Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1883-12-14
b W.
,enenda unOn nm

depends upon WneS10U1
dem bro tenn. is the one who OcCupl91
the chair under the rule, or is the per
son elected by the Senate under the
Constitution. 1t is clear under the
Constitution and law that the person
who is president pro ten., 10 the officer
whom the Constitution describes, and
as AN officer by the Constitution and
the laws made in pursuance of it. He
ia required to take the oath a. an officer
and to perform the duties of the
office faithfully. Edmunds thought
that all must agree that the person
called to the chair by the President pro
tenn, or bv the Vice President. if he ia
presiding. ia not tho President pro TEN.
Of the Senate in the point Of constitu-
tional law. The President pro tenn,
once elected and qualified, continues to
be President pro tenn. until his successor
Ia elected by the Senate and qualified by
taking the oath. He could not see how
the provisions of the new rule would in
vOlve the difficulty or danger Sppre-
hended by the Senators who oppose it,
and he was of the opinion that this
would seem especially true when it was
borne in mind that the whole matter is,
every minute of time, under the imme-
date control of the Senate, which can
elect President pro tenn. ut any mo,
ment it may please.
Senator Bayard inquired whether, if
the position of the gentleman from Yer
mont be correct, IL would not follow
that there would be an officer presiding
over the deliberations of the Senate un.
known to the constitution, and not the
President pro tenn, whom the Senator
from Vermont describes AZ an officer
named by the constitution, but what
Bayard would call nOndescript.
This would be delegation of
delegated power, a func ion gen
orally forbidden by law. II
the Senator from Vermont should be
absent three days, and should designate
the position of presiding officer to the
Senator from Kansas (SenatOr Ingalls,,
who daring the discussion occupied the
chair. how should he describe him?
And 10 case the Senator from Verm ont
should die, who could fill his place?
Edmunds replied If what he ed
ia in'that condition at the present mo-
nondescript. Laughter. There is no
term known to the constitution or laws
Of the United States by which we ad
dress the Senator from Kansas while in
the chair, and his presence there is GER
tainly Dy a delegation of delegated
power, practice founded on the neees-
sites of the case and on common
sense. It may be, as the Senator from
Delaware (BayardD says, delegation
of power that cannot be delegated. In
that case the Senate at the present mo-
ment is nothing but a mob.
The discussion was continued by
Morgan and Hoar, and the amendment
offered by Carl md was lost by vote Of
"A to q all the Democrats voting fol
and all the Republicans against.
Sherman did not like to see the mat
ter become party question. He die
not want to see any rule that would
meet with the united opposition Of one
side Of the chamber. II it should ap
pear that any one of the rules was opeE
to an honest and fair party objection, hl
would be against 1t. He would hole
himself reaoy, il he saw any valid leea
or constitutional objection to the specia
CLAUSE under consideration, to votI
against it.
Edmunds offered resolution that til,
Senate should proceed to the election o
President pro tenn. and asked that tn,
resolution lie on the table.
Van Wyek's resolution, calling on tn
Secretary of the Interior for informa
ton relative to the transfer Of Texa
Pacific land grants to the Southern Pa
cifc Railroad, was adopted.
After an executive session the Senat
| adjourned until Monday.