National Republican., 1884-01-15
Mr.. Edmunds Reelected TO the Presidency Of
the Senate
The Honor rendered TO Mr.. Anthony,
Who FeeIingy Declines,
Mr. Hills Exhaustive Argument in Favor Of Postal
Telegraph.
A Pleasing Variety OF New Measures In
troduccd.
THE SENATE,

HhNhtTa anu hthltIh III lsVuih hshths AOA IT,
tSliatory legislative measures to protect them
from the unjust prohibition of American meats
now being practiced by Germany and France
against the people of the United States
The petition says "it IL ecss to appeal to those
nations In any other way except by such legisla-
tion rs will teach them to respect the rights Of
citizens Of the United States"
Bills were introduced as follows:
By Mr.. Miller. Of New York: To provide for the
retirement Of Gen. ". W. Ayerili, brevet major
Senetal, with the rank and pay Of brigadier gen.
eral.
BY Mr. Brown: A number of bills for the inn
ptuvomcnt Of rivers and harbors OF Georgia, In
oluaing the Chaiiehooche and savannah rivers
and the hatbor Of Brunswick.
By Mr. Cockrel 10 regulate attorneys fees in
hir. sherman then called UP for the action OF
th. senate the resolution Of Mr.. Edmunds OF Dec:
15-that the senate now proceed TO the election OF
president pro tempore-and moved that Senator
Henry B. Anthony, OF Rhode Island, be elected to
In making his motion Mr.. Sherman said that
Senator Anthony was the senator who OF those
now in the senate had longest occupied seat In
a. that he had been Ave times elected by his state
~ represent ita people in this body, and had been
many times elected by common consert president
pro tempore Of the senate, and had always iaith-
fully discharged the duties OF that ohlce. Under
would be entire unanimity In eleotng Mr.. An
thony.
ions expressed by the senator from Ohio INT Sner-
man a. tNe qualifications, fitness, integrity abil-
Ivy, ana pntiiotsm Ol the gentleman nhIeu LOT
once. moved TO amend by striking out the name
OF Mr. Anthony and insert the name OF Thomas
y. Bayard, Of Delaware.
The amendmeW was not agreed to, and the
question recurring on the motion OF Mr.. sherman,
~ wa, agreed 10, aud senator Anthony was de-
olatyd duly elected to tile Office of president pro
tenpore OF tic senate, and was invited by Inc
chair (Mr. Edmunds) to come forward aud be
sworn in; Thereupon Mt Anthony rose in his
manner. said: 81 thRnk you, senators, for this
distinguished honor. Il would be aflecIaiion in
me 10 say that It has come entirely unexpected,
for have been for some time aware OF your kim
and hauering purpose. IL would be stili more al.
iectet,on N me 70 deny mat the acceptance OF II
Of my health which you all know is precarious,
forbids me 70 assume any labor that can con.
not hesitate to undertake any burden
laid upon mo by my brother sens-
ifit were thought could perform 1t better than
anothe., yet think 1t is no Shirking Of duty, no
cowardly Incidence in me to decline position
greater advantage TO the senate and to the
country. Therefore, senators, with heart over
flowing with gratitude for all your kindness to
me, most respectfully decline the position"
The chair then announced that It awaited the
action OF the senate.
cancy In tho office Of president pro tempore of the
senate, he did not deem any further action neces.
George +. Edmunds, senator from the state OF
Vermont be elected president pro temp0re OF the
senate, but such action would involve notification
~ the house OF Representatives and the president,
which would imply that the senator from Yer
mont Nir. Edmnnds) was not president pro
Here Mr. Edmuuds vacated the chair, to which
he called Mr Garland, OF Arkansas.
Mr. sherman moved that the order Tor the cleo
WITH. VIII 0' PRESIDENT p '0"p0'0 00 0''pen''o
MI. Bayard inquired II the motion were open
The chair stated that the senator from Ohio
(Nlr. Shcrmanl had Withdrawn his resolution.
Alf Slater asked how the senate CouId get along
without duly-eleCtel Drgsldcut temDUIe,
Mr. sherman replied that tho senator from
Rhode Island CMr Anthony having declined, the
senator from Vermont (Mr, Edmunds) remained
president pro tempore OF the senate II the
senate preferred, he had no objection TO formal
vote on the subject, but no did not deem 1t ne
cessary
Mr.. Hoar remarked that in case any grave con.
stitnional exlgency should arise, 1t would be bet
ter that the organization of the senate should be
beyond the possibility of dispute OF doubt, and he
believed the best course to be to proceed to the
election OF president pro tempore, as originally
proposed by the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Sher-
mani
senate, by vote OF a majority of It's members
having decided to proesed to the election of n
president pro tenporc, he did not think 1t en-
tirely competent for tile present president pro
tempore to continue, although everybody knew
the circumstances OF the case, and that those cir
lbs continuing in the cfice. Mr dawes did mot OF
believe that the ofice had been vacated by the
senate's agreeing to the resolution which elected
the gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. Anthony.
Mr.. Ingalls, differed toto coeio from the opinion
expressed by the gentleman from Massachusetts
(Mr. Dawes. II had always been held that the
presidency pro tempore was absolutely at the con.
trol Of the senate, and might be changed from
hour TO hour ii a majority at the senate so held
He maintained that the adoption Of the resolu-
ZION electiug the senator from Rhode Island (Mr
Anthony to the presidency pro tempore vacated
Ingalls, was speaking without n president pro
tempole. lie noped the senate would forthwith
proceed TO an election under the resolution of the
gentleman from Ohio (Mr. ShermGn).
Mr. Bayard thought that If the senate were foi
the moment, working strictly under the rules the
secretary of the senate would now be the occu-
pant OF the chair, and would there remain until d
president pro tempore should be chosen, Iht
Anthonyl in Mr. Bayard's opinion avoided lpsC
iacto any title that proceded II. There was
therefore vacancy In the oflice OF president pre-
tempore OF the senate, aud the senate ought nov
to proceed TO I'LL that vacancy.
Mr.. Jones. OF Florida. said there was no vacancy
when the senator from Rhode Island lAir. An
MIR sherman offered the following resolution
Resorsd, That George +, Edmnids, senator
from tue state OF Vermont. is hereby chosen presi
dent pro tempore Of the senate.
Mr. II yaTd moved TO amend by striking ou
George i. Edmunds, senator from the state o
Vermont" and inserting instead "Geone III. Pen
dlelon, u senator from tue state OF Ohio
The vote ON the amendment rcsultud-yeas "a
nays %, 50 the amendment was not agreedto.
Mr Malone voted with the republicans. Mr.
Riddlroerger, being paired with Mr.. Williams. o
The resolution OF Mr. sherman was then agreed
70, aud Mr. Edmunds, having advanced 70 IN,
uesk lOf lhc purpose OF uclllk sworn IN, the Onti
OF once was administered To him by the presiding
officer, Senator Garland, OF Arkansas,
The following resolution, offered by Mr.. Shor
man, was then agreed to:
Rtsllu1d ThatthC secretary Of the senate inform
the President Of the United states Hud the housj
of representatives that the senate has chosen Hon
George r. Edmunds a senator from tho slate o
Vermont president pro tcmpOre OF tue senate,
The chair laid before the senate u communicA
tlOn from the secretary OF tho navy transmitting
Information Us 10 date ut construction, or.giuH
cost, and total expense for all repairs since the
construction Of vessels borne on The naval Tegiste
In November, 1883.
Senator Hill delivered speech In support OF IN,
postal telegraph bill introduced by MIN. Refer
ring to the British telegraph system, lie set tOftl
the reasons which led 10 It's transfer nom privst,
~ public control, describing legisa'iNe blunde
by reason Of which the government was made 1.
lHy E700OOOO when only G3UO1,OU had heuu o.
tmnted rs necessary for the purchase Ot priYHt,
rights, aud showed that Notwithstanding this
the investment had proved a probable one
since the date OF the transfer Of the telegraph
TO the stltG-JAu. %, ls71-tne lery ytb Of line had
been Increased from j,djl mile, 70 3sub miles
mud TIM, OF wire iiuIn iSyyJ miles to ljt i3l MILES
The unm' or of offices hud grown IRON 2lNs lt
b,7l7, aud the number Of messages trulu Ubuu
GUOl10O0 to nearly 100000,
He lTatCd the story Ot the telegraph In thi
country, referring 10 tie absorption utFmall COM
IAu!es into one general system, ending In let6 ~
iEG consolidation o. the Western Uulun and tu'
American, by reason ut which, he sad, the Mch,
eTu Union company stood without an impuUau
rival IN the lClvgtUpl hu'ines, ut The cOuutr,
with capital stock 'lsll ODhuuO AMI tuiUi NOM
inul investment OF sli $3.50, ui which s23i,hug
rrprc, pntcd uOtNint uut pure water oud .y,jlJgJ
irnuerty almost WORTHLESS. The rumuiuiug 3D.,
S5TaO was mn eXugsCwtiOu Ot pr tuuhly 100 pei
cent of lie cost II the pIunt which it TepTa aseulul