The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1881-04-28
THE SENATE DEADLOCK.
Strong and Careful Statement of the
Democratic Position.
Washington Correspondence N. !. Herald.

WdSHWyt0H IOfTcSp0HucltCe ~. L. HIao.
A very prominent Democrat who has
given close attention to the Senatorial
deadlock lays down the following thir-
teen propositions as in his judgment,
governing the case. He has studied the
grounds of the dispute carefully and in
diligently, and the thirteen points which
he presents deserve attention not only
for the strength with which they are pre-
sented, but also because they represent
in a forcible way the grounds upon which
the Democratic Senators justify their
course. The following are the thirteen
propositions:
First. A party cannot be considered to
have q majority in legislative body
when it is unable to take single step or
adopt single motion unless some one of
the alleged minority will aid it by vot-
ing and thus making the desired and
necessary quorum.
Second. The Republicans in the SEN
ate, with Malone added, have just one
halfthe Senate. Unless some member of
the Democratic half lends his aid the
Republican Senators, plus Malone, can
not command quorum, and can do no
business of any name or nature except
adjourn.
Third. The vote OF the Vice-P President
cannot be made available until the
Democrats shall be obliging enough to
create the tie, which he will then be able
to unloose. Of original power the
Vice President has not one particle,
aud the Republicans are enrag-
ed because the Democrats will not so
vote as to give the Vice-President the
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
asingle instance, voted in the election of
Senate officers, and that was in case
where vacancy was to be filled. If a
vacancy were to be filled to-day every
Democratic Senator would be perfectly
willing to have the Vice-President vote
if tie should occur, but the Democrats
affirm and will to the end maintain that
the Vice-President's vote shall not be
used to create vacancy where no accu.
sation is made against the incumbentand
where the change is to be made for polit-
cal purpose only.
Fifth. 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 to do it.
Sixth. The Republicans are irritated
because the Democrats will not lend
their aid to the consummation of the Ma
hone bargain by the election of Gorham
and Rlddlebarger.
Seventh. Attbe opening of this session
and for seventeen days after the Demo
Gratis had q clear and absolute majority
in the Senate, but the Republicans inter-
posed dilatory motions every time the
appointment Of committees was proposed,
and they held the Senate in a totally
unorganized if not disorganized condition
until the vacant seats were filled 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 precedent in allowing it,
which must be corrected 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 turu out two excellent and ac-
ceptable officers simply because they are
Democrats, the Democratic 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 organizing the commit
tees"
Tenth. Whenever the Republicans
shall have a majority, even Of one, in the
Senate, no Democrat will interpose a
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 olher half,
the Democrats will not aid, directly or
indirectly, in turning out Democratic
officers.
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 secure a majority OF the
Senate.
Twelfth. One word more. When COM
mittees are to be appointed next Decem-
Der, if the Senate continues evenly divid'
ed US now, fair warning is given to the
Republican senators that the Democratic
senators will insist on fair and equita-
bic division of the committees and chair
manships. There are thirty-eight
senators on each side of the Chamber,
and common fairness demands an equal
proportion of the committees.
Thirteen. For the Republican senators
to demand all the committees and all the
chairmanships by the casting vote of the
Vice President is simply to empower the
Vice-President to appoint the commit
tees. 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
It 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 oflegislative proceedings,
the nanrse which they have adOpted and