The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-01-13
STOCKTOD'S OPINION.
Governor Werts Had Not Re-
eeived 1t This Morning
The Situation.
Special to the Jersey City Ne,cs.

TRENTON, Jan. 13, 1S94.-There was very
little going on about the State House this
morning. Another large crowd of Trenton's
unemployed fiocked about the Senate Cham
Der, although even they knew that there was
little possibility of any excitement Alleged
Sergeant t-at-Ar1ns Nathan and his green .as-
sistants guarded the doors and only admitted
Senator Adrain and one of the clerks, who
went through the farce of adjourning the
Democratic Senate. He and his minions
then hurried away.
Everything appears to be in statu quo
pending the arrival Of the opinion of the
Attorney General, for which Governor
Werts asked, as to the standing of the rival
Senates. General Stockton has prepared
the opinion and all day yesterday his type
writers were busily engaged in copying it
preparatory to sending it to the Governor.
The Attorney General said that he thought
it would be ready by three o'clock yesterday
afternoon, in which case he would despatch
it at once to the Governor by special mes
senger
THE GOVERNOR RETICENT.
The Governor was seen at his residence on
Jersey City Heights last evening and he said
that he had not as yet received the opinion.
He also conveyed the not over cheerful intel
ligence that he would not make it public
when he did 1t is generally accepted that
the opinion, which is very lengthy and
would fill at least three columns Of THE JER-
sEY CITY NEWS, declares that the Demo-
cratic Senators have thus far acted within
the Constitution, as it is pretty well under
stood that they have acted under his advice.
In speaking with a Democratic Senator
who has taken conspicuous part in the
affair, asked him if heretofore the custom
had not been in the case of Senator
whose seat had been contested to
accept his credentials, duly certified by the
proper authorities, admit him to his seat and
allow him to vote, speak and perform all
other acts the same as any Senator whose
seat had not been questioned until the Sen
ate had considered his case and declared him
unqualified. l also mentioned the cases OF
the late Congressman Mcdonald, who occu-
pied his seat until the last day of the session,
when his election was contested by Mr..
Stuhr; of Senator Hoffman last year in the
Senate, who acted as a Senator during the
entire session, although his seat was contest
ed: and of Assemblyman William j. Thomp-
son. whose seat is now being contested in the
Assembly, and yet is allowed to sit and act
the same as any other Assemblyman. The
Senator answered my question in the good
old Yankee fashion of asking another. He
wanted to know if / had ever heard of a
legislative body admitting man to take
part in its deliberations whose election was
questioned and whose vote would decide
whether he should be seated or unseated.
This appears to be the keynote of the Demo-
cratic situation.
ARE DEMOCRATS WEAKENING.
There is much talk about today to the
effect that the trouble is all over, and that
the Republicans will be in full control of the
Legislature Monday evening. This talk is
founded upon several rumors. One Is to the
effect that the Governor is growing tired$of
the unmerciful criticism which the respect
able .press of this State, New York
and Philadelphia are heaping upon the Dem
ocrats, and the hard things that are said
about his share in the proceedings, and will
put an end to the affair by recognizing the
Republican Senators Another r1lmor has it
that two of the Democratic Senators are
weakening and that they will go over to the
Republicans. Just which two will do this
the rumor does not state, and not
one of the ten democrats can be
found but who denies most emphatically
that he is the man. Senator Perkins OF Bur-
lington weakened on the race track question
and changed his vote and it has been said
that he was on his way to the Republican
Senate He, however, denied that most en-
phatically. Senator Martin was not
present on Thursday when the Democrats
Ql6U dlO IL was Sn1O oucu AC "etS AAe@OAS w
weaken. Senator Martin is a candidate for
reelection next fall and it is said
that he is getting uneasy over the way the
people are viewing the Democrats doings.
Senator Martin, however, showed up in
Trenton later in the day, and declared that
however right or wrong it was he would
stick by his party.
There is some curiosity to know what Mr..
Kelsey will do when bill is offered hlm for
fling which has been passed by the House
and Republican Senate.
''There shall be no doubt about my action
when the time comes for me to take any"
Mr.. Kelsey said yesterday. 'sIf | should
have any difficulty or be in any quandary as
to my duty, then I should ask the Attorney
Generals advice, as we always do. But do
not expect to have any doubt as to my duty
in the premises"
There seems to be no reason to doubt that
the Secretary of State will refuse to accept
any bill passed by the Republican Senate.