The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-03-27

WASHINGTON, March 2G.-Tho Repub-
leans OF the senate make no secret Of
the fact that they intend to resist all
efforts at reorganization Of that body at
the extra session, claiming that it will
DO in violation of the established pre-
cedents OF the senate. The only time,
according to the records, when reor-
gauization was made at such session
was in 1853, and ut that time all the
old officers we're reelected save the SER
gealtat-arms, and the reorganization
was had for the purpose OF getting rid
OF this particular official, charges hay.
ing been preferred against him. In
1861 the Republicans began to reorgan-
ize, but gave it up, and the only other
time it was attempted at an extra ses-
sion was in March, 1881, when the Re-
pubIicans undertook it and failed.
At that time MIR, Dawes was the
leader OF the Republicans, and on the
23rd of March introduced a resolution
which declared 1t to be the will OF the
senate to elect its officers. The caucus
nominees were Mr.. Riddleberger for
sergeant.at-arms and Mr.. Gorham for
secretary. The resolution came up for
action on tho, following day and fight
was at once precipitated that lasted for
more than six weeks, during which no
other business was transacted. In this
debate, which ongendered much bad
feeling, tho Democrats asserted that
they opposed the reorganization for the
reason that the whole thing was o
scheme on the part OF tho Republicans
to pay Gen. Malone, OF Virginia, tor
voting and acting with them, and they
asserted boldly on thetioor thatadeai had
been made with that senator whereby
the Republicans were to control tho sem
ate. The Democrats maintained an or
ganized resistance to any and all etlorts
OF the Republicans to elect their officers
and were successful, After six weeks Of
sparring, in which vast amount OF ex-
trancous debate was injected into the
proceedings, and bearing particularly
upon the course OF the Readjusters Of
Virginia, the Republicans capitulated,
and May Mr.. Dawes made the motion
upon which the senate went into eXecu-
tive session, there being ut the time
upward Of three hundred nominations
before it. This matter came up again
two days later, but without avail, and
the only remaining reference to reor.
ganization appearing intho Congressional
Record was on May II, two days before
the senate adjourned without day. The
Republicans have carefully searched the
record OF that controversy.
Said Mr.. Pendleton, OF Ohio: "Why
should We enter upon this business ?
The senate is organized, the clerks are
ut their desks, the sergeant-at-arms is
at tho door, the messengers and pages
and subordinates are all performing
faithfully, Justly, to the satisfaction OF
everybody, on the floor at least, the va
rious duties. Now since the commit
tees have been appointed the senate is
perfectly equipped for the regular and
orderly transaction OF business. We
need no change in order to accomplish
that. Your table, Mr. President, is
piled with business. Why not 20 ON in
tho regular way and discharge that
business and il afterward it be either
our pleasure or our convenience to dis
cuss this resolution, then bring it up.
The presidents are all against
it, even from the very beginning OF the
government and during the troublous
times OF 1861" y
Mr. Vest, at all times one OF the
ready debaters OF the senate and a man
who does not hesitate to say exactly
what he thinks, took tho floor on the
18th OF April, and after warming up to
his subject said to tho Republicans: II
tell the gentlemen now, in no spirit OF
bravado, that rather than submit to this
interference by tho national Republican
party in that contest, and rather than
SEQ the real Democracy OF Virginin
stricken down after this fashion, we will
stay here, God willing, until the ice
again gorgGs the Potomac and the SHOWS
OF December wreath these hills in their
winding sheet. The senator from Ohio
(Mr. Sherman) announced to us but tho
other day tho monstrous doctrine that
the only rights OF the minority hero are
to debate, and when the debate has
closed tho majority vote, aud tho voice
OF majority is the voice OF God. 1t is q
monstrous doctrine; it Is parliamentary
absolutism."
Again. on April 49, Mr.. Pendleton, oil
Ohio, said: "This extraordinary course
OF insisting upon change OF the officers
OF tho senate ut an executive session
this course, which is without a single
precedent in all our history, Of insisting
that the business OF tho senate and the
business OF tho President shall DO de.
layed and postponed until the senate
be disorganizDd in order that it may be
organized again has been defended
upon various grounds by its various
apologists upon the floor" Mr.. Beck,
tho late distinguished senator from
Kentucky, gave emphasis to his senti-
ments in the following on the 18th oil
April: 1--WE have this Endorsement
from all the past records OF the country
except once in 1858, when 1t was thought
to DO an casy way to got rid OF Il
sergeant.at.arms against whom there
were charges that officers OF tho senate
never were removed at an executive
session, and, as | showed few days
ago, oven in 1861, in revolutionary
times, whom the Republicans were
charging that tho officers OF tho senate
were what they called rebels, many oil
them placed In position by men who
left the federal union with their states,
and whom they 'werc hcaping all sorts
OF opithcts upon their heads for their
conduct, SO Btcadiiy did thcy even then
adhere to tho traditions Of tho senate
that they would not remove ono Of tho
senate officials at tho executive session
called by Mr.. Lincoln on the 18th OF
March OF that year"
In rnnlN To Mr. Bnrnsidn. OF Rhndn