Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-04-06
THE SENATE STsRIsOKN.
NO Yielding as Vet On Either Side

The Vice President laid before the Senate the
unfinished business-tEe resolution for the
election OF the Senate officers.
Mr.. Mcpherson inquired why the Vice Pres
fdent 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 no
Glt rntng hour.
MIR. Ferry sustained the position OF the chair.
declaring tnat the rule to which the Senator
referred was applicable only to legislative
session Of the Senate.
Mir. Mcpherson then offered, as his right un-
der the rule, petition from certain citizens of
the state OF New Jersey respecting the case OF
one Michael Boy ton, who was alleged to be
confined In an English dungeon arbitrarily and
unjustly, and asked that 1t be referred to the
committee on foreign relations.
There Being no objection, the petition was
received read and referred as indicated.
A motion, made by Mir. Peddleton, to go into
executive session having been rejected-yeas
80. nays 31-Mr. Bayard took the floor He
belieyed he said, that there was justification
for the thirty-etght democratic Senators IN
maintaining the attitude before the the coun-
try Which they had maintained for the past ten
days. He wished to try the justice Of their
position by the light Of law and reason, 80 that
when they were called into that court OF last
appeal-the bar OF public opinlon-they should
be willing to submit toIt the case which they
were making now. When the Senate had met
at the beginning Of the session. 1t had found
democrats. They had claimed that it was their
duly to reoTganize the committees. Their ef-
forts had been met by dllatory motions on the
other side. ana they had submitted to thos9
motions. When at length the Senate had dlled
up there were still on this floor thirry-nlne
avov ed friends and supporters Of the demo-
cratic standard-b bearer and or the principles
and party which that standard bearer repre-
sented. The status OF the vote had not dis
closed Itself until the thlrty-seven ayoWed re-
publican Senator'S had brought In resolution
C11 mt trlfy hot thny- hold
amount OF mystery had been allowed to en-
Velop the vote OF one Senator; and that mys-
tery had remained until the Senator had cone
forward and thrown the organization OF the
committees suddenly into the hands OF the Vice
FleSl0eIt, who was not member OF the Sen
ate. The democrats had yielded without dill.
atory motion the control OF the committees to
tie republicans; but the cues ion now was
whether 1t was their duty, In the face of all
the facts, as promptly, as unquestionably to
submit TO the present motion to do something
Tor which the only justification was found In
the doctrine that 1t was the will OF the ma jorily
He dWelt at some length upon the rights con
1erfed upon miIoffttes by the constitution aud
me me laws made In accordance wtthit. Instances
had occurred when he had felt 1t hts duty
when he thought that question WAS fatal to
the welfare OF the country to interpose every
,6iDg that ne was allowed to inter
might staLd over for the sober second
thought and action OF the people.
But there must be justification for that az
Tor the present election OF Senate officers, con-
tending that the action Of the democrats two
years ago In no respect presented a parallel
case to the present The Chinese treaty was
before the Senate and 1t ought to be considered;
but what were the million people that lined
1he t, raclhc C. 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
SupTtne Court stood enfeebled In NUMBERS
Unt1l the Senate should displace four officials
ara put 1our others In their places. The United
states circuit and district courts were waiting
unable to proceed with public business until the
senate should displace four officials Post
masters by the score were waiting cODfiTma-
ton. Collectors Of customs, and especially The
sltion second only In influence and inpOrCauGe
10 The Secretarysh ship CT the Treasury-Here
awaiting action on their nominations, 10 order
that four sUboIdinate5 or the Senate might be
turned out and four Others pat In. Whel toe
business facts were locked al, the, would nn
l0und all on one side OF tio Questi9n-aiI in
o.e scale or tie balance. IL was as Mount
OF! nlpuS to wart to talk CT passing by these
great objects CT public 1nteTeat and to steoD
down TO displace four acceptable offi ;ia!S
Now, as 10 the nominations for Officers. As he
had stated before there were 80 Senators who
haa voted for Hancock. one OF them ha1 Il
Ills chamber voted with the republicans. Then
had come list OF committees. aud the Senator
+ ON Virginia( Malone had figured as tie ch air-
man or one ane the menhFr OF three otho- lril-
portant committees; while four republican
senators were left without chairmanships.
Then had come list OF appointments, and
Mr.. Rddleberger had been brought forward as
the candidate for the Office ef Sergeant
alarms, at the instance Of the Senator from
virginia. Those were the facts of the
case. and from those facts The ordinary d.
duction OF mankind must be formed, and would