The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1886-05-13

AFFAIRS at the State Capital for the
past week have been in a somewhat
mixed condition. Wednesday of last
week was fixed upon for the consid-
Grafton OF the contested election cases
from Hamilton county, The Repub-
licans had concocted a scheme for un-
ceremoniously ousting the Democratic
Senators and putting the Republican
contestants in their places. The DEM
ocrats becoming aware of their bold
scheme, determined to block it, and
held a caucus on Tuesday evening, at
which it was decided that as the Re-
publicans could get along without
rules, precedehts or constitution, they
could get along equally as well with
out quorum. SO when the speakers
gavel fell on Wednesday morning
only one Senator was found on the
Democratic side (VanCleaf) who had
been left TO keep watch of the move
ments and see that the records were
not tampered, with by the Republicans.
The Senate, being without quorum,
was left powerless to transact any bus
Iiness, except to adjourn. Whether
this action of the Democrats was the
best thing to be done under the cir
lcumstances is somewhat questionable,
but they considered it the only method
of thwarting the arbitrary and unfair
rulings of King Kennedy, and were
ready to return when they had assur-
lances that such rulings should be just
and in accordance with the Constitu-
ton and precedents. 1t was evident
that persons who would resort to the
, methods that these Republican Sena-
tors had, would scruple at no means
to carry out their designs, and after
vain efforts, continued up till Saturday
morning, to force enough Democrats
to return to form a quorum, and after
caucusing Saturday morning, the Re-
pubiicans, becoming desperate, de-
cided that it was time to do something,
AS there were no Democratic senators
= present and no call of the senate, the
Y procedure was short and easy. Sena'
< tor Pavey again had the tieor and
0 moved the adoption of the resolution
seating the four Republican Senators
. from hamilton county. This was
). adopted by viva voce vote. The foul
+ Republican Senators, Hardacre, Nc
Gill, Richardson and Kirchner were
. then sworn in amid applause, and the
= Senate proceeded with its business
|. Although, as matter of fact. there
were but II senators present the jour
nal does not show but what there wa
a quorum.
l. But the end is not yet. The Cleve
land Press says:
The republican senators have evi
dentIy outwitted themselves with rel
n erence to unseating the Hamilton
icounty democrats. The adjournmen
of Wednesday night appears to hav
rs been the means of placing them in
70 dilemma from which there is no es
cape without democratic help or vic
~ latIon of parliamentary law. If tn
he republican senators had taken reces
+, until Thursday, they would have bee
If all right, but the adjournment carrie
:: the journal of Monday and the specis
order relating 10 Cne conlesIeu elec'io
&c cases to the table, from which the ol
"a der cannot be taken without two
thirds vote. The democratic senator
may now safely return, and If the
choose to insist on this point the case
cannot be reached at all. The repul
at Iican biunder has given the democrat
II the best of the fight, as they may no.
p noId their men in place until the clos
ne of the term, EX-Speaker Cowgirl,
N the house, is of this opinion, and n
10 publican senators reluctantly agre
iy with him.
IS Of the revolutionary nature OF tt
n. act there can be no question. Lee
r. than quorum could perform no LEI
no islative act. No one pretends thi
there were more than seventeen Sci
ators present, being two less than I'll
III constitutional requirement.. Thu
10 while the Republican managers a
u bowling " fraud" they are openly sc
ting at defiance the plain provision
of the constitution, the rules of Il
senate and well established preceden
Ia 1t is clearly revolutionary.