Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-03-06
THE ACTING VICE PRESIDENT.

Ih0 hon. george L. EuIaunuS appear Gu
to be very anxious to be chosen president
of the United States senate. He was graf
fled. No other Republican, and no other
Democrat, exhibited any disposition to de-
prive him of that prize in the lottery of
assassination.
Mr.. Edmunds was born Feb. 1, 1928, at
Richmond, Vermont. His father was
farmer, and for his period we'll to do. He
gave his son liberal education, including
the instruction of a private tutor. Mr..
Edmunds studied law and was admitted to
the bar in 1849, and in 1851
he settled at Burlington, VT,
and opened a law Office.
He lad natural taste for politics, and
in 1854 he was elected to the lower house
of the legislature, and was reelected an
nually, until 1861, when he was transferred
to the state senate. In 1866, on the death
of Senator Solomon Foot, he was elected
to the United States senate, and has since
remained member of that body, and the
term which he is now serving expires in
1887.
Owing to his learning and force of char
acter Mr. Edmunds has been a conspicu-
Gus figure in the senate, and has been
closely identified with all the important
national legislation since his career as
senator began. The more conspicuous
matters he has been identified with are
the impeachment of Andrew Johnson, the
electoral commission, and legislation for
the suppression of polygamy.
! Mr.. Edmunds is not mag
netic or popular man. He
is, of course, respected, but he is not be-
loved, and is in no sense man of the peo-
! pie. Indeed he has sort of contempt for
the common people. In the parliament
airy usages of the senate he is spoken of
as a martinez. When he was elected
to the presidency of the senate
he insisted on being sworn, cere'
mony that had no precedent, whenever
a senator has occupied the chair. In 1S41.
when John Tyler became president, the
senator who became president pro tenn. of
the senate was not again sworn. In 1850.
when Mr.. Fillmore became president, Sen
ator King was chosen president pro tenn.
| UuG bOOh hO LOW OabL' 1AhO d. IL oAAi
the other instances, including David
Davis, none were sworn again. But Ed
munds insisisted, and Senator An
thony gratifed him by ad
ministering the iron-clad oath.
When, as now, there is no vice-president
the president pro tenn. of the senate get;
the $4,000 extra pay-and perhaps Ed
munds feels little better about taking
the additional $4,000 after being sworn
again!
1t is limited that Edmunds coveted the
place with an eye on 1884. If So
it is a vain hope. 1t is true, he
had few votes at Chicago
but he had no following then, nor can any
be created for him now. There is no pres
idential possibility in Geo. F. Edmunds
Had Mr.. Anthony been eligible to the pres
idency of the senate, Edmunds would have
been barred out, for without regard t.
party Anthony is ardently admired by hii
brother senators. As Anthony was no
available, the senators were glad to tax
!, Edmunds off the floor, where his dogmatic
dictatorial bearing was quite distasteful
He will be safe man in the place, and d.
no violence to the constitution, and prov
no help to his own party,and hurt no othel
party.