The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-05-31
CALL TOGO In ALL RIGHT.
EX-SENATOR NORWOOD DOES NOT
TRINK THERE IS ANY DOUBT.

The Election OF Call Perfectly legal
Mr.. Norwood's Understanding of the
Law-Ee Explains shs Mode of Pro
csdure-ae Does Not Believe There
VIII be ANY Trouble In the Senate.
Florida's legislative muddle is attracting
wide attention, and there is much discussion
as to whether Senator Call has been legally
elected to another term in tns Senate and
whether in case of o contest he win be
seated.
Ex-senator Thomas N. Norwood, who is
well acquainted with the law upon the SUBJ
ject and is familiar with the usages Of the
United States Senate gives, it as his opin-
ion that Mr.. Call has been legally elected.
and that he viii be seated should there be q
contest.
Mr.. NORWOOD EXPLAINS THE LAW.
Mr.. Norwood gave MORNING NEWS re-
porter last night very clear statement OF
the law as It applies TO the election Of Mr..
Gall.
''1he act of congress" said Mr.. Norwood,
provides that the election of q senator
shall take place on the second tuesday after
the organization OF the legislature. On that
day each house ballots separately. The
convention, the president Of the Senate pre-
siding, and the results of the ballot of
the previous day is declared. IL a oandi-
date has received a majority ia each house
on the prior days ballot the result in each
is announced by the president Of the Senate
and the candidate Is declared to be the
senator elected for the next six years.
ANOTHER BALLOT.
"If no one has received jority of each
house that result is announced, and the
joint convention then proceeds to ballot In
House. It is Joint convention of the two
houses constituting the legislature. The
act OF congress provides that the candidate
receiving a ma ority Of the votes In the leg
islature shall be the senator. Now, as
understand. in the joint convention of the
two houses in Florida there were 81 men,
bers present, and the legislature is COM
posed Of 100 members Mr.. Cali received
majority of this 100. II 30 that was in
compliance with the law"
What other difficulty could there bep'
Mr.. Norwood was asked.
Charges Of fraud and bribery might be
made, and IL clearly proven would prevent
him taking his seat
THE SENATE NOT LIKELY TO REFUSE.
81 have never known the Senate to refuse
to seat senator on these grounds, :" said Mr..
Norwood, in answer to a subsequent ques-
ton.
1.-THE absence of The seventeen senator's
from the election does not invalidate 1t,
thenfn
Their absence would have no effect on
the result, there being in the legislature a
majority voting. That was a quorum, and
it only requires majority OF the quorum
to elect"
"If only forty Of the flfty-four members
present had voted for Mr.. Call, would the
result have been the samei"
"He would have been elected Just the
same. That would have been q majority
of the quorum. In other words, all Mr..
Call needed was majority of the ma
jority."
THE ANTI-CALL FACTION.
THE anti-Call senator's seem 10 have
labored under the impression that there
would have to DO majority Of the Senate
present and voting, as well as Of the legis-
lature."
"They were mistaken. The legislature
acted in convention aad 1t was only neces-
saryt TO have a majority present, without
regard to the presence Of a majority of
either body"
What II Gov. Fleming should refuse to
confirm the action of the legislature, and q
contest should be made on this groundP'
The Senate would seat Mr.. Call all the
same. IL would be easy enough TO prove
the fact Of his election"
MIR. Norwood does not think there will be
any contest.