National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1881-10-10
Population Of The National Capital. 10000.
The Scnnte.

Whatever temporary majority the
Democratic party may maintain in the
Senate for partisan purposes until those
immediate purposes shall have been ac-
complished the Senate is really to be con-
sidered tie The business of the coun-
try is before it, and to that must all par
tisan ends be subordinated. To-day a
President pro tcmpore will be proposed by
the majority. The three new Senators
are entitled to vote on this important
officer; their right is guaranteed by the
Constitution. They can be sworn in by
q presiding officer chosen for that sole
purpose, and thus the statute be faith
fully obeyed. For this there are
precedents II has been decided
by the Democratic caucus that the Con-
stitution shall not stand in the way Of
making Thomas f. Bayard President pro
tenporG. lie himself joins in the decision
that in order that he may sit in the chair
of the Senate New York and Rhode Island
shall, without their consent, be deprived
Of their equal suffrage in that body. 1t
is to be hoped that before the act is per-
petrated Republican Senators will make
aprotest which will ring throughout the
length and breadth of the land. 1t is a
suitable time to expose the hypocrisy of
party which is ever harping on its de-
votion to the Constitution, and ever ready
TO rend any provision of it which stands
i'll the way of its plans.
1t is believed that the Democrats will
not insist on DISTINGUISHING the three Sem
ators on any vote beyond the choice of a
presiding officer. If they shall be gra-
cious enough to permit the new members
to be sworn in when a President pro tenn
pore shall have been chosen the Senate
will then be Il tie, if Davis, of Illinois,
and Malone, of Virginia, shall vote on
opposite sides, as heretofore. The Secrc-
taryship and the committees will then re-
main to be filled. The remaining Offices
can only be made vacant by Democratic
aid. The Republican nominee for the
Secretaryship has not trimmed for
Democratic votes, and none have
yet been rendered him. The Secretary
is the disbursing officer of the Senate,
and since the death of the late incum-
bent the treasure. O. O. u tne United States
has been obliged to make the Senate dis
bursements. Mr.. Nixon is the financial
clerk in the Secretarys office, but has no
power to perform single duty while there
is vacancy in the secretaryship. He
has since Secretary Burch's death been
merely the agent of Mr.. Gilfillan, who,
through him, occupies the financial room
ofthe Senate. Whetherthis temporary ex-
pedient resorted to in the recess of the Sem
ate can be continued with proper regard
either for law or propriety is question
which will now have to be decided. If
there is to be present election the tie
forces deadlock or compromise. A
Republican who can secure Democratic
votes, or Democrat who can secure Re-
publican votes, or non-partisan whose
election would have no political signif-
cation, will have to be taken. The Sem
ate has several times authorized the
Chief Clerk to perform the Secretary's
duties until the vacancy in the latter
Office was filed. This is now talked of,
and may be resorted to as make-shift
until December.
There may be no work to be performed
by committees, in which case none need
be formed until the regular session.
Whatever is done will, it is to be
hoped, be done without any unseemly
wrangle or prolonged struggle.