Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-01-12

The statute law Of OHIO with reference Ia
any contest of an election-in clause s. Sec
tion s,0l4, Revised Statutes-reads as fol-
lows.
Neither the confession nor contestee shall
vote upon the fnal decision. nor on any pre-
liminary question that has any reference
This law governs the senate. and must he
enfoCcei by the presiding officer. Vet the
democratic majority Of the senate have
adCpted q rule declaring that conte>tees
shail have vote on ererg question in their
cosr cnccpt Hssa Of the fndl decisioa.
Therefore. when I.ieut.-Govenor Ken-
nesly Il in the chair. ii will he for him to
decide whether he will "l,ey the law or obey
this rude. 1t can not take him second Ia
decide. He must obey the law. There Is
no alternative and be has no discretion in
the matter.
Though this disgraceful majority have
sought to tie his hands by pre>crib-
ing that the clerk shall call the roll. includ-
ing the contestees. when the president re-
fuses b order it called. Kennedy will. if he
has the nerve he is credited with. enforce
the Law against this revolutionary rule If
the senate. How he will do it is question
tJhe carefully considered with counsel be
forehand: hut that be must do il somehow
is plain. 1t is his sworn duty. and he can
mol shirk it.
He officially commands the sergeants-at-
anna But they are democrats. and may
refuse 70 obey his orders. Yet he Is there
to -rule the senate accorling to law; and if
he, can not do II with the instrumentalities
proyadedin its organization. he will have to
avstl hinself Of assistance from outside
The assistance can he had. and had accord
ing to law.
When the contest for the seats of the
Hamilton-county incumbents comes on. if
the majority persist in carrying cat this
rule, in plain violation Of the law. there is
going to be trouble. But there must he no
hesitancy or compromise in dealing with it.
The president must assert his authority and
be backed In the assertion. No one Of
those Cincinnati contestees must be per-
mitted TO vote on any question relating to
his case; and. If there is power enough in
the state 70 execute the law. no one of them
will be-
Since the above writing. Lieutenant Gov
ern0t Robert p. Kennedy has been sworn in
and has delivered his inaugural address Ia
the senate. 1t justifies all we have antici-
pated in the foregoing. Robert is going 10
be prtsident of the senate. He SAYS 81:
and this Is the pith of what he says on that
topic:
Being by the Law and the constitution the
presiding officer of this assembly. and deter
mined 60 preserve and defend its character
and dignity regardless of personal conse-
quences, no one shall in any manner usurp the
authority or exercise any of the duties of this
ONCE save only rs those duties may he legally
my election and my oath with the dis
charge Of duties clearly defined. l
shall deny the right OF either branch Of
the assembly singiy and alone to repeal
es Jointly 20 ignore or destroy the constitution
adopted by the people. Having been chosen
by the people to represent them in this high
once. shall preserve all its rights. dignities.
privileges. and prerogatiyes, save as abridged
by the laws and the constitution. To BE- by me
again surrendered into the hands of the peo
pie. II did less would be an unworthy rep
resentafive of the people Of this great state
We think it is safe to predict that there
will be music about the neighhorhood Of the
presidents desk, If Mr.. Clerk VallaIdig-
ham undertakes, in pursuance of the 0My-
ers gang rules, to call the ays and noes Of
the senate against Bob Kennedys express
command to the contrary.