The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-09-09

sgxATon v00HHEE8 on D ~IIuAIIV ~
TEE OUTLOOK

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n Have you seen the reported interview
win senator Beck, TN which he says, spesk.
inc az Inc course be would pursue in tne
evenk ~ The death OF President Garneiu.
that !. II would be q time when owe OF
country .bould rise above AL party cues
tIons + should be In favor OF the .election
~ some conservative Republican,, say Henry
n. Anthony, Of Rhode Islsnd, to TIE posi-.
ton OF President pro TEN. OF the senate, anu
Inns avoid any inducement Tor any insane
nersop or p%olliical fanatic TO desire tbe
death Of MIR. Arthuriv How Is 1t mat
a Democratic senator can only STOW
his love OF country by voting for q hepuo-
hcan. and why is II that peace and quiet can
onJy he maintained by keeping the Execu-
tive department in the hands OF the RepuD-
Iicansp A. | have seen the reported inter
view TO which you ailude, and / doubt il IL
Is correct. Senator Beck is one OF our
ahlest and safest men, and / do not believe
he mnde the statement you quote IN your
question. IL Is q matter OF simple but aD.
soIute demonstration that in the absence OF
Mr.. Arthur, when Congress conyenes, tbe
Democrats will organize the senate. IL
cannot be otherwise unless Democratic
senators prefer TO vote for a RepuDllcaD
against q member OF their " side OF me
chamber. Let me read you the law on the
subiec, OF the Senate's organization. sec
ton % Of the United states KeViseu
Statutes reads as follows
"Tbe oath Of Office shall be administered
by the President OF the Senate TO each sen
ator who shall hereafter De electsd previous
10 his taking his seat"
There Is no other way IN when a senator
can be sworn In and become a member OF
the Senate except az herein provided. IDe
President OF the Senate must administer
the oath. But 10 the absence OF Arthur
there IL no President OF The Senate, ana,
therefore, 1t follows with mathematical Ger,
taInty that no senator can be sworn IN until
after q President OF the Senate Is elected.
Seyenty.four senators have been sworn as
members of the present Senate; the TWO
senators from New York, recently chosen,
have vet 10 take The oath of office. The
President OF the Senate can alone per"
form that duty. The newly-eIected sena-
tors. therefore, from New York have no
more chance 10 become members oil lhe
Senate until after the Senate is organized oy
the election of q President OF bal Dody
Than they have to become members OF the
College OF Cardinals. When the senate
next meets 1t will be composed OF thirty
seven Democrats and Judge Davis, who VIII
most likely vote with them on organization,
ON The one side, and tbirty-iye Republicans
and Malone, milking thlrty-sIX on Inc Diner.
Nessrs. Lapham and Miller, from New
York, Will be there, but not yet senators.
They will be in waiting 10 be admitted
which cannot take place until the presiding
officer is chosen. Thereupon a RESOLUTION
Will be offered
RESOLVED, That A. B., a senator from
-, be and be is hereby chosen President
Of the Senate pro tempore.
There are numerous ~prtcadents I'D tne
Senate's history for this course. On the
adoplion OF this resolution the senator's
elect from New York OF course have no
votes. A Democrat will necessarily be
chosen il Others feel as IdO-that L can best
manifest my love Of country by sustaining
the men and measures OF my own party.
IL | felt otherwise | would join the RepuD'
lican party at once.
o. Who do you think will be elected
President Of the Senate IL the Democrats
succeed A. Mr.. Bayard, as the senior
senator IN service on our side, is entitled 10
it by all the precedents, and will be chosen.
O. Is Il true that the Republican senators
made an offer at the last session that the
Democrats might elect a PRESIDENT OF the
Senate il they would elect Senator Harris,
Of Tennessee? a. No, there is no truth IN
that statement whatever. A newspaper
item OF that sort got started, and has misleG
a great many people, ald among them some
senator's. I%personally know, however, that
il is not true, for the day II appeared went
TO Senator Morrill, and other leading Repub-
Iican senators and was assured by them tbst
the matter had not ever been mentioned In
their caucus, and that no such purpose was
entertained by them.