The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-02-22
TIE SENATORIAL CONTESTS.
The Oregon Legislature AdjOurns Sine Die
Without Choosing Successor to Slater.

SALEM, Ore, Feb. 21.-This city has been the
scene of the greatest turmoil ever known in the
history of the State since IL o'clock last night.
After the joint convention adjourned, without
the election of senator, on the sixty-eishth
ballot Of the session and forty-fi fifth of the day,
both houses retired to their respective halls to
finish up the routine business A concurrent
resolution was passed three days ago, adjourn
ing the Legislature on Friday at mid
night at which time the allotted forty
days expired. There is no law against
holding more than forty days, but members
cannot receive pay beyond that period. The
Republicans being in the majority il both
houses Immediately upon coming to order. passed
q resolution by viva yoce vote, resembling the
previous resolution to adjourn The Democrats
were greatly incensed at this turn of affairs, and
riotous scene occurred in the Senate when
Democratic senator from Lynn made rush
for q Republican member from Multnomah,
| reaching in his hip pocket as he advanced. The
assailant was caught by the sergeart-at-aYms.
Both houses adjourned till 10 o'clock this
morning. At a caucus of the Demo
Gratis, which ended at 2 o'clock this morning,
it was resolved that every man leave by train by
Z o'clock this morning, thus preventing a
quorum two-thirds OF the members being requi-
site TO transact business. The Republicans
will adopt one of two courses-either meet
this afternoon and elect q senator under the fed
eral law, which provides that q majority Of the
members of legislative body shall constitute
a competent body for election of senator, or
they will dispatch the sergeant alarms over the
State to bring in the absconding members. This
precedent was set by the Legislature of
1860 which sent Colonel E. D. Baker and
j. w n Smith to the United States Senate.
The Democrats defend their action on the
ground that the Oregon Legislature has never
set more than forty days, and the resembling of
the previous resolution to adjourn by viva
voce vote. they state was unparliamentary. and
is cOuntenanced neither by law usage They
declare that the Legislature is adjourned 1t is
possible that the outcome of the whole business
will be that the Governor will appoint, though
his power to do SO is questioned on good author
ity there being no vacancy owing to death
resignation This was simply failure to elect.
LATER.-Both houses OF the Legislature were
called to order at 10 o'clock. All the Democrats
seats were vacant, nearly all having left by the
early morning train. In each house there was
more than half the membership but not the
two-thlrds required by the State Constitution
for quorum for transaction of legislative
business. Both houses took recess until ll:45
AS viewed by the Republicans the legal status
of the situation is dear The President Of the
Senate, at - o'clock, has but to announce that
the constitutional hour for the joint convention
having arrived, the Senate will proceed to the
members being present-as required by the ma
tional law. balloting may proceed in regular
and legal form. There is, however, strong oppO-
sition to tbs plan though there is question
as to the legal authority for it. Tho antagonisms
which divided the Republicans up to the hour of
adjournment are still undated The Repub-
lican minority will probably decline to enter the
joint convention unless the majority candidate
will withdraw. The Republicans met in joint
convention. with fiftyone members present, and
the sixty ninth ballot was called. The vote was
widely scattered. the highest man receiving only
three The contendinS factions could not agree,
or compromise on a candidate at conference
held just before the session. Recess was taken
till 4P NJ.
At 3p. NJ. caucus of Republicans was held
and was addressed by Mr.. Hirsch who said he
! of the contest. The vote of the caucus
was for Senator H. W. Corbett. %
to TO- bat when the joint convention
| met at o'clock enough members opposed to
Corbett staid away to break quorum. The
convention dissolved and both houses adjourned
| sine dine. The Oregon Legislature of 1885 is a
| thing of the past, and there is no senator to
| succeed Slater.
A Portland telegram says: ''There is good
deal OF talk tonight, around the hotels and clubs,
about the power of the Governor to appoint
senator. This is the second time in the history
of the State that the Legislature has
adjourned without eleeting a senator The
first Legislature after Oregon was admit
ted as State, in March, 1858,
appointed senator. The Governor held that he
had no authority to appoint and the State was
represented from 1853 to 1860 by Senator Joseph
Lane alone Good lawyers hero hold
TO the opinion that the Governor may appoint.
and base this opinion on the case Of Charles H.