Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-10-01
Tha orranIzation Of the Senate.

The Organization OF the Senate.
Many level-headed Republican editors
concede that it would be very foolish for
the Democrats in the Senate through
sentiment to forego the opportunity
which Republican folly has given them
in leaving them in an accidental msjori-
ty in that body. The Philadelphia Press
however, comes forward with the argu-
ment that the clause Of the Constitution
in reference to the President OF the
Senate's administering the oath to new
Senators means nothing at the present
iuncture, since the Constitution never
contemplated a state of affairs where
that body would be without a presiding
officer. According to our Philadelphia
contemporary. IS the situation is extra
ordinary, regard for forms should be set
aside, and the New York Senators
and the successor Of General Burnside
be allowed to participate in the election
Of the presiding officer.
AS these gentlemen are not Senators
until they have taken the oath, which
must be administered by the President
of the Senate and by him alone, it is
difficult to see how the wishes of our
contemporary can be gratiied. More
over. if the stories Of Mr.. Conkling's
friends can be credited, that gentleman
is in possession of information that may
preclude the New York Senators from
being sworn in at all. When one recalls
President Arthur's unpatriotic, undigni-
fed and partisan conduct in violating
custom of the Senate, as old as the body
itself, in refusing to vacate the chair, it
is easy to see how state of
affairs not contemplated by the
Constitution arose. But the fact
that it has arisen cannot warrant the
disregard of the plain provisions of
the Constitution as to the admission
Of Senators Our contemporary at
tempts to strengthen its childish plea by
inquiring whether, if the Senate were
without a presiding officer when one
third Of the seats were vacant, as they
are at the end of every two years, and
those elected to fill them were waiting
to be sworn, they could be prevented
from participating in his election? Mani
festly they could be and should be. No
one but the presiding officer can swear
in Senator, and none but sworn Sen
ators can vote for the presiding officer.
If our Republican contemporaries
would Just imagine the situation reversed
we think they would be great sticklers
for constitutional usages. A party that
does not hesitate to make opportunities
for itself should be slow to complain Of
the other party's embracing one that the
folly Of its opponents created for it.
Our contemporary further, with great
magnanimIty, urges hat, as the
parties are so evenly balanced, the sd-
vantages should be shared. Were Presi-
dent Arthur still in the Vice Presidents
chair, we think our contemporary would
be as selfish as it was when Mahone's
treachery gave the Republicans an adj.
vantage, which they were quick to en-
brace.
The whole question is plain, and ad-
mits of but one solution. 1t is the right
of the Democrats to elect the presiding
officer Their opponents have given
them the chance to do so, and common
sense should teach them to make the
most of it.
The only plea the Republicans can en-
ploy is the one they have used in the
past, and that is, disregard of precedent,
law, custom and usage, or anything else
that blocks the execution of their de-
signs-in short, an appeal TO "higher
law" Its last application was when
Guiteau, in the name of the stalwsrts,
shot down the President to unite the
partY-and, untaught by that dreadful
lesson, journals that undertake to guide
public thought counsel ION the heels of
the crime of the misguided and, perhaps,
crazed assassin) a defiance of the plainest
provisions of the organic law.
The Democrats Of the Senate owe it to
the country and their constituents to in
sist on the fulfllment of the law, and if
they shall allow themselves to be cajol-
ed, seduced or intimidated into disre-
gard of their duty, they will forfeit the
respect of their opponents and invite the
condemnation of their supporters.