Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-03-28
PRESIDENT PRO TEN.
A LENGTHY DISCUSSION ON THIS SUB
JEcr IN THE SENATE.
Various Other Matters Of Moment In the
Different Departments OF
Government
nv ,eler.pn 10 tho pispatch.T

/
WASHINGTON. March 27.-The resolutions
heretofore offered Dy Mr.. Butler declaring
that the tenure Of the President pro ten. does
not expire 81 the meeting OF Congress after
recess, but IL beld nj the pleasure OF the Sem
ate, were taken up and Mr. George made a
constitutional argument In opposition 10
them. lie argued that the President pro
| TEN. could be chosen only for the time
| during which necessity might exist that
| was during the absence OF the Nice'Presi-
| dent He referred 10 the English par
| liamentary history In support OF his
position, and stated n remarkable
fsct that up to the lime Of the proteciorste
| when tie Speaker pro tenn. was elected five
| times), no Speaker pro tenn. bad ever been
elected, IL being the custom for members 10
retire and perform no business while the
| Speaker was absent on account OF sickness
or other cause. one OF the main reasons, he
said, why the House OF Commons adhered TO
the idea OF having no substitute for the
Speaker wss that that officer, although elect
ed by the House. had 10 be approved by
the King, and another ressOn was that as II
was regarded important TO have regular
speaker always IN the chair the provision Tor
any kind OF substitute would encourage the
Speakers absence for similar reasons, he
said, applied here. The Nice-President was
people1 but was chosen by tbe sovereign.
he was appointed not bv the Senate but by
the people. For important and grave rea-
sons the people bad retained to Themselves
the election OF that officer. For that reason
no Arrangement should he made that would
tend 10 show that the presence OF the Vice
President was not material.
Mr.. Turpie took the opposite view Of the
question and argued that the words oil tue
Constitution indicated the term OF the SER
vice OF the President pro ten. The words
were "in The absence oi the Nice-President."
II would he noticed, he said, that the word
"sbsence" wss written in the Constitution
with capital a." indicating that the word
included every occasion Of absence. ~ re-
ferred to oil absences Of The Nice-Prcsident.
OF course the pro ten. held bis office sub
ject 10 the pleasure OF the Senate. The
senate might choose a new substitute for the
Vice President, but 1t would choose such a
substitute for all absences OF the Nice-Presi-
dent.
Mr.. Reagan colncided with the views ex-
pressed by Mr. Turpie. II seemed TO hun
that the practice OF the Senate in electing
president DrO tenn to serve during the plea
sure Of tho Senate was perhaps allowable
under the language OF the Constitution, and
it certainly was conducive to the convenience
OF the Senate.
Mr.. Evarts said that after n careful exami-
nation OF the Constitution he was convinced
that there was really no doubt OF the COM
potency Of the Senate 10 choose presiding
officer to act whenever the occasion should
arise, and that it would be very inconYenient
TO tolerate any opposite view. lie bad pre-
pared resolution which he thought would
cover all points. II was in this language:
haf ic M
ate to elect q resident pro teD'., who shall
hold his Office during the pleasure Of the
senate and till another Is elected; and shall
execute the duties thereof whenever the Vice
President IS absent
Mr.. Butler thought thstthe question ought
TO be settled; but the Senate was not Ike
" 10 remain in session more than a week or
ten days longer there could be no great in
convenience in letting the matter remain a.
il WIS He, therefore, suggested that his
own resolutions and that suggested by Mr..
Evarts should be referred 10 the Committee
on Privileges and Elections.
MIR. Hoar said that when the question was
first presented be bad been opposed 10 the
resolutions, but he had become satisfied on
hearing the arguments Of Mr. Evsrts and the
other senator's on the same side that the best
OF the argument was in favor Of the power
OF the Senate, TO choose an officer whose
functions continued teTminabe, OF course,
at the pleasure OF the Senate; and who might
take the chair in case OF the repeated alb
sence Of the Vice President without new
election. He thought that the practice OF
the Senate had been the other way. There
was an unbrokeu usage in one way, while
he thought that the strength OF the cOnstItu-
tional argument was in the other way. Un-
der the circumstances he should not feel DIS
posed to interpOse any objection or obstacle
to the will OF the Senate In this matter.
Mr.. Doph argued against the pGoprlety OF
such a construction OF the Constitution as
would authorize the Senate to choose an Off
Ger TO perform the duties OF president OF the
Senate during the successive absences Of the
Vice, President.
Mr. Dawes argued against the resolutions
as at variance with the construction given
by the senate for one hundred years, and
was at variance with the contempOraneous
given 1t bv Jefferson and the
trainers OF the Constitution. He was unable
TO see any occasion 10 bring up out OF the |
dead past any such question. 10 appeared to |
HIM an absurdity TO chose n president pro |
temp0re before he was needed or when he |
was not needed. he was therefore unwll- |
hing TO vote for the resolutions.
Mr. Blair asked Mr.. Butter whether heck
pected the Committee on Privileges and Flee |
tons to make a report on the subject at this |
session.
Mr.. Butler thought it scarcely possible |
that a report would be made at this ses-
sion.
The resolutions Buffers and Evaris's) |
were tbereupon referred to the Committee |
on Privileges and Elections The Senate |
then proceeded to the Iteration OF ex
ecutive business, and al $3.50 adjourned.