The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-08-04

Richmond Assembly, r. S. Of G. F. Cor
cOran Hall nj,
Richmond VS.. Lynchburg. West-End fark'
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CHOOSE SENATOR'S BY DIRECT VOTE.
The degenerate and still degenerating
Senate Of the United States threatens
corruption 10 the morals Of all our peo-
ple. and In the end the overthrow Of all
our Institutions and the destruction OF our
liberties. The Constitution Of the United
States declares that 1t is the supreme
law of the land, and the people adopted 1t
that IL might be so. and have understood
that Il is so. But II is not So An unde-
fined code. not written out, not author
fzed by any authority. repugnant at every
point to the Constitution-the supreme
law Of the land-caled senatorial cOur-
tesy," and the traditions of the Senate"
IS the supreme law of the land. Let
the interests of the people require legis-
Iation never so imperatively, yet If that
LEGISLATION runs counter TO THE traGi-
lions Of the Senate" or to senatorial
courtesy" the people must 80 without
their legislation The President Of the
United States is declared by the Consutu-
ton to be the agency clothed with the
function of appointing the officers Of the
United States. When appointed by the
President they are not to be officers Of
the United States until a majority of the
Senate ratifies their appointment. The
Senate in other words, has a veto upon
the Presidents appointment of officers.
But no man entitled 10 walk the streets
without a guardian would say that the
Constitution intended that the Senate
might exercise this veto unless there was
something in the character of the APP
pointee or in the circumstances of his
appointment that justified reasonable
men I'm Directing 10 his holding office.
How does the Senate view the case? In
,ts view fitness in the appointee has moth
ing TO do with it. The question with the
Senate Is. Does the appointment pay
proper Difference to senatorial courtesy?"
If IL does, the appOintce Is confirmed; If it
does not he is rejected. The President
recently sent successfully the names Of
Two excellent men TO the Senate for a
place in the Supreme Court of the United
States. The Senate refused to confirm
them. Was 1t because they were not
fitted for the place to which they were
nominated? No pretence Of that was
made. They were rejected because
they opposed one OF the senators in their
State in the faction of their common
party with which he was Identified
Senatorial courtesy" compelled the whole
Senate 10 take the law of the case from
one senator.
The President some six months back
sent TO the Senate the name of William
J.. Marbury, Esq, To be District Attorney
for Maryland. by common consent Of
Marylanders. no more fitting appointment
was ever made But it has remained
pigeonholed in the senate judiciary Com
mittee from the time II was sent in.
Why? Because Mr.. Marbury, who UNDER
stands Senator German and the Infamous
rule he has set up IN Maryland. has been
sighting him and that rule with all his
might. The interests Of the public in the
case are nothing. Senatorial courtesy"
subordinates everything TO Senator Cor
mans right TO defeat whoever dares OPP
pose him and his rotten machine when
executing his corrupt purposes.
The amendment to the Constitution
giving the people the right to vote di-
rectly for senators has been referred 10
that same Judiciary Committee that
pigeonholes Mr.. Marbury's nomination.
1t viii also pigeonhoie this amendment.
1t Will stand between the people aud
:hCir right 10 declare that they will here
after elect their senators by their own
votes and hold them directly accountable
10 themselves. The people must rouse
themselves and pigeOnhole these SEN
ators hkwise. The protected monopolies
give senators money in return for their
votes for a tariff that secures them the
right TO plumber the people; the senators
take this money and debauch with it
the election Of members or the State
legislatures, and thus secure their re-
turn to the Senate, where they vote
again for protective tariffs and get more
money. with which they again debauch
the election Of legislatures, and so the
thing goes on.
LOOK at the state OF the Senate To-
day. There Is Brice. OF New York. who
has no more connection with Ohio than
Roger a. Pryor has with Virginia. He
was VIGOROUSLY put into the Senate bv
use OF his own money and the money of
corporations Look at German. OF Mary
land! He is In the Senate by the macbt-
"auohs OF band Of Maryland capitalists
whose work Is accomplished through the
use OF the money that patronage" and
corporations give them. Who supposes
Tor moment that Briee could be elected
senator from Ohio in a contest before the
people with eN-Congressman Hurd. Gov
ms'anee' as his opponent? Who suppos *
t"at oorman could be elected senator
i''m maryland In a contest before he
people WIN such a man ms the late :
ieahie wallis as his opponent? Let the
iooeh' meeting OF Democrats at Frederick
answer the question. Who supposes tina,
ah'mas . Martin could have been elect