Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-04-23
THE DEMOCRATfe POSITION.
Thirteen Sufficient Reasons for
Their stand I'm the Senate.

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 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
presented, but also because they repre-
sent, 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
a majority in a legislative body when it is I'M
able to take a single step or adopt a single
motion unless some one OF the alleged minority
will aid it by voting and thus making the de-
sired and necessary quorum
Second. The Republicans in the Senate, with
out Malone added, have just one-half the
Senate. Unless some member of the Demo-
cratic half lends his aid the Republican Sena.
tors, plus Malone, cannot command a quorum,
and can do no business of any name or nature
except adjourn.
Third The vote of the Vice 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, and the
Republicans are enraged because the Demo-
Gratis will not so vote as to give the Vice Presi-
dent the opportunity to turn out Democratic
o~f1ce-holders who are faithfully oischarging
their duty.
Fourth. The Vice President has never in the
history of the government, save in a single in
stance, voted in the election of Senate officers,
and that was in a case where a vacancy was to
30 ALL > u-ano m hn AliaI N0 Io-
every Democratic Senator would be perfectly
willing TO have the Vice President vote if a tie
should occur, but the Democrats affirm and
will to the end maintain that the Vice Presi-
dents vote shall not be used to create a vacan-
cy where no accusation is made against the in
cumbent and where the change is to be made
for political purposes 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 wall not lend their aid to the
contamination Of the Malone bargain by the
election of Gorham and Riddleberger.
Seventh. At the opening Of this session and
for seventeen days after, the Democrats had a
clear and absolute majority in the Senate, but
the Republicans interpoSed dilatory motions
every time the appointment of committees
was proposed, and they hex the Senate in a
totally unorganize1 if not disorganized condi-
ton until the vacant seats were filled and the
trade with Malone completed.
Eighth. When the Republicans got ready to
appoint committees the Democratic Senators
i~nterposed no objections, because committees
were essential to the proper organization of
the body, and they submitted quietly to hGv
ing 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 en-
other and needless az yressive step, one en-
tirely needless, except to give Malone his pay
and turn out two excellent and acc eptable
officers simply because they are Democrats,
the Democratic Senators say: mo, you shall
not do it, and we will stop you by precisely the
same means which you employed for seven
teen DAYS to stop us from organizing the COM
mittees."
Tenth. Whenever the Republicans shall have
a majority, even Of one, in the Senate, no
Democrat will interpose a single dilatory mo-
ton against the election of new officers; but
so long as the Republican Senator's united with
Malone have only one-halt of the Senate and
the Democrats have the other half. the Demo-
Gratis will not aid, directly or indirectly, in
turning out Democratic officers.
Eleventh. The Republican Senators may
make up their minds that neither at this seS-
sion nor at the next session will they be able to
turn Messrs. Burch and Bright out of office
unless by some means they first acquire a ma
jority of the Senate.
Twelfth. One word more. When committees
are to be appointed next December, if the SEN
ate continues evenly GlVlU6u rs HOW,L LAIR warn
ing is given to the Republican Senators that the
Democratic Senators will insist on a fair and
equitable division of the committees and
c~hairmanships. There are thirty eight Senators
on each side of the chamber. and common fair
ness demand an equal partition of the com
mittees.
Thirteenth. For the Republican Senators to
demand all the committees and all the chair
manships by the casting vote of the Vice
President is simply to empower the Vice Presi-
dent to appoint the committees. 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.
1t is held by Democratic Senators that
these propositions present their case in
the ~clearest manner, and entirely justify
to any one but ever slightly familiar with
the rules of legislative proceedings, the
course they have adopted and which
they persist in.