Daily Republican., 1881-10-01
sATURDAY, OCTOBER 1. 1891.
The Presidency Of she senate.

UtUoA tio pooplo h"No oo'SAy ". w.
phatically declared that the office shoul
be filed by Republican. If area
honest expressed majority of the Sci
ate we're in favor of such a change q
purposed the attempted usurpatio
would be robbed of some Of the bolt
ness of the intrigue, but even then
were an attempt Of which party LAY
ing claims to honesty, chivalry and az
cency should he ashamed. 1t is onl
at the organization that this attempt
to be made, while three Republica
Senators are debsrred by mere techn
cal objection, from participating in tn
election of such an officer. The obiet
tion by Republicans do not lie so muc
against the Democrats electing an otfi
Ger pro TEN. on the first day on whicl
the Senate meets as to the expressed in
tent to make such an officer permanent
The attempt made by the Democrats
to seize the Office has made tht
opinion prevail that when the Senate
chooses a President pro tenn. the tenure
of the officer so chosen will be for the
Presidential term of four years, or for
the unexrired term of such office. This
theory is at variance with the practice
of the Senate and an attempt is only
made now 20 change it by bold act of
usurpation. The Senate was constituted
upon the model of the House of Lords
of England, where the presiding officer
is the Lord Chancellor, and who, like
the President Of the Senate, is not a
member of that body. When the Lord
Chancellor is absent, the House chooses
Speaker pro TEN. and the selection
fmade every morning during the alb
sence Of the presiding officer, the same
gentleman being chosen. This should
be enough to show that the President of
the Senate elected in the manner pre-
scribed can have nothing but a tempo,
rary claim upon the office 80 long Is
the majority Of the Senate may see
proper to elect him. The very term
President pro TEN. means President for
the time being only, and not President
for a future time, and in adopting this
practice the Senate has only followed
that of its prototype, the English House
of Lords.
The Senate of the United States as a
matter of mere convenience chose
rather to elect President pro ten. who
was always ready to take the seat in
the absence Of The presiding officer, in
stead CT electing one each day during
such absence, but in carrying out this
plan there was no surrender Of the
right to elect in any other way, and it
is on record that the Senate quite re-
Gently declared by formal vote that a
President pro TEN. only holds his office
at the pleasure Of the Senate.
When the Senate meets in extra ses.
sion on the 10th Of October it will find
itself without a presiding officer, and
of the qualified members according to
party lines the Democrats will have a
majority of three provided they hold
their party strength. The three Re.
publicans awaiting admission-Messrs.
Miller, Lapham and the successor Of
Burnside, if admitted, would make a
tie, but it is said that in the selection
of a Presiden5 pro TEN. sSenator Davis
intends to exercise some Of that indie
pendence for which he is more noted in
name than in practice and will vote for
a Republican. This being so the latter
would have two majority on a full vote
of the Senate. 1t is admitted that
Senators caunot vote until they are le.
galiy qualified, and they cannot be
qualified legally until temporary
President is chosen who can administer
the oath OF office. Under these cir.
Cumstarces it must be admitted tina,
the Democrats can elect the temporary
officer with. which to organize, and il
they choose to act so unwisely as tC
elect Democrat to the Office it canno,
be helped. They alone must bear the
blame and the consequences which fol.
low. But it should be understood dis
tinctly that after the Senate is or
ganized and the new members al
sworn in that change of President
pro TEN. can Immediately be. made il
the Republicans have a sufficient nun
ber of votes TO make the change with
and which they will have if Senator
Davis has concluded to vote with then
upon this question.
Away back as far as 1909 this uues
tien Of President pro telnpore began tt
be discussed. 1t was only since tha,
,..iate that the President protein. chosen
in the absence Of the Vice President
continued in that office without 70
election until the Vice President an
peared in the Senate and again tool
the chair, or until his Senatorial tern
expired.
The question was brought before thu
Senate in 1875 by Mr.. Edmunds. aftel
the death of Vice President Wilson who
introduced the following:
"WHEREAs, Since the last session Of
the Senate the Vice President of the
United States has deceased, therefore
"Resolved, That on the 7th day o.
January next, at o'clock afternoon
the Senate will proceed to the election
of President pro tempore."
There are many who will no doub,
yet remember this circumstance. Mr.
Edmunds, in explaining his purposes
in Offering fha raaolutinn mazda tLf