Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1881-10-11

not single Senator who would vote
"no" upon his proposition.
Senator Garland declined to make
any reply to the intimation that the
D emocratic Senators had some ute
rior 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
made a 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 govern
ment and possible anarchy in case
of the death Or taking away by any
means of the present President of
the United States. He knew it was
a high duty and great
duty which preceded all
others In importance, to
elect at once a President pro tenn
It ranked the question of swearing
in a Senator and other questions
The Democratic side proposed, de-
Gently and in order and according to
law, to fill the possible gap at the
earliest possible moment. OF course,
he did not deny that by unanimous
consent the law of 1889, to which the
Senator from Vermont had referred,
could be set aside, but he asserted
that the Democratic eide preferred
! to stand upon the statute in perform
ing their duty. After some further de-
bate, Senator Edmunds' amendment
was then lost-yeas 33, nays 81.
Senator Edmunds then moved an
amendment that Senator Bayard be
elected President pro tenn. for this
day only.
Senator Beck confessed his inabi.-
ity to understand why President
pro tenn. should be elected for this
day, and another election held to-
morrow. If 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 now
no necessity for convening this spe-
cial session. The Democratic side
was now taunted with seeking to do
an indecent thing, because it did
not give unanimous consent to prop
| ositions made in contravention of the
laws of the land.
Senator Edmunds said: The fruit
which the Democratic party might
gain by their present course would
tarn to ashes of the bitterest des-
cription, bnt that was for the future
For the present it was his mission to
appeal to the Democrats by the pre-
cedents of their party, aud by the
spirit and letter of the Constitution
to give New York and Rhode Island
the right to raise their voices with
their sister States in q choice for a
presiding officer. There used to be
a saying, Oh shame, where is thy
blush?" but he believed that the
modern shame had lost her blush
and that it had come to be fixed for
the purpose of any temporary or &C
cidental power in this body to ex-
clude their fellows and their equals
until they could grasp
! something which if their
equals were admitted, they could
not grasp,
Senator Morgan congratulated the
Senate upon the exhibition this
morning of the fact that the Senator
from Vermont, after having by his
vote frequently particle ated in ex-
Guiding sovereign States from a
voice in the Senate, had at last come
to the conclusion that Senators must
be admitted whenever their creden-
tials were read, and without
an opportunity being given
for investigation or inquiry. He
argued in favor of the right of the
Democrats to elect Presiding Off
Ger, and said that it seemed to him
an intrusion on freedom of will fol-
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 tC
the lawful election of Senators-elect
to this body. Were the Democrats
to be blamed if they lent an
ear to the complaints of the Republi
can party against the legislature oil
New York. Senator Morgan con
tinued: The credentials of the three
Senators elect had only been read
this morning. It had been intimated
that frauds prevailed in the legisla
ture of New York, and had also been
urged that that legislature had not
had the power under the Constitution
to elect the Sens; ors at the
time they were elected.
Senator Vest criticised the ! snguage
used by Senator Edmui DIS in init
mating that the Democrats were
attempting to grasp the pr'ze 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 Demo
cratic success, but the invocation had
been for faction of the Republican
party.
Senator Beck denied that the ma
iOrity which the Democrats had to-