The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-06-04

tors, particularly Mr.. Butler and Mr..
lard, of South Carolina, resisted. but
the action of the lower body was de-
Tended by Rufus King, of New York,
Oliver Ellsworth, of Connecticut, Will
lam Patterson, of New Jersey, and other
men of democratic opinions The next
day the amendment was concurred in
and the bill passed
Therefore it is not unlawful to address
a letter to the Hon" Shelby NJ Cul-
ION, although the practice is now univer-
sal, and the title is given by courtesy to
almost everybody who holds or has held
Office
John Adams, of Massachusetts, always
fond of fuss, and feathers, although he
ought to have known better started the
row. be was continually trying TO intro
duce the frtlls and ceremonies of kingly
courts into our government and wanted
to confer d title upon everybody. He
even proposed that the sergeant-at-arms
OF the Senate be called ''the usher of the
golden rod, 4"
Congress first met April 6. 1889. and
counted the votes for President and Vice
President. On the2lst both houses were
formally organized and the Vice Presi-
dent and speaker took the oath of office
On the sd MIR. Adams, the vice presi-
dent, took the floor in the Senate, al
tuition to do-so and made speech upon
the necessity of selecting suitable titles
for The President and other officials of
the government. AT his suggestion a
Joint committee Of the two houses was
oppointed to consider and report upon the
subject.
The next day he brought up the matter
again. ltbecame his duty to write let
ter TO the speaker of the House, and he
did not know by what title to address
him. He insisted upon having instruc-
tons from the Senate, and after a debate
In which various titles were suggested, he
put the question whether he should ad-
dress the speaker as 1.-THE honorable" 1t
was decided in the negative, and he was
instructed to send his letter Ito the
speaker of the House of Representatives"
and by such title that official has since
been known.
A few days afterward MIR. Adams .e-
came greatly concerned about his own
title. He was the Vice President, sec
ond President as he considered it, equal
in most respects TO the head of the gov
eminent, and he wanted TO share the
honors of the Office. In the course of the
discussion he exclaimed Are wei
that is, the President himself-"the two
kings of Sparta, the two consuls Of Rome,
or the two suffetes of CARTHAGE but he
was instructed to sign himself "Vice
President of the United States" and
nothing mOres
One day after Washington's Inaugural
ton MIR. Adams instructed the secretary
Of the Senate to refer in his minutes TO
the Presidents inaugural address as Ibis
most gracious speech the terms used in
parliament when the queens address
from the throne is referred to- There
was bitter debate over the correction of
the minutes. To the democratic members
of the Senate the phrase was offensive,
as it smacked of royalty, and it was
stricken out without division.
The committee on titles first agreed
upon Ibis elective majesty" as a proper
designation of the President. 1t is be-
lieved to have been suggested by Mr..
Adams, who said it "betokened dignity
and splendor,' and he wanted the Vice
President called assistant elective
majesty" or deputy elective majesty"
But the term found little favor In the
discussion Mr.. Richard Henry Lee, the
great orator of Virginia, wanted the
members of the Senate to. have titles
that were equivalent to those of the no.
bflitY of England, " but the opposition was
Strong and determined
2 The title ahIs elective highnessr was
suggested for Washington by Mr. Lee,
and Ibis eXcellency' was proposed by Mr.,
lard, of South Carolina, but the commit
reported in favor of this high-sounding
and ridiculous title:
His highness, the President of the United
States or America and the protector of the
same.
An amendment was offered changing it
to His hiEhness, the protector of the
rights of America" and another wanted
it His highness, the President of the
United States and the protector of their
liberties. y There was a disOrderly debate
in both branches of congress, lasting for
several days. Finally by a vote of the
House the report of the committee was
entered upon the files" which was
equivalent TO being laid upon the table,
and a.resolutiOn was adopted providing
that for the present the President be ad-
dressed without title"
The Senate could do nothing else, and
finally submitted to the will of the
House, adopting the following resolu-
tiOns:
From a decent respect for the opinion and
practice Of CIVILIZED nations, whether Hnder
mOnarchlaL or republican forms OF govern
mcnt, whose custom is to annex titles OF re-
spectabilitY to the Office of their chief magis-
tratec and ttat, on intercourse with foreign
nations, q due respect Tor the majesty OF the
people Of the United states may not be haz-
Senate have been induced to be Of opinion
that it would, be proper to annex respec-
taLle title TO the ofrtce of President Of the
United States; but the Senate, DESTROYS of
preserving harmony with the House OF Rep
resentatives,. where the practice lately OBJ
served in presenting an address to the Pres
ident was-Without the addition OF titles,
think it proper, for the present, to act in con-
fornity -Wlth--the practice Of that House,
therefore,
Resolved. That the present address-be to
the President of the United States without
addition ef44tle'o
But Mr==AdamsGstill clung to his idols,
and on the. following day sarcastically in
formed the Senate from the chair that
letter had been placed in his hands which
he supposed was intended for him. but he
had not opened it because it was most
improperly addressed" 1t was directed
to His Excellency. the Vice President"
There was some joculiar discussion on the
floor, but Mr.. Adams was serious, and in
sisted upon receiving the instructions of
the Senate before opening the envelope.
Finally put the question
"Shall the letter so directed be opened
and -read2n
The.Seuate. voted aye, and il WAS found
to be proposition from a Mr.. Louden,
who wanted to do the printing of the
Senate.
That was the end of the title business,
but the humorous senators for months
afterward addressed each other as your
highness."
FRYE's CoMMoNwEALERs.