The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1883-12-20
rHE FORTY-EIGHTR CONGRESS.
SENATE.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 1s.-The following bills
| were reported from the committee appointed
| on calendar: Senator HarrisOn's bill, provid'
| ing Tor a civil government Of Alaska; Senator
| HOar'S BILL IN regard to the election OF preSl-
| dent and vice-president.
| Senator VAN Wy,ke offered resolution
calling on the secretary of the interior for cop
| les of mortgages given by the Texas & Pacific
| Railway Company on lands granted by act OF
| ISL; also to inform the senate of the names OF
railroad corporations claiming lands not
earned during the lifetime Of the grantor, to-
| gether with the number Of acres claimed by
each road. Agreed to.
AT the conclusion of the morning hour Sena-
| tor Sherman moved the immediate conSidera-
tiOn of his resolution of yesterday that the SEN
| ate proceed to the election OF officers-secre-
tary Of the senate, chief clerk, principal exec
utve clerk. chaplain and sergeant-at-arms
Agreed to; ayes, 81; nays, 60 The division
was a strict party line, Malone and Riddle
berger voting with the Republicans.
senator Sherman moved that Anson G. Nc
Cook be chosen secretary of the Senate.
Senator Pendleton moved to amend by sub
stituting the name of L. q. Washington. Lost,
agreed to and McCoOk was sworn in.
The remaining Republican nominees were
elected as follows, For chief clerk, 2. w. John
son, OF Minnesota; executive clerk, James X.
Young. of Pennsylvania: chaplain, Rev. Elias
Dewitt. of District Columbia; sergeant-at-
arms, w. p. Canaday, Of North Carolina.
regard the Republicans were paying to the
civil service act they so highly praised and for
which they voted. They not only took Off1ceS
with good salaries, but even the chaplaincy.
Senator Beck objected TO the course Of the
Republicans in turning out Bright, a man con-
spicuous for his ability, and elecTIng Canaday,
without experience, and said it was clear that
the civil service idea was considered by the
Republicans as Il mere humbug when it inter-
fered with them. He asked what special tit
ness the new nominee had for the office.
Senator Sherman replied, he was doing just
what the gentleman from Kentucky Beck)
would, under similar circumstances, do, with
straight face and withoutlapology and he (Sher-
man, had no apology TO offer. Canaday was
a man of high character and well fitted for the
duti.S of the office.
The Senate went into executive session.
When the doors were reOpened 1t went into
committee of the whole for the purpose OF con-
tinuing the consideration of the new rules.
Senator Cameron, of Wisconsin, said a. sey:
eral senators were absent the consideration Of
the new rules had better be postponed, and
moved and adjournment. Lost, 22 to ~,
The question pending was the adoption OF
election of president pro TEN. and his right
in case of absence shall name a substitute who
shall perform the duties of the chair three
days.
On motion of Senator Garland division of
the rule was agreed to, so as to permit the first
two clauses, which are not objected to, to be
ing to the third clause, which gives the presi-
dent the power of substitution, debate arose.
Senator Bayard stated he had not been able
to discharge from his mind the grave Objec-
tons which existed in this clause, and thinking
that complications might ensue in case of the
death OF a president and vice-president, he
thought it placed the question of presidential
i'll very dangerous position. This
is a matter in which it will not do to say that
the weight of argument rests on one side or the
other 1t should be placed in such position
that there would absolutely be no doubt about
it, and he could not see in the argument ad-
vanced by those who favored it, that they were
at all satisfactory.
Senators Jones. of Florida, and Blair thought
it dangerous to clothe the president pro tenn
pore with such power.
Senator Maxey remarked that this proposed
clause was a change in rule that had been in
force forty years. If the time could be made
three days it could be extended to thirty days.
He opposed the provision.
Senator Frye, who reported the clause as
chairman of the committee on rules, said he
could not see how by any possibility the rule
could touch the question OF presidential sue
cessiOn, nor how it raised a constitutional
question. There being no yice-preSident of the
United States. and the vice-president pro TEN.
Ger for the next two years, the question is
in case of a days sickness or a day or
two of absence the United States Senate can
transact business without being compelled to
GUST him from the place to which 1t had
elected him. Under the rule as 1t stands now,
if the presiding officer was too sick to come,
ship of the secretary OF the Senate, to elect a
new president pro TEN. and that president pro
TEN. would be clothed with all the powers
which under the constitution attach to that
Office
Senator Bayard stated that the constitution
provides that the presiding officer OF the SEN
ate shall be vice-presdent, and if the vice
president in his absence cannot nominate his
lOcum tenens. the Senate must elect one, and
Il the vice-president comes back the next day,
the senator who was temporarily president
goes out of office, ipsO factO on one occasion
president, he was Ill doubt whether the fact
that Henry Wilson was i'll the gallery and
so within the walls of the Senate, lie did not
yacate on tn" election of president pro TEN.
made by his absence tn day before,
Senator Frye pointed out that the speaker of
the House Of Representatives has power to ap-
point substitute for aperiod of ten days and
for the yeas and nays on the adoption. OBJ
iected to.
Senator ingalls, offered the customary reso-
luton, which was agreed to, that the president
and House of Representatives be notified of
the election of the new secretary of the senate.
Pending vote on the rule the Senate ad-
iOurned