St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-11-15

enced politicians has been that such
movement would be a total failure.
Mere provincial partiSanS know little of
the temper and traditions of the United
States senate. In the semi-revO-
lutionary period following the
civil war such a violent step as
this might perhaps have been inaugu-
rated, and even carried to the point of
success, but at this time senators of
both parties are opposed to setting dan
gerOuS presidents which are liable to
react upon themselves in case change
in the party complexion of the senate.
The effort to cOerce Mr.. Sherman into
taking the initiative in such a proceed
ing is based upon a total ignorance of
the custom and methods Of the senate.
Mr.. Brice will take his seat when the
senate shall convene on Dee. next.
His credentials, in due form. were flied
by his predecessor, Mr.. Payne, on May
p. 1899. without objection from any
quarter. and the name of Mr.. Brice was
regularly entered
On the Senate Rolls.
Had there been a special session of
the senate last March, Mr.. Brlce would
then have been sworn in. He has, ac-
cording to the law and the uniform GUS
tom, been paid his salary from the 4th
of March, 1891, TO the present time by
Hon. Arson q. McCOok. the Republican
SECRETARY of the senate. AS no other
person can possibly appear TO claim the
seat, Mr.. Brce will 20 forward and be
sworn in according to the immemOrial
custom of the senate on the very first
day of the session. 1t is matter of
n
cedence of all other business. An OBJ
lection from any quarter would
be puerile and wholly Intellectual.
4 ccOrding to the established court
eSy of the senate, the senior
senator from Ohio, Mr. Sherman,
would conduct his colleague to the front
of the Yice-preSIdent'S desk to be sworn
in, but if for any reason Mr.. Sherman
should omit to do this, any other Sena-
tor could go up with Mr. Brice, or he
could 90 by himself. The escort is only
an act of grace and is not of the eS-
sence of the proceeding. Neither Mr..
Sherman nor any other Republican SEN
atOr could object to Mr.. Brice being
sworn without formal evidence of q
disqualification, and even if this were
adduced the regularity of the creden-
tials would be decisive of the prima
facie case. Mr.. Brice would thus take
his seat and participate in all the acts
and privileges of the body, such as vOt-
ing, debate and service on committees.
If at some future time any person
Ambitious of NOtOriety
should think fit to assail Mr.. Brice's
title to his seat, he could forward a
memorial to that effect to Mr.. Sherman
or to any other senator, Or to the vice
president, upon paying the proper post
age, and the paper would then be pre-
Sented to the senate and referred with
ont debate probably to the committee on
privileges and elections, to be acted on
i'll due time. If the Ohio legislature,
when it cOnveneS in January. should
deem it worth while to go into this line
of business, its memorial could be sent
to the vice presidentOr to Mr.. Sherman,
and it would be the duty of either to
lay it before the body. If it should be
sent to Mr.. Brice, he as an Ohio senator
would also present the memorial. In
any case it would 90 at once to
the committee on privileges and
elections, as matter of course.
1t would here be considered and all its
allegations weighed, and due report
made to the senate. But it would be q
great mistake to assume that the decis-
ion on the question of eXpelling Mr..
Brice would turn on mere party lines.
When the effort was made by certain
Ohio politicians
To DispIace lTr. Payne,
number of Republicans, headed by
John Logan and Mr.. Evarts and Mr..
Teller. and others of equal prominence.
refused to support the proceeding. The
effort of these baffied cOnspiratOrs to
read Senator Logan and his associates
out of the Republican party for thus ris-
ing above party proved an ignominious
failure. The same conservative spirit
will doubtless be manifested on this
occasion. In addition to this, it
may be stated that the Repub-
lican majority in the senate is
more apparent than real, as any one
who will review the votes on the cele-
brated force bill will readily discover.
The Republicans may we'll congratulate
themselves if it shall appear that there
are disclosed next session no other
divisions in their ranks than that on
the question of stealing Democratic
seat. 1t does not yet appear that any
of their senators would be willing to
embark in such a questionable course;