The daily state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 188?-1891, 1890-05-18
: LET THE PEOPLE ELECT
THE UNITED STATES SENATORS.
SAYS MIR. HENDERSON.
Hon. John S. Henderson, of N orth Car
olina, Interviewed in Regard to His
Bill to Elect Z. s. Senators By the
People.

Olina, Interviewed in Regard to His
Bill to Elect Z. S. Senators by the
People.
Especial TO STATE CHRONICLE.l
WASHINGTON, D. c., May II, $780,
Mr.. Henderson's joint resolution pro-
posing an amendment to the Constisu-
ton of the United States providing for
the election of Senators by the people
came up before the House Judiciary
Committee last week, but Mr.. Herder-
son informs me that its consideration
was postponed until the Senate shall
have acted upon the matter, or shall at
least have taken the initiatory steps to
consider it. In response to my inquiries
to-day Mr.. Henderson says ''the subject
is well understood both by Congress and
the country. The Senate was originally
intended to be representative body
composed of members elected by the
several State Legislatures state
without its consent is to be deprived of
its equal suffrage in the Senate. On the
other hand, the House Of Representa-
tlves was 10 be composed of members
chosen every second year by the people
Of the several states, the election in each
state for such members to have the quail
lfications requisite for the cleo
tors Of the most numerous branch
of the Senate Legislature. AS
the legislatures of the several States
were composed of two Houses, the mem
he's OF which were chosen for each
House by electors having, not the same,
but different qualifications-the suffrage
being more restricted in one case than
the other-the Senate of the United
States came to be regarded as the Cup
per House" OF Congress, the ''American
House Of Lords"-the representatives
not only of the States, but of the prop
erty Of the country. In other words,
the Senate represented the CLASSES,
while the House of Representatives rep
resented the MASSES of the people. I'm
| partial suffrage prevails now in every
State the qualifications requisite for
electors Of tie most nupec9us and for
| the least M ner5us braHch al the State
! legislature being the same ana there
fore 10 reason any louger exists why ore
House Of the Congress should be elected
by q p0pularvOta and the other not ''The
reason ceasing, the law ought to cease
also" Mr.. Henderson said further
that he did not have the time or the in
ciination 10 elaborate the subject, but
he thought ''lt was the general belief
that the Senate did not now commonly
reflect the viii and wishes of the masses
of the people of the several States. He in
stanced few things which contribute to
give currency to this belief. "The Senate
is the Wealthlest representative assembly
III the world and the Senators are sup
posed, very naturally, to look with more
favor upon the wealthy classes of the
community than upon the toiling masses,
and the tiilers of the soil. In some of
the States OF the Union, the practical re-
suit is that none but millionaires are
eligible to the Senate. It is often the
case too that candidate for Senatorial
preferment will obtain a seat in
that body by a lavish use of his money,
or that Of some rich corporation, OF
friend whose servant he is. Again, ii
frequently happens under the present
system, that a legislature is elected by
a minority Of the popular vote of 3
State, and thus elects for many years g
representative in the Senate, in defiance
: Of the real wishes of the people of such
, State 1t will be difficult to cure the
evils complained of entirely, whatever
be the mode of electing the Senators
but every right thinking person must
admit that the Senate would be more
careful to conform 20 public opinion i
each Senator knew and felt that he haG
constituency which would be sure tl
NIL. him responsible for any vote h'
might give contrary TO their wishes, o.
IL spite Of their protest, The Senate
: IS now constituted, and [ DO not speal
as partisan. j. net TIE same body i
would be il you could eliminate
from its membership such Of th
Senators as hold their seats by un
, Just legal technicalities and fraudu
: lent certificates or other corporations
= civil liberty is now on trial in this Re
= public. The House is as bad as the Sen
ate IN many respects, one great differ
ence being that the House is directl
. pie of the United States for its mis-
doings, which the Senate is not. 1t
astonishing that any man or set Of me-
in the United States could be actuate
: by such sentiments as Mr.. Speaker Rec
uttered last Saturday night in speec
delivered at Plttsburg before the Amel
@ icus club. Among other things he saG
l. "Progress is the essence of Republican
a ism. Harping on old traditions is th
business of the Democratic party and
does that business we'll. We canne
'e rival it, In Mississippi the blacks al
I the more numerous (than the whites
'e In the United States they al
10 but a handful. If in all the Congre
ID sional districts where they are
TO the majority they should combine an
l send one Of their own color to Congre:
W they could only muster thirty out o
r three hundred and thirty. If Missi
m sippi be in danger of negro dominate
TO the United States is not. I'll
It, Republican vote Of the South the R
t. publican party is entitled to under ii
re Constitution, whether that vote
ty ignorant or sensible. If ignorant, V
ne need it to offset the Democratic igno
~ ance which votes in New York and 9th
large cities. Why should they poll the
ignorance and we not ours? What
the remedy? 1t seems to Z
that the only wise course is to take in
Federal hands the Federal election
nd Let us cut loose from the State election