Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-03-01
Appointing United States Senators

AS general rule, The N0tion treats
all subjects intelligently. It's contribu-
tors are many. and they are generally
first-class men. Nevertheless, like all
the other Republican and Independent
journals of New York, it fails when it
undertakes to discuss constitutional
questions. In last weeks issue Of The
Nation there is an article which coolly
assumes that it is a settled question
that the Governor Of Illinois
will have the right to appoint
United States Senator if the
Legislature at its present session ne
elects, or for any cause fails, to elect
one. Our New York contemporary
quotes the words of the Federal Con-
stitution as if the whole controversy
turned upon the words vacancies "
and the word shy resignation or
otherwise "; whereas the dispute is as
to the meaning Of the word "happen."
Can vacancy be said to have chap
pened" - when it was foreseen and fore
known that it would occur, say, on the
4th of March, 1885: We call The Ma
TONS attention to the real point.
The following article treats the sub
jet in general way, and is worthy OF
perusal:
To the Editor Of the Dispatch:
1t is to be hoped that the Senate of
the United States will return to the
custom of "the fathers" and not adj
NIT senator's appointed by the Cover
nors Of States when such Governors
had not particle of right to make
such appointments. People who will
read the debates which took place on
che subject in the better days Of the
republic will be satisfied beyond the
shadow Of doubt that it was never
intended that when the Legislature of
State had had chance land it was
its duty to elect senator. and had not
made an election, the Governor of the
State could afterwards appoint
senator. To accept the latter doc
trine would give the Governors
Of States the right TO do exactly what
the people, speaking through their repre-
sentatives, declined TO allow them to do.
Furthermore, to establish the principle
that the Governor Of State can fill
vacancies when the Legislature Of
State has had the privilege Of doing it
and failed would be setting such pre-
cedcnt as would soon break up the
Legislatures from doing what the Con-
stitution says shall be done. Power
was only intended to be given the Gov
ernor of State to make an ap-
pointment "if vacancy happened
during recess Of the Legisla-
ture." II it is to go out that the
Governor can appoint senator after
the Legislature Of State has had
an opportunity to elect and did not do
il. what q condition Of things would
exist. Why, we shall have the fight
for the election of senator's taken partly
out of the hands Of the representatives
Of the people and transferred TO the
Governors Of the States. Think Of the
many short-lived senator's" if that
doctrine is to prevail, who will quickly
afterwards be vending their way to
Washington simply to be crowned as
senator's. We have corruption "
enough now among the State legisla-
lures when a United States senator is
to be elected, and it would not be the
part Of wisdom to open new fields
10 add TO such corruption. The peO-
pie have conferred upon Governor
the power to appoint senator when it
is not convenient for them, through
their representatives. to elect one, but it
would be contrary TO reason TO suppose
that il was ever their intention to give
the Governor Of the State right to do
exactly what they had declined to do
through their agents. As the Republic
can party has good working majority
in the Senate land will likely have il for
some time to GOMEZ, the occasion is very
favorable TO settle the point at issue ON
right principles, and | hope to see the
would-be senator's seeking admission
into that honorable body contrary TO
the rights Of the people OF certain States,
contrary to the spirit Of the Constitu-
ton, as well as contrary to reason and
common sense. refused admission. II
is true that the Constitution Of the Uni
ted States has been greatly stretched to
oblige Tor made to comply with the
views Of } some leading men, but il is to
be sincerely hoped that il has not yet
lost all the strength its almost inspired
authors intended to give it, and for the
benefit Of the people. As we drift
away from that Constitution, ain sat-
is6ed we are drifting away from the
best interests Of people who would be
free and live under the best form of
government that the wit Of man has ever
vet invented RANpoTpu