The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-09-26


Amt a. to the Powers and Privileges of
A.. y,ee.President as Presiding omcer Of
IN. Uuited States sennte-That t., to
a., In the Chair and Put tho Necessary
uot,on, for the Trsnsaciion OF Business.
WARRINGTON. Sept Ex-senator Voorhees,
"a the other Administration Senators who
..vs pledged themselves to secure the passage
s,,be silver repeal bill at an early day have
.t.ndoned tho plan discussed last week OF
.J,o,ne the question to vote by means OF
.a,ne action on the part OF Nice-Presldent
e,.yenson. Tho favorite plan OF ending the
sobt br the intervention OF tho presiding OIL
~ ~, contemplated the recognition OF repeal
e.,.tor for the purpose OF moving for vote
.n., n suillcient time probably week or ten
savs had been allowed for further debate.
=. has been held by some OF the best lawyers
:. the Senate that tho Eice-President hRs
,n,, mower within the rules TO recognize whom
.,er he sees 1T to. and large number OF Dom
o.ro,ic Senators have expressed tho opinion
.b.t Mr. Stevenson would not hesitate to use
Ma mower in the interest OF repeal when tho
nroper time should arrive. These Senators
'aroor 70 be nll wrong. however. and the plan
oth,vinc the Vice. President stop fllibustering
w refusing to recognize the minority Senators
hna
.dos that Mr.. Stevenson will not consent to DO
.nvthng of the kind. In coming to this de-
.is;on the Vice President not only satisfies his
sr,r coincidence as TO his power In the prem
,..s hut his decision undoubtedly meets with
IN. anproyal OF m majority OF Senators on both
aides OF the chamber.
Ths question OF the powers and privileges OF
,ho Vice. President Of the United States. in his
..racity OF presiding officer OF the Senate. is
No, n new one. 1t has been discussed several
tmes. md at least once has been decided in
vay that has since formed precedent for all
nresiding officers. For more than fifty years
tho question of the parliamentary status OF
tina Vice. President has been an embarrassing
ana in the Senate but the decisions are all in
favor OF the position now taken by Nice-Presi-
dsnt Stevenson. that. as presiding officer OF
the Senate, he has no legal or constructive
authority to do anything further than to pro-
aida over the deliberations OF tho Senators In
n strictly I'm partial and inactive way. except
whom called upon to cast the deciding vote
when the result 10 tie. All Vice.
Presidents have been peculiarly sensitive to
the fear that they might he accused OF inter-
,.rine in legis ction or with the parliament
tary rights OF Senators. in view OF the fact that
the Office Of Vice President is one that confers
take part in the deliberations OF the Senate or
exercise any Of tho rights or privileges OF q
senstor The Senator's. too. are equally sensi-
tive on tho point Of having the Vice-President
assume to participate in legislation or to con-
troll In the slightest degree the actions OF Sem
stors This constituencies was plainly shown
n few days ago by Senator Teller who resented
the action OF Vice President Stevenson In
having his name announced on roll call
when hs had not addressed tho Chair. Mr..
Tellers action was taken with the object OF
announcing in advance that the Interference
Of the Vice. President in the pending contro-
yersy would not be tolerated and atteri due
elaboration and consideration.
In view Of this it Is interesting to know what
took place on that occasion. A roll call had
been taken In response to q demand for .
quorum. and the Vice-President had an
nounced that forty-one Senators. not Q
quorum. had answered to their names. and
At this point Mr. Dubois entered the chamber
and responded to his name when 1t was called
BY the Clerk under, the direction Of the Vice
Der. and the Clerk also called his name, at
tho direction Of the Vice President. Mr.. Teller
did not respond. and after some discussion as
for. several Senators entered the chamber.
until there we're t9rtyiciGht present. which IS
Th Mr. set sF nass sna as
President that he had exceeded his powers:
Mr. President: arise to what consider not entirely
Ia order Of the s.nae have been sitting in the Sem
s a., day and good deal or the tune with but thur.
moments since and came in, not afsrths entire close
through withSat addressing the Chair or indicating
sa Any degree that desired to DO So my name was
I'D n9i answer 2 ny name: because II struck me
Is q
hg right TO call Senator on roii cali or this kind
that IT is a controverted question in another body
EnstaeT tina, can DO done or not have no doubt thar
&C. NOT de tire recognize the i:ht o: IN. pre- i'd ns
SN.I: Fn"n ,Lat IN anot6sr ;dy l. at question las
Sssn fahet and lsrnA?s seted by "a: iu'"s II thai
b. "g - The .' Srna nave zen
s i ' ra A am. aud n sa MO 20
M,M a. hvr sen ION. Of !he mos: tsngnI-ne.
TIE eh.moef Wien tuey nogxIL SOM unfair A4 IN.
not w'nng TO re ,4une IN tue Eighties, gree the
bad not address ii" ar or to "oenr nm t" m Ike
sihed to answer when my name was called.
still more significant occurrence with re-
sara 10 the jealousy o. The presiding officer
that is lett by Senators took place day OF two
ago. but does not appoar in the KpcOrd. Dur.
Ing q pausei in the debate on the repeal bill.
tht Nice-Prtsiaent. with the usual perfuuctory
apology apology proceeded to lay before the senate
accumulated on his desk. very promptly Son
ator Hoar, with u conspicuous rudeness that
often characteriZes his public actions. rebuked
the wee, l,resihent and in effect ordered him
70 mold hdcE his routine business until the
proper time for its presentation. which Mr..
heNenhon. propa bly, with tn. recollection ut
we Tact that he Is only nominally part Of the
Sehate. quickly did. An hour or two later tho
Massachusetts senator. without rebuk-.
sent TO the clerks desk some morning husi-
ness that was much more out Of order than
that presented by the Nice-Prcsldent when
called down by Mr.. Iloar.
:, John c, Calhoun always held that tho Vice
PRESIDENT. as presiding officer OF the Senate
aln not even have the power TO call n Senator
20 order for words spoken in debate. and so
nrmly did this view come to be Impressed upon
thS senate that in 1890 Willard Fillmore ielt
called upon to announce his disagreement
win DIR. Calhoun and to state lust what the
bowers OF Vice President were AS far rs no
gould ascertain by dilig-nt Investigation. On
Aptil3. 1850. Mr. illmoreIpromulg gated his deci-
Sion on this question. and claimed that the Ice
president did possess implied powers to cal a
senator to order, but he reached this conc n
slon. as he himself admitted. only aitsr the
most liberal construction OF the Constitution
Ann the rules OF the Senate.
nat the Vice. President is in 10 sense DArt
r. The senate and not amenable in any WA TO
n rules and regulations or entitled t. any OF
AZ privileges Of a Senator. was more formally
ssetermlned, however. by the action OF the sem