Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1890-03-13
NATIONS CAPITAL.
Presiding Ofcer Pro TEN ol
the Senate.
The Senate Will Vote on the Blair Blu,
March 10th.
Shall tie Kansas Statutes Temporarily
Extend Over Oklahoma?

WAsaissroS. Mar. a. The Senate
proee eeded TO the consideration of the res
oiution declaring ii competent for the Sem
ate to elect a president pro TEN, Who shall
hold the Office during the pleasure Of the
Senate or until another is elected, and shall
execute the duties thereof ~hen the Vice
President is absent.
George argued against the resolution.
He said that With the uniformity Of prae-
tice without a break for 100 years, the
jud gnenf of the Ser ate had been that .
president pro TEN elected in the sbsence of
the Vice President vacated his office on
the return of that officer. The Senate was
now asked to reverse that uniform practice,
without the committee giving grounds for
its recommendation. He had the in.ima-
ton that the meaning put upon the consti-
tuition by Jefferson, Madison. Clay, Cal
houn, Webster and all great men who had
sat In the Senate, sanctioned by long line
of preeedents, was TO be set aside and an
nulled. to suit the convenience Of the. ie-
publican caucus. The res sJiution would be
adopted and that would be only the setting
aside of the constitution, in order that the
Senate might be relieved Of little incon-
venience.
At the conclusion of Georges argument.
Blair made state ment as to the education
al bill. He thought BY Thursday or Friday
night next vote might be taken. The
discussion on this point was participated in
by Plumb, Hawley, Platt and Frye, the
latter stating that there was evidently no
desire on the part of the senator's to listen
to speeches on the educational bill. He
had frequently counted as few as seven
senators present.
Blair suggested that perhaps those were
times when the senstors were engaged il
salmon dinners.
IL was finally arranged that on Thursday |
of next week a vote should be taken on the |
amendments and the bill
The resolution in regard to the president |
pro TEN was taken up.
Turpie moved to amend by making it |
read the president pro TEN shall hold office |
during all future absence of the vice presi
dent.
The resolution was agreed to withou, |
division.
The educational bill was taken up and |
George addressed the Senate in advocacy
of 1t. George went on to say that while |
he did not share in the idea that the colored |
people of the South would be elevated by |
education he was willing to have the oppor- |
tunity extended to the democrats. aud then |
drifted into de fence of the white people |
of the South and arrsignment of those who
stirred up dissensons at the South for po-
litlcal ends.
iloar asked George what his plan was as
to the colored people of the South, and
whether it embraced protection and security
in their right 10 vote without interference
by force or fraud, and their right to fair
of justice.
George said he bad proposed no plan. |
The theory of the government was that the |
people we're capable of self government. |
There is no such thing under the constitu- |
ton AS wise States being capable of the |
guardianship of inferior States. Yet, jadg- |
ing from the history of recent years, the |
theory see Med to he that the Now England |
States and others were wise, great and
good, and capable of discbarging their full
duties to their own people, and to the fed |
eral union, aud were also capable of guar
over their more unfortunate sisters. |
He accused the republicans of melting in |
the Southern section the dagger and torch. |
Even if we n the South are not fitted for |
self z Vt rnment (as we are), we do not need |
your tutelage. George asserted there was |
no distinction in the administration of jus |
tice in Mississippi, except that the black |
man had in the jury box and on the bench |
leniency accorded to him not accorded to 4
white man. There were certain crimes, |
whether committed by white or black. fol- |
lowed by swift and terrible vengeance in |
the shape of mob law. He deplored that |
bloodshed was occasionally the result of |
race conflicts and asked were there no mObs |
in California and other western States |
where conflicts we're excited by the presence |
of the mild Mongolian.
Hoar said Massachusetts plan, the North
ern plan, the republican plan, and the |
can problem which confronted the country |
today, was where a mass of illiterate |
American children growing up as citizens,
and voters, the sovereigns to provide the |
means as far as possible, for curing this |
evil. The proposed law making power of |
the country and law executing power of
this country should protect the right of |
every American citizen, poor or rich, for |
eign or native born black or white, to cast |
a ballot which the constitution conferred |
upon him, and have that ballot counted |
The discussion took a sectional turn, |
George arguing the act for the readmission |
of Mississippi. Texas and Virginia, which |
forbids those States from imposing the |
educational test on voters, and saying if the |
fundamental condition were removed he |
would then be prepared to make known his |
plan.
The discussion came to close and after
a short executive session, the Senate, at 6