Morning journal and courier., 1881-10-10
News by Telegraph FROM ALL QUARTERS. SENATOR'S IN CAUCUS. A General Review of the
 Situation. THE OFFICES IN DISPUTE. "A Conference of Committees
 Without Result. THE POSITION OF THE DEMOCRATS. Taking Advantage of Their Legal
 Majority.
THE POSITION OF THE DEMOCRATS.
THE NATIONAL CAPITAL.

| both sides held caucuses yesterday morning, Senator Edmunds and Senator Pendleton pre- I siding over the assemblages of their respec- | tive confreres. The Republicans laid special stress on their right to the president pro tenn I of the Senate, though many of them were disposed to give the Democrats the secretary ship and half of the committees. It was conceded that the Democrats by virtue of | legal majority of members could elect per I manent president pro tena. of the Senate, but ! it was claimed that upon all previous occa- sions whenever it was essential or important for the newly elected members to be sworn in such was done before the election of a president pro tenn The final outcome of the caucus was the appointment of a committee of conference, consisting of Senators Ed munds,. Sherman, Allison, McMillan and To- gan,- who afterward met similar committee from the Democrats and these Jointly dis cussed the situation.
 In the Democratic caucus it was agreed to elect a President pro tena of the Senate be- fore admitting any of the newly elected mem- bers. Upon this subject there was some dis cussion, and different precedents were cited to establish the position that the President pro tenn. could administer the oath of office, and hence his election was prerequisite to the organization of the Senate. The caucus next unanimously elected Senator Bayard of Del aware, as the nominee for the position of president pro tenn. The propriety and the legality of admitting the newly elected Sen- ators before electing secretary of the Sen ate were next discussed, but this was left for the evening session, when, after an hour and half of talking, no conclusion was arrived tt in the matter. The Democratic conference committee consisted of Senators Pendleton
 Pugh, Garland, Davis, of West Virginia, and Voorhees,.
 The committees of conference met in the rooms of the Senate Committee on Private
 Land Claims, the result of their conference being awaited with interest, rumors had
 already been started that there would be a compromise upon a Democratic President pro tenn. and Republican secretary of the
 Senate, and unless this were done there would ensue deadlock. In the conference the Democrats informed the Republicans that they had resolved before receiving notice for d conference to elect MT. Bayard President pro tena, and could not therefore treat upon the subject of the secretary of the Senate ! and the organization of the committees. Con- l sequently the Republicans, whose caucus was not in favor of conceding the President pro tem to the Democrats, withdrew from the l conference, and each committee reported to it's respective caucus.
 The following address was authorized by | the Republican caucus:
 It having been understood that several Democratic
 senator's manifested willingness confer with he Republicans upon the situation, the latter at l
 Iessrs. Edmunds. sherman. Allison. McMiiian and | Logan-to confer with similar committee of Demo
 communicated to the Democratic caucus whereupon | the latter appointed Messrs. Pendleton, Pugh Gar land, Davis (of West virgnia) and Voorhees,. The |
 committees met and the Republicans were enjofned |
 hat before receiving notice of the desire for confer
 ,nce the Democrats had upon deliberation, deter mined that under existing circumstances the Demo
 would elect the President pro of the Senate, ized to confer with the Republicans that subject As this decision covered the most important points Upon which conference was desired the Republican | confer-es withdrew. and upon their report of the | facts the Republican caucus to meet at 10 4. m. on Monday. It las been well known that as | result of informal conversation between prominent Senator's of both parties both caucuses had been | called to meet at the hour Saturday for the express purpose of conference.
 Senator Edmunds, being asked his opinion, | was inclined not to say anything indicative | of what the Republicans would be willing to | do were they permitted to elect President | pro tena. He says that, while it has not been | the invariable practice, yet the precedents | show that the members elect of the Senate | were always sworn in when there was | any question to the importance of their | vote. He admits that the Democrats have a | legal majority and can legally elect Presi- lent pro tenn but does not. think they are | justified in this course because of the pres ent condition of the Senate and the prece- dents to which reference has been made. | He presumed that the facts as to these prec- edents would soon be made known to the | public. But while the Republicans have these precedents in their favor they did not | rely upon these, but based their claims upon integrity, fair play, justice and honor. It | seemed to him, however, that these rest now | upon broken reed. Though the Democrats | persist in their determination to elect Pres ident pro ten1., the Republicans will not fili- L.. sion. They will enter their protest and let | the case go to the country. He is sure that | the injustice of the Democrats in seeking to take advantage of the present condition of affairs would do them no good.
 The result of the Republican caucus so far is to vote for Senator Anthony, of Rhode Island, for President of the Senate pro tena., and enter protest against the action of the Democrats It is understood that Senator Frye, of Maine, will make the speech of pro- test, and that it will be in spirit like unto that indicated by Senator Edmunds at the joint meeting of the caucus conference con- mittees in the afternoon and further that he | will seek to establish precedents to the effect | that in all cases of importance the reverse | course from that sought by the Democratic | Senators elect have been sworn in and ad- | mitted to their seats. In the conference l committee Senator Edmunds, with charac- | teristic earnestness, said that, though the |
 
 majority, whereby they could elect a | President pro tean., yet it would be unjust l and against the will of the people as express l ed in the verdict at the polls in the last na- tional election. Then the people by their | vote intrusted the administration of national | affairs to the Republican party, and by the | death of the President of'the United States the Vice President had to vacate the chair as | presiding officer of the Senate, and now the | Democrats sought to take advantage of this l and put there member of their party. This | he thought in conflict with the expressed wish | of the people, whose desires to have the ad | ministration in the keeping of the Republi- | can party should be respected and not vio- l lated
 The Republicans on Monday will in their 1 caucus decide what course to pursue in re- gard to the election of the secretary and the | organization of the committees. The New Administration-To-rno