The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1893-10-25
mcsphere of heated summer day. Mr..
Sherman said:

| SHERMAN SAID:
"The rules of the senate were made to ex-
pedite public business in an orderly, proper
manner. There was no doubt Of the right
| and the necessity for every legislative body
to have exclusive power over its procedure.
The rules of the senate ought all to aim for
that purpose and no other. The right to
| debate a question broadly had been recog-
nized by the senate since the beginning of
the government. But, while the rules OF
the body we're intended to expedite legisla-
| ton, they were used as an obstruction by
the minority in order to defeat the will of
the majority. The rules, therefore, should
be at once changed, corrected and altered
| Whenever a minority pressed its means Of
obstruction unduly it acted in the nature of
a revolution; it sought TO break down the
rules of the senate, and to use them as a
| means to deprive the senate OF its power to
make laws for the people of the United
| States. lie knew that the recent obstruc-
ton, made during the heated contest, had
gone far beyond anything he had seen in
his experience as a member of the senate.
| He had seen measures resorted to on the
present occasion which had never been re-
sorted to since he had been member OF the
senate, or las he believed) since the govern
| ment was framed Senators were stopped
in the middle of an argument because there
was less than quorum present; then there
| was a roll-call to catch some senators at
their luncheon, or who were probably
within hearing. And that was done in
order to obstruct and prevent them from
fulfilling their duties as senators. Then
again, sometimes senator's, while present,
| had refused to answer. In doing so they
had, in his judgment, violated the rules of
good order. He could say for himself that
never while he was present had he refused
to cast his vote, even though the majority
was against him. There was no legislative
body in the world that had not some power
to control debate, some closure rule, or
some means by which the majority could
pass laws. The senate therefore, would
have'to follow the example of other legsla-
tive bodies. 1t would have to follow the
example recently set by the house of COM
mons in England, and by the house of rep
resentatves in the United States, and which
prevailed in France and all countries having
an organized legislature. In every legsla-
tive body in Europe that he knew of there
was a power to limit debate within the
bounds of reason, so that the majority might
exercise power, and that the laws might be
passed.
"The house of representatives had per-
formed its duty but the senate was stagger-
ing along unable to have single vote on
any important question. II this continues
the senate will be a marked body. 1t will
no longer command the respect of intelli-
gent and active people The responsibility
rests upon the other side of the chamber.
They say they cannot agree. They must
agree, or else surrender their political
power. (Mr. Sherman delivered these SEN
fences with great force and animation). If
the senate of the United States, as it is now
organized, cannot make laws with this pro-
longed debate; if it is unable to meet to-
gether and formulate some proposition, the
people of the United States will take the
senate at its word-no doubt about that.
have sat here more than month without
opening my mouth, desiring to hear from
the other side whom the people have hon
ored with majority in this body.
" The president of the United States ha :
expressed his opinion. We on this side
have not INSTRUCTED the opinion of the
president. We do not believe in him. We
do not believe in his policy; we are under
nearly two-thirds of the vote to pass the
pending bill, while the party which the
president represents stands here unable to
formulate policy and to say what it de-
sires. If they do not agree, Mr.. President,
on this bill, let them say so. Let them
formulate something else. There are three
or four important measures of public inter-
est that demand solution at the hands of
the senate, but this bill stands in the way.
One is whether you shall continue the pur-
chase of silver bullion. On that honest
men may differ. l believed in that policy
and wanted to give it the longest and most
beneficial experiment. We have tried it,,
and, according to our humble Judgment, we
think, that on the whole, it is not wise to
continue it further. We have now $50 OOO,-
bullion to coin them. We have besides ST.
DOC, 900 of silver coined and in wide crcula-
ton in what is called subsidiary coin. We
have silver bullion enough to supply all
that can be coined in the next two or three
years. Therefore we acquiesce in the repre-
sentation OF the president that the purchase
of silver bullion tends to create disturb
ance in the markets of the world and tends
to excite want of confidence in our ability
to maintain parity of gold and silver.
| a m nati va
silver. We have more silver now in the
United States than we ever had before in
our whole previous history. No one pro-
poses to disturb that silver. On the con-
trary, we would be glad to join with our
friends on the other side Of the chamber to
increase the subsidiary coin. That, l be-
lieve is the coin which the people of this
country desire rather than large dollars,
and any other measure which tends to pro-
mote the use of silver we are ready and will
ing to help.
" The president suggests, however, that
the best measure is, first, to kill all the
present silver-purchase laws. We think so
too. But the other side does not think so,
and their vote is potent. They have the
matter in their hands. Let them agree upon
something. In times past we (the republi.
cans) never shrank from responsibility. We
were republicans because we believed in re-
publican principles and men and measures.
But whenever question came up that had
|
act, or said that we could not agree. We
met together in conclave and there agreed,
and in that way were passed all the great
laws which have marked American history
in the last thirty years. OF course, dem
ocrats opposed us. l think that if the re-
publicans were to offer the Ten Command
ments or the Lords Prayer the democrats
would oppose them. laughter. Now we
do not stand in that attitude. We ask our
brother senators on the other side to meet
together and consult with each other. II
they do not like the presidents plan, let
them give us some other, in Gods name,
and let us settle this important question
and then we will take it into our consider
alton. If we can agree with you, we will do
so. If we cannot agree with you, we will
not follow your example, but will give you
manly No We must decide
this silver question some way or other. II
you meaning the democrats cannot do it,
and will retire from the senate chamber, we
will fix it on this side of the chamber, and
do the best we can with our silver friends
who belong to us and who are blood of our
blood and bone of our bones. But yours is