved that the oath of office be
administered to those gentlemen by Senator
Anthony, the senior Senator.
Mr. Pendleton moved to lay the motion
on the table. Carried. Yeas S6, nays 81
Mr.. Davis, of Illinois, voted wIti the
hepuDlcdnS III lue negative. MT MauOne
did not vote, and Messrs. Platt and Fair
were paired.
Mr.. Edmunds said no reason had been
given why the Senators elect should not be
allowed to take part in the organization OF
the Senste. aud he, therefore, moved to
amend Mr.. Peudleton's resolution by pro-
vidlpg for the immediate qualification Of the
Senators elect, the oath of office 10 be ad-
ministered by Senator Anthony.
The amendment gave rise to a short di7-
cussioD, but was finally Tejected-yess SO,
rays 34-Messrs. Malone and Davis, OF
Illinois, voting with the Republicans.
Mr.. Edmunds then proposed an amend
ment, providing that Thomss F. Bayard
shall be elected presiding officer for this day
only, and argued in support OF the amend
ment, contending that it would comply with
both the letter and spirit of 'he law and
would allow the States Of New York and
Rhode Island to have a voice in the election
of the permanent President pro tenn.
In moving his amendment that the oath
be at once administered to the new Sena-
tors, Mr.. Edmunds~ said no reason had been
given for this attempt to exclude two
States from any voice in the organization Of
the Senate, 50 he would take the liberty to
state the reason himself. The Senate had
met under extraordinary circumstances,
Occasioned by events, the consequence Of
technical power of a bare majority Of States
conditionally TO provide for the Presidential
succession, and to provide for it, when, II
their sister States were consulted, differ
eut provision might he made. To provide
for it now was to exclude the chosen repre-
sentatives OF two States who stood here
ready to do their duty. He believed tha',
IL there was not some question ulterior to
this mere one # electiDg the presiding
~ ,aNa fncrl 10 Tor bD
would vote no upon his proposition.
Mr.. Garland declined to make any reply
to the intimation that the Democratic Sena-
tors had some ulterior 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. II they made mistake, it was
a mistake which they would regret. The
only object of calling the Senate together,
so far as the country knew, was to place
some one between this government aud
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 high duty and a great
duty, which preceded all others in import
ance, to elect at once a President. 1t
ranked the question OF swearing in Senators
and all other questions. The Democratic
side proposed decently and in order aud ac-
earliest possible moment. or course, he did
not denv that by unanimous consent the
law of 1889, to which the Senator from YER
mont had referred, could be set aside, but
he asserted that the Democratic side prefer
red to stand upon the statute in performing
their important duty. After some further
debate Mr.. Edmunds' amendment was lost
yeas 33. nays "a.
Mr.. Edmunds then moved an amendment
fhaf ha 111.0
tena for this day only.
Mr.. Beck confessed his inability to under
stand why the President pro .6nl. should be
elected for this day and another election
held to morrow. II the recent Vice Presi-
dent had followed precedents and allowed
President pro tenn TO be elected at the last
session of the Senate there would have been
no necessity for convening this special ses
sion. The Democratic side was not taunted
with seeking to do an indecent thing be-
cause it did not give unanimous consent TO
propositions made in contravention of the
law of the land.
Mr. Edmunds said the fruit which the
Democratic party might gain by their pres
ent course would turn to ashes Of the Bit
terest description. But that was for the
future. For the present it was his mission
to appeal to the Democrats, by the prece
dents of their party, by the spirit and letter
of the Constitution, to give New York and
Rhode Island a right to raise their voices
with their sister States in the choice OF
presiding officer. There used to be saying,
30, shame, where is thy blushS"
But he believed that modern shame had
lost her blush, and that it had come to be
the fixed purpose OF any temporary or acci-
dental power in this body to exclude their
fellows ard their equals until they could
grasp something, which, II their equals we're
admitted, they could not grasp.
Mr.. Morgan congratulated the Senate
upon the exhibition this mnrniug of the
fact that the Senator from Vermont, after
having by his vote frequently participated
in excluding sovereign States from voice
In the Senate, had at last come to the con-
clusion that Senators must be admitted
whenever their credentials were read with
out an opportunity being given for investi-
cation or inquiry.
He argued in favor of the right Of the De
mocrats to elect the presiding officer, and said
that it seemed to him an intrusion on the
freedom Of the will for Senators on the other
side to demand that the Democrats should
yield the power which had been placed in
their hands. Besides, constitutional ques-
tions had been urged In regard to the lawful
election of Senators elect to this body. Were
Democrats to be blamed II they lent an ear
to the complaints of the Republican party
against the Legislature of New York?
Mr.. Beck denied that the majority which
the Democrats had to-day was accidental
1t had been brought about by the wrongful
conduct of the Vice President and the fool
ish conduct of two Senators from New
York in throwing up their credentials.
Laughter aud applause in the galleries,
which was promptly checked by the pre-
siding officer.
Mr.. Morgan continued: The credentials
of the three Senators-elect had only been
read this morning 1t had been intimated
that frauds prevailed in the Legislature OF
New York, aud It had also been urged that
that Legislature had not had power, under
the Constitution. to elect Senators at the
time they were elected.
Mr.. Vest criticised the language used by
Mr.. Eimunds, in intimating that the Demo
Gratis were attempting to grasp prize made
possible to them by an assassination. The
foul lips of the assassin who had struck
down the President had had upon them no
invocation for Democratic success, but their
invocation had been for q faction OF the
Republican party. II there was responst-
fr.u ,r. ind ft