The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1881-11-02
The New President Of the Senate.

Some time ago the Evening Journal,
in an article discussing the probable
action of the Democratic Senators in
the election of President pro te,s. of
the Senate, suggested that the oppor-
tunity would be afforded them to testify
their appreciation of the support which
Judge David Davis had given them.
The Senate was called together in extra
session under circumstances of such
peculiar and widespread sorrow that
the country expected they would OBJ
fiterate- every feeling Of partisanship.
and influence Senators to act from
sensible and patriotic motives. Some
of the Democratic Senators, during Mr..
Garfield sufferings and while his death
was considered imminent, went so far
as to state that q Republican ought to
be chosen President pro tenn. in case of
the Presidents death, and that they
would so vote; but no sooner was the
opportunity presented than the Demo-
Gratis availed' themselves of the advan-5
tage to place one Of their own partisan
leaders in the chair. They ignored the
fact of the Republican supremacy in
the country. and ''took o ticket in the
lottery of assassination" by the cleo
ton of Senator Bayard. Their motive
was the selfish one of placing Demo
crat in the line of succession in case of
President Arthur's death, but now that
Judge Davis has been elected President
of the Senate in place of Bayard. the
Democrats can reflect upon the uncer.
tainity of human events. Mr..
Bayard now takes back seat,
and his Presidential aspirations,
even in q dreaded contingency, are
nipped IN the bud. 1t is freely admit
ted that the selection of Bayard was as
good as they could have made from the
ranks of their own party, but it has re-
manned for the Republicans to show
them how to be magnanimous and Sc
cure proper officer at the same time.
1t is not worth while to predict what
course Senator Davis viii pursue in the
future, but it is not improbable that he
will now act with that party with which
he was connected when Mr.. Lincoln
appointed him an Associate Justice Of
the United States Supreme Court His
election to the United States Senate in
1877 was the result of disgraceful
coalition, and he has ever since really
been without political influence or fol-
lowing in the State of Illinois. III he
was ever under any obligation to the
Democrats for his elevation to seat In
fully discharged by his adhesion to
their cause, and now, IL he avails him
self of his Independent" position,
they have no just cause for complaint.
Certainly Judge Davis can find good
reason for voting with the Republicans,
if he wishes to truly represent the ma
jority of the people of Illinois. He
needs no information on that score.
His constituency are overwhelming
opposed to the Democratic party.
So far as the Democratic party in OF
out of the United States Senate is con-
| cerned, it has no right to utter q word
of complaint. They took advantage oi
their temporary asce ndency in the Sem
ate and elected President pro tenn.
while three Republican Senators were
waiting in the lobby to be sworn in.
They ignored some good Democratic
precedents by SO doing, but by doing
| it, they secured the prize they coveted,
| and now that the tables are turned
they must not whine about it. There
was not only precedent. established
| by the. Democrats themselves, fol
| swearing in new Senators before the
| election of President pro tenn. tool
| place, but there is q Democratic prece
dent for ousting presiding officer whC
was distasteful to the majority, as ha.
| been done in this case.
They will have no occasion to com
| plain, we confidently predict, on &C
count of the conduct of Judge Davi
while occupying the chair. His Judi
cial fairness is proverbial, and hi
rulings on all questions of parliamenta
~ practice win be as impartial as it i
possible to make them. The Senat'
has secured good presiding officer
and the country breathes more freel,
| when it is remembered that there i
now no Demo- Confederate looking a
himself daily in the glass and wonder
ing If he sees the gentleman whom al
inscrntable Providence intends shal
occupy the White House. = Chieog
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