The Portland daily press., 1885-12-02
CURRENT COMMENT
FOR PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE.
PHILADELPHIA Press


FOR PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE.
Philadelphia Press.
Some man whose Republcanism has nei-
Their dust nor cobwebs upon it.
RIVALS.
N Y Tribune.
Really it seems as though Sterling were
getting to be a more important parsonage
tlan Higgins.
THEY INTEND TO PROVIDE FOR HIM.
Worcester Spy.
Attorney General 0'Brien Of New York
has given a written opinion to Gov. Hill that
there was no vacancy in the office OF port
warden at New York, and the appointment
of Sterling was consequently void. The gov
enor, however, thought differently, and
now the attorney general has the somewhat
unpleasant duty Of going into court IN be-
half of the State and Sterling, in suit to be
brought by the latter to turn out Leaycratt,
the present incumbent. Sterling's prospect
of getting the Office is thought not to be
good, but of course something else will be
found for him. A person whom the Presl-
dent Of the United States and the Governor
of New York have undertaken to provide for
is not likely to be left out in the cold.
EXCESSIVE sENTIMENTALITY.
North American.
While it may be admitted at the outset
that more perfect system designed to meet
contingencies in regard to the Presidential
and Vice Presidential positions is absolutely
needed yet there is little to justify the rea-
soning of Democratic theorists to the effect
that the Senate should now fOrego its UNI
doubted political privileges in the choice OF
President pro tenn. of its organization Vice
President Hendricks was presiding officer of
that body as the result of a national majority
vote and during his lifetime upon the same
principle, the Senate would have chosen a
pro tenn presiding officer upon majority
basis in that body. 1t would therefore be an
excess of sentimentality to depart from GUS
tom and place a Democrat in the position.
There is not much fear that this will be done,
but the specious pleadings of Democratic or
gans deserve just notice enough to convey q
rebuke for inconsistent presumption.
NOT CoNDoNED,
Iewiston Journal.)
Some of our Democratic exchanges think
it would be improper for the Senate, in con-
sidering nominations for office, to take into
account the course of Captain Chase in con-
nection with the 'count-out'' in 1S79-S0, be-
cause that question was made one of the is
sues in the election of 1880, and Captain G..
(as they claim was supported by majority
of the people of Maine in the election of Gov.
PlalSted Even If it were true that the people
Of Maine endorsed the wicked proceedings
in connection with the dOunt-out, including
the changing of returnS-even that would
not change the fact that these transactions
were dishonest and wicked. But the people
| knows that thousands of Democrats and
Greenbackers who disapproved the count
| out supported Plaisted on the claim that he
| had nothing personally to do with the pro-
| ceedings, and that the real issue involved not
the count-out but issues of a national char
acter. In other words, these Democrats sup
ported the Democratic State ticket, because
they regarded the vote given for it as having
a special bearing on the presidential election
then approaching. Scores of gentlemen who
voted the Democratic ticket have privately
expressed their utter condemnation of the
count-0ut conspirators. Indeed, even in the
election of $780, where any one of the con-
spirators was a candidate, he was defeated
with the aid of Democratic and Greenback
votes that went for Plaisted. Not one of the
men who were regarded by the public as the
responsible perpetrators of the grave wrongs
against the people has since been endorsed
by popular election to any office in Maine.
In canvassing returns there are sometimes
honest differences of opinion as to what the
law requires, and action in one direction or
the other does not reflect on the integrity or
character of the canvassing officer. But the
subcommittee of the council (of whom Capt.
| Chase was member), which had the control
| of the returns that were altered, doctored
! and twisted by somebody to count out 80 Re-
| publicans and not a single Democrat, cannot
plead "honest differences of opinion on
points of law" Their conduct was such as
to justify the conclusion that they are unfit
ted for public trust"