The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1883-12-14
FORTY-EIGHTH CONGRESS.
SENATE.

Washing ON, 1S.-Dolph intro
duced bill for the admission Into
the onion as State of Washington.
1t provides for the admission of
Washington Territory and a portion
of Idaho.
Morrill, introduced a bill to pro-
vide 8 commission On the liquor
traffic. 1t is the sama bill that
passed the last Senate, but failed in
the House.
The Senate, on motion of Frye,
took up for consideration the report
of the committee on rules, and pro-
ceeded to consider the new Jules
seriatim.
The President sent large num-
Der of army nominations to the
Senate to-day, mostly recess appoint
ments. Among t1em Colonel Hol-
aberd, for quartermaster-general.
The first proposed rule read as fol-
lows: First, in the absence of the
Vice President, the Senate shall
choose a president pro tenn. sec
ond, in the absence of the Vice
President and pending the election
of president pro tenn, the Secre-
tary of the Senate, or in his alb
sence, the chief clerk shall perform
the duties of the chair; third, the
president pro tenn. shall have the
right to name in the open Senate, or
if absent in writing, Senator to
perform the duties of the chair, and
the Sen stor designated may dis
charge such duties for a period not
exceeding three days, unless the
Senate otherwise order.
Bayard asked the Senators to con-
template the effect of the proposed
rule, which gave the Vice-President
the right to designate person who
by possibility may become acting
President of the United States.
Suppose the Senator from Vermont
(Edmunds) should be absent three
days, and during that time the Pres.
ident of the United States, whether
by the act of God or the public
enemy, should be removed rom life,
such Senator designated would,
under the rule, become acting Pres
ident. He inquired if the Senate
proposed to add to the difficulties
clustering around the law with re-
gard to the Presidential sue
cession by lodging in the Presi-
dent pro tenn. Of the Senate
the unchecked and uncontrolled
designation of a man who shall be
possessed of the enormous and in
calcuable powers for good or evil
which may attend the temporary
possessions of the functions of the
chief magistracy of the republic.
This course seemed to him entirely
in opposition to the very source of
government, and was fraught in
possibilities with very grave dam
gers. This should not only be gov
eminent law. but government pub.
lie opinion; and the clause lodging
such vast possible power into the
hands of one man might defeat the
we'll considered feeling and senti-
ment of the country. His opinion
was that the provision proposed ad-
mitted the possibility of a Senator
designated by the President pro tenn.
temporarily to occupy the chair of
the Senate, going back to the presi-
Dental office perhaps 20 veto meas
IRE which he was unable TO defeat
in the Senate. There had never
been shown in the Senate any
to take petty advantage
of the absence Of member on
either side of the chamber, md be
hoped the Senators would pause be-
fore agreeing TO the propOsit On.
Garland moved to amend the new
rule by striking out the three day
limitation and inserting instead,
"Bat such substitution shall not ex-
tend beyond an adjournment"
which is the provision DIT present in
force. He opposed allowing a longer
time than the actual sitting of the
Senate for delegation of delegated
power.
Edmunds thought it quite obvious
in the present condition of the
Ser ate, there being no Vice Pres
ident, that it would be a great con-
venience to adopt this rule if it can
be lawfully and properly done.