Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1881-04-07
The Senate.

The Senate.
WAsHINGroN, April e.--The Vice Presiden
laid before the Senate the unfinished -busl
ness--a resolution for the election of Senate
officers.
Senator Mcpherson inquired why the Vice
President had not, in compliance with The
rules, called for the presentation of petitions
and memorials.
The Vice President replied that this being an
executive session Of the Senate, there was nc
morning hour.
Senator Ferry sustained the position of the
chair, declaring the rule to which the Senator
referred was applicable only to a legislative
session of the Senate.
Senator Mcpherson then offered, as his right
under the rules, the petition from certain citi.
zens of New Jersey respecting the case of one
Michael Boynton, alleged to be confined in an
English dungeon arbitrarily and unjuStly, and
asked that it be referred to the committee on
foreign relations.
There been no objection, the petition was
received, read and referred as indicated.
The motion of Senator Pendeton to go into
executive session was rejected, yeas So, nays
81.
Senator Bayard then took The floor. He
believed, he said, that there was justification
for 3S Democratic Senators in maintaining this
attitude before the country which they had
maintained the past ten days He wished to
try the justice of their position by the light of
law and reason, so that when they were called
into'that court of last appeal, the bar of public
opinion, they should be willing to submit to
it the case which they were making now.
He dwelt at some length upon the right con-
ferred upon minorities by the constitution and
laws made in accordance with it. Instances
had occurred when he felt 1t his duty, when
he thought that the question was fatal to the
welfare of the country, to interpose everything
he was allowed to interpose, In order that
question might stand over for sober second
thought and the action of the people. There
was no precedent for the present election Of
Senate officers. The action of the Democrats
two years ago IN no respect presented parallel
case. The Chinese treaty was before the SEN
ate and it ought to be considered. But what
were million people that lined the Pacific
coast compared with the matter Of. whether
the present secretary of the Senate should give
place instantly to another man. That was
but one feature. The United States supreme
court stood to-day enfeebled in numbers till
the Senate should displace four officials and
put put four others in their places. Its cir
cult and district courts were waiting unable
TO proceed with public business until the Sem
ate should displace four officials. Postmas
ters were waiting confirmation, collectors of
customs, ,and especially collector for the great
port of New York-a position second only in
influence and importance to the secretaryship
of the treasury--were awaiting action on
nominations in order that four subordinates of
the Senate might be turned out and four Others
put in.
When business facts were looked at they
would be found all on one side of the question,
all in one scale of the balance. 1t was as
Mount Olympus to gnat, to talk of passing
by these great objects of public interest and to
stoop down to dlsplace four acceptable officers.
Now, as to the nominations for the officers:
AS he had stated before, there were thirty-nlne
members who had voted for Hancock. One
of them had, in this chamber, voted
with the Republicans. Then had
come list of committees. The Senator from
Virginia, Malone, had figured as the chair
man of one, and member of three other i'm
portant committees, while four Republican
Senator's were left without craftsmanship.
Then had come a list of appointments and
Riddleberger had been brought forward as a
candidate for the office of sergeant-at-arms- -stt
the instance of the Senator from Virginia.
These were the facts of the case, and from
these facts the ordinary deduction of mankind
must be formed, and would be formed. He
which induced him to vote for the
transaction of business his views, and educa-
tion of political morality and duty made him
lend his opposition to the consummation Of a
reward to Riddelberger, or the Senator who
had nominated him.
The Senator from Pennsylvania (Camcron)
had stated this question had in view the
coming election in Virginia. That, he (Bay-
ard) asserted to be dangerous step in civili-
zation 1t would be an attempt on the part of
the Senate sitting, as part of the executive
branch of the government, to interfere with
and control the election in Virginia. 1t was
usurpation. 1t was invasion. 1t was, in the
strongest sense of the word, revolutionary-an
attempt by an unlawful and lllegitimate meth
cd TO control the free election of State in
regard to matters solely submitted to it's
own cognizance, and howscontroled? Indi-
rectly, and without law, to usurpation was
added the terrible danger of corruption.
Then there was another feature to the trans.
action. What was the contest In Virginia
which the Republicans expected to decide
that the Republican party in the Senate pro-
posed to Identify itself with. By choosing
Riddleberger as one of its officers, it was to
him and to his doctrines the Republicans stood
committed. 1t seemed to him, Bayard, if the
Republican party assisted in sowing the seeds
of reputation of admitted and honorable
obligations, it was sowing a crop worse than
vi duu OLC WHICH WOulu UcdT
dangerous fruit to posterty. What was
the credit of it? Virginia was poor,
and she needed credit to-day
more than she did in her time OF
opulence and plenty. Leave to the people the
right to be believed and trusted; leave them q
sense of self-respect and manhood that an un-
broken word gives to any man, however poor
There stood his case before his conscience,
and there it stood before the country
Senator Sherman said the Senator from Del
aware (Bayard) and he agreed on the principle
the majority must rule. When the dictates OF
the minority went beyond reasonable delay il
became worse than revolution. II any word
was worse than revolution it was treason.
Fifteen Senators could prevent the United
States Senate from doing a single act and
could break up the government. Under the
rules Of the Senate and in conformity with
destroyed as the confederates would have de-
stroyed It if they had succeeded. The rules
were intended to be construed with reason
and Judgment. The doctrine of the right OF
the majority to rule must prevail. MinoritieE
had certain rights to interpose diatory mo.
tions in order to delay and weary out the will
of the majority, but when they passed
those rights they entered on dan
gerous ground What weighty rea
sons had the Senator from Delaware
given to justify the action which he himself
denounced as dangerous and revolutionary
It was because the Senate desired to change
some officers. Another reason assigned has
been because Malone had been Democrat anG
had voted with the Rapuhlicans That woulf