Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-11-26
Indiana.

The fact that Indiana i to eject united
States Senator within two months has
made the condition Of things in that State
matter of national interest. The returns
Of the elections give the Democrats two
majority on Joint ballot in the General As.
sembly. But there are four c0nteStei seats
in the House Of Representatives, wherein
the Republicans have majority, and six
i'm the Senate, wherein the Democrats have
majority. This would seem to insure
Democratic United States Senator; but this
Is by no means conceded. 1t is evident,
therefore, that the Democrats are not so IA
yorably circumstanced as the above state
ment would imply.
The trouble lies in the fact that y KEN
SEDY, The Lieutenant-Goyernor OF Ouio,
and the President OF the Ohio Senate,
changed the political complexion OF that
body last winter, and that state was conse-
auently so gerrymandcred that he is now
'congressmqn.elect and has fourteen Repub-
lcan colleagues, so the newly-electcd Lieu
tenant. Governor Of Indiana VIII be Presi-
dent Of the Indiana Senate aud make such
rulings in thai body rs 10 prevent the Demo
crats from unseatihg IN the Senate as many
members rs the Republicans will unseat in
the House. In olher words, the Republican
tricksters are expected to elect United
States Senator by outrageous methods.
But the DemScrats claim that EoBgRT-
son, the nowly-elected Licutenant-G0v-
emor, was elected TO I'LL an Office ia which
there is no vacancy, aud that consequently
he cannot preside over the Senate. They
claim thai the President pro tom. Of the
Senate. q Democrat, is entitled TO serve out
the uncxpired term ol the Lie,ltcnant-Goy-
emoi In whose place ROBERTSON was elected.
The Wheeling register says:
"The best legal mlnds in. the State sup
port this position, and, in case OF an emcr-
cency, the supreme Court would certainty
grant an injunction to prevent ROBERTSON
from discharging any Of the functions Of
the Office OF Lleutenant-G 5yelnor."
THE best legal minds in the state may
say that ROBERTSON is moi entitled 10 pre-
side over the Senate, but they hardly claim
that the Supreme Court would, If applied
70, grant an Injunction Go restrain him from
doing so. We would as soon expect the
Supreme Court OF the United states u
grant an Injunction restraining the Vice
President OF the United States elect from
pres,ding over .he United states Senate
In 1877, the United States supreme Cour
had an excellent excuse for usurping iuris
dictlon in such ease when WHEELER wa
declared to be elected Vice. President o
the United states. But nobody In tn
United States. so far as we know, ever sug
gested such thing as transferring tina
contested or disputed election from the tw'
houses OF Congress to the Supreme Court.
Nor eau the Democrats defeat the elee
tion Of Republican United states Senate
BY resigning unless they resign before th
Republicans secure majority in the Stat
Senate; for II is evident that II the IL
publlcans secure n majority In each houS'
they viii have quorum In each house
and quorum Is all thai Is required 10 J
present when United States Senator
elected. More When the two houses me-
M Joint session to elect United stat,
Senator, II j. not Necessary to an elcetio
that any person voted for should receive
\ majority OF the votes IN each house. u,
"lhe person who receives q majority q
oil TIE roteS Of the joint assembly, m.
u ioTity OF all the members elected 10 bot
houses being present aud voting. shall }
declared duly elected" says the Unite
States statute.
1t Is best not to build upon unstabl
foundations.
There is one desporatescoursei in the powe
Of the Democrats. II majority Of III
senators resign a. soon as the Legislltur
meets the election OF United States Sena
tor might be STAYED elf for time, and even
until the expiration Of the sixty-dsys' ses
zion II the Democratic Governor has th'
right 10 order elections 10 on vacancies.
but not II, as in Virginia, these elections
nre ordered by the presiding officers OF the
two houses.