Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1885-12-16
NRTY-NINTH CONGRESS-.
First Session,
sen ATE.

WASHINGTON, Dec. Is.
The chair laid before the Senate letter
from the secretary of war, with the report of
the chief of ordnance. showing the tests of
IRON and steel during the last fiscal wear. also
iettef from the same secretary transmitting
IN compliance with the recent resolution Of
the Senate, the report of Capt Bixbv, U. S.
engineer, on the sea coast fortificstions of
Europe: also letter from the same secretary
transmitting petition of the adjutant general
OF the army and officers and non- commission
ed officers
Mr. Edmunds from the committee on ,udi-
clary, reported favorably bill to relieve
Gen. Alexander r Lawton of Georgia, of his
consideration of the BILL
The Lawton bill was read three times and
passed.
Mr.. Edmunds introduced a bill granting a
pension to Mrs. Julia d. Grant, and another
Dill granting her the franxing privilege. Mr..
Edmunds said the bills were precisely in form
IKE those adopted in similar cases heretofore.
The Senate took up Mr.. Hoar's bill to pro-
vide for the Presidential succession, and MIR.
Hoar addressed the Senate on it.
The bill, Mr.. Hoar said, in case of a va
cancy in the Offices of President and Vice
President, devolved the presidential duties
upon the members of the Cabinet in the order
OF their official seniority-that is to say in the
order In which the various departments were
created-except that the head of the depart
ment of justice, which was the last depart.
ment created by law, is continued in his
place.
The bill also, Mr.. Hoar said, provides that
the officers who should succeed to the duties
should continue to act during the term for
which the President should have been elected.
and abroRates the provisions of the law pro-
Vldlng Tor an election in the interval. The
present arrangement devolving the succession
on the President of the Senate and Speaker
OF the House of representatives., respective
~, Mr.. Hoar said was most awkward and
inconvenieDt one. 1t had been adopted orgi-
nally in opposition to the opinion of Madison
and in oppositisn to the opinion of the first
House of Representatives of which he was the
leader. 1t mad been adopted as a continuance
OF the old controversy that arose in the con-
vention that framed the Constitution; that
struggle for equality of the small states as
against the claim that the powers of the gov
ernment should be welded by the people of
the different states in proportion to their
population, the scale being turned in favor of
the adoption of the existing principle by the
Jealousy entertained toward jefferson. But
for the apprehension of the growing public
influence of Jefferson and of the political
opinions of which he had been the represen-
tative, provision would have been made in
the first Congress for the secretary of state to
exercise the executive function in case of a
vacancy.
Among the objections to the existing ar
rangements, Mr.. Hoar mentioned the fact that
during portion of this term there was no
officer in existence who could succeed to the
Presidents duties; also that it would be al
most impossible for the President of the
Senate to continue to perform the functions
of his senatorial office when he should become
acting President of the United States Moth
ing could be conceived more awkward or re-
pugnant to our sense of propriety than for
the President of the United States to sit in
the chair of the Senate and preside over dis
cussions with regard to his own nominations,
and presiding over and listening to the criti-
cIsms OF the executive policy, which would
sometimes be heard in the Senate Chamber
Besides, under the present arrangement the
executive function was repOsed in the officer
changeable at the will of the Senate The
presiding officer of the Senate might be
changed after the presidential functions had
devolved on him and that point suggested
every possible measure OF legislative precau-
ton. Six of the persons who had filled the
office of secretary of state became presidents
of the United States, though not originally
appointed with reference to any succession,
while no president pro tenn of the Senate had
ever been candidate of any considerable
political organization for the presidency
There were but four of the speakers of the
House who had ever become candidates of
any considerable political organization. Mr.
Hoar was of the opinion that the trainers Of
the constitution had been of the opinion
that the process by which this great
and free people should change its
mind should be process which should
take place once in four years. The
intention of the people, too, in presidential
elections, was not so much 8 matter of ele-
waiting any particular man to the presidency
as to pronounce that certain policies opinions
and great public measures should prevail. A
The new measure will be the protection of
the person holding presidential office from
the assaults of political criminals, as no one
would attempt to assassinate the president in
order to elevate cabinet officer who would
be of the presidents own political party. 1t
was desirable to protect the presidential in
cumbent from assault in time of great pub
lie excitement, by persons maddened and
crazed-as feeble minded Guiteau had been
| by political quarrels-or from persons who
should persuade bimself that he was perform
ing TIE part of Brutus.
Mr.. Conger inquired what would happen
in case the secretary of state, performing the
presidential duties, should himself die or be-
come incapable. Should the person who
should succeed him as secretary of state be
| entitled to succeed him?
| Hoar replied that there would be no secre-
ary of state and the presidents duties would
be performed bv the same officer.
| On the conclusion OF Mr.. Hoars remarks
on the Presidential succession bill, the Senate
took up the bill to increase to $4,000 the salary
of the U. S. district judges. but after some
debate this was laid over.
| Mr.. FRYE then called up the bill providing
code of joint rules for the Senate and House
of Representatives. and the Senate proceeded
with its consideration.
| Mr.. Frye briefly explained the rules One
of the clauses, he said, provided that each
house should every morning dispose of all
messages on its table. That said Mr.
Frye, .will prevent the other house from sd-
! journing al the close of TIE session with 240
Senate bills on the table" Another clause
provided against general legislation on ap-
preparation bills Another regulated con-
| ferences, as to which there was now no regu-
ation. Another would require each house
during the last 10 days of the session to take
up business of the other house. This was
what the Senate had ALWAYS done. As to
rule Is, providing no intoxicating liquors
shall be sold in the capitol, Mr.. Frye said
! that a majority OF the committee believed