The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-12-17
THE SENATE,
An Interesting Discussion of Senator H0ar's |
Presidential Succession Bill.

by MT. Teller: 10 provide for the free and
unlimited coinage of the silver dollar.
By Mr.. ingalls,: To provide for determining
the existence and removal of inability of the
President to discharge the powers and duties of
his Office
A resolution heretofore offered by Mr.. Beck
was laid before the Senate requesting the Presi-
dent to cause inquiry to be made and inform the
Senate whether any consular officer of the
United States had, since 1868, had any interest
in or received benefit from any national, con-
suar or commercial officials of foreign countries.
Mr.. Beck said he understood there was some ar
rangement between consular officers of the
United States and some notarial or other Of
fcials of other countries by which our consular
officers received, individually, benefits that they
could not get directly. If that was so, he want
ed it stopped, and having introduced bill on
The subject of consular fees, the information
was necessary for his guidance.
Mr.. Allison saw no reason for going so far
back as 1868.
Mr. ingalls, said that if this was to be par
tisan inquiry, for partisan purposes, it should be
inquired into by the Senate before being agreed
to.
Mr. Beck said that if the senator assumed
such thing, and wanted the resolution referred
to partisan committee, the yeas and nays would
have to be called.
Mr.. ingalls, repealed any insinuation that it
was to be referred to partisan committee He
moved its reference to the committee on COM
merce, and it was so referred.
A resolution was offered by Mr.. Butler, direct
ing the committee Territories to inquire and
report by what authority so-called Legislature
has been organized in the Territory Of Dakota
and whether such action was not calculated to
bring about conflict of authority prejudcial to
good order in that Territory. Mr.. Butler asked
immediate consideration of the resolution.
Mr. ingalls, objected. and under the rule the
resolution lies over one day.
resolution offered by Mr.. Hale was agreed
to. calling on the Secretary Of the Treasury to
transmit to the Senate list of claims against
the government dsallowed on Jan. l, last, with
the reasons for the disaowance in each case,
and copies of all opinions delivered in such cases
by officials of the government
The Chair laid before the Senate message
from the President, transmitting report of the
Secretary of the Interior, calling attention to
the condition of some of the Cheyenne Indians,
and requesting legislative authority for the use
of certain funds for their relief.
The Senate then proceeded to the calendar,
the first bill in order being Mr.. Hoars presiden-
tial succession bill
In opening the debate on the BILL Mr. Maxey
reviewed the history of the question, and showed
that four Presidents and five ce-presidents
had died in Office. There had been no President
of the Senate or Speaker of the House of Rep
resentatves when President Garfield died, and
none on the death of Vice-president Hendricks
The Secretary of State, in Mr.. Maxey's belief,
was the proper person to be selected for the
presidential functions in case of the death of
both President and Vice-president His politics
would naturally be in accord with that of the
majority of the people.
Mr.. Beck suggestively inquired what might
have happened if the President of the United
States had died before the meeting of this Con-
gress, the Republican senators, although as a
whole in the majority, not being present in suffi
cient numbers the opening Of Congress
to have constituted a quorum. The people had
placed the executive authority for four years in
the hands of the Democratic party The Re-
publicans, by themselves could noSa have sworn
in the senators from Illinois. New Hampshire or
Oregon. The question would have been present
ed whether it was the duty of the Democrats of
the Senate to help the Republicans to elect
President pro tenn. of the Senate who should be
President of the United States, or stand still and
allow the House Of Representatives to elect
Speaker by l87-sixteen more than quorum of
the House. Had Speaker been elected before
President pro tenn. of the Senate, we might
have had some unseemly scenes as to who had
the better right to the presidential Office when
the Senate should. later, elect its President pro
q
minority of the Senate who had no quorum,
when on the same day Democratic House of
Representatives was electing Democratic
Speaker. That was difficulty that might have
confronted us seriously. The bill, in Mr.. Beck's
opinion. disposed Of all questions of doubt
Mr.: Edmunds expressed his surprise at Mr..
Beck's observations. He admitted that it had
been the will of the party of which Mr.. Beck
was distinguished leader to resort to revolu-
tionary methods. 1t was in the power of a
large minority of any government to become
revolutionsts and to break it up. but Mr.. Ed
munds should hope it would be very long time
before any Democrat--or any Republican sena-
tor. If the Republicans were in a minority
would resort to any revolutionary method
whether of action or inaction, with tho view of
gaining the political power of dispensing post
offices and signing land warrants. until the cleo
ton of new President. All that Mr.. Beck had
stated Mr. Edmunds thought purely imaginary.
He had no doubt that when Vice president Ar
thur failed to leave the chair the Senate could
have elected President pro tempore to serve
whenever the Vice president should be absent,
and could have done similarly last spring. If Mr..
Edmunds had the regulation of the question un-
der discussion he would leave the substance of
the law where it was now, but would add to 1t
provision requiring the House of Representatives
to meet and organize on the 4th of March-that
the country should have four lives between the
executive Office and chaos That would meet
everything, except something that might happen
once in perhaps hundred thousand years, be-
Mr.. Edmunds advocated because it was based on
the solid principle that it was the intention and
the necessary scheme of government of the
people that when a vacancy occurs in the Office
OF chief magistrate the representatives of the
people in the Senate and House of Representa-
tives should be the guardians of that
high Office until the voice of the
people could be again directly taken by
an election and that it was not in accordance
with the true philosophy of republican and dem
ocratic government, that the President should
be authorized to name the man who, in case of
disability, should be President in his stead
That was power that in its nature, approached
the exertion Of the royal prerogative, by which
the king, in his will, named who should be regent
during the minority of the heir-apparent Mr..
Edmunds did not believe in it He had the high
est respect for the present Secretary of State,