The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-12-11

Gratis generally call it, the Force Bill" by
the Senate during the present session.
In this connection be called attention TO
the difference in character, and particu-
larry as to rules, between the two branches
of congress. The life of the lower house
of each congress is limited to two years.
Each house makes its own rules. which
cease to be binding on the final adjourn
ment of that congress. But the Senate is
continuous body. Only one-third of its
seats are vacated at any one time. The
rules are similarly continuous. These
rules do not include a right to call the pre-
vious question, and therefore have been
held to concede an unlimited right of
debate
The Republic correspondent intimates
that Democratic senators viii avail them
selves of every expedient TO prevent vote
upon this bill. and are prepared to assert
and exercise their right of debating it up
to the last moment of the session. And
should the majority place reasonable
limitation on the time to be consumed in
debating this measure, and should the
presiding officer conform to the resolution
of the majority by refusing to recognize
those determined upon obstructive de-
bate, it is ominously limited that the DEM
ocratic senators are prepared and deter
mined to resort to force"
Subsequent to the publication of this
correspondence the Republic followed it
up editorially with this strong language:
ANY attempt of the Force bill Radicals TO
deny the Democrats voice in the Senate viii
be resisted without regard for Radical feelings
or opinions. The refusal of the Hoor of the
Senate to Democrats would be revolutionary,
and while it might not justify forcible resist
anee on the part of the individual senator
wronged, il would justify every Democrat in the
Senate in taking the floor and holding IL until
the Radicals consented 10 proceed in order Ii
MIR Norton, Mr. ingalls,, Mr.. Hoar or any other
Radical who takes the chair for the purpose OF
denying the Democrats the right OF free deliber-
alton under the rules OF the Senate, attempts
forcible measures to suppress the Democratic
senators when they claim the floor in body,
be call in his sergeant.at-arms, his police or
his soldiers, aud make the issue for the country
to pass on again rs 1t passed on the Reed dictat-
orship In November
The New York World, the Atlanta Con-
stitRtioa. the Chicago Herald and other
leading Democratic papers have Of late
contained similar threatening fultnina-
tons. Conservative citizens of the coun-
try will he 10th to recognize the disgrace
ful import of these limitations By the
same class the made revolt of is60-61 the
attempted secession of states the Gring
on the Union dag; the seizure of the gov
ernment mints, forts and arsenals and the
like were discredited and deemed impossi-
bic until they actually happened.
And so il is now as to this idea that by
deliberate forecast nearly one-half the men,
bers Of the most august legislative assem-
blage in the world have determined to con-
vert the United States Senate into a VERT
able bear garden. And this for the sole
purpose of preventing the majority from
enacting law in direct conformity with the
constitution. aimed at the correction of a
wholesale suppression and prostitution of
the right of suffrage. This would he, if
possible, a more serious matter than the
firing on Sumpter, and to this as to that
piece of Democratic partisan madness the
country will respond in tones not to be
mistaken. Pass the bill!