The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-03-19
Senator Blanchard's Credentials.


When Senator Blanchard Of Louisiana,
went forward and took the oath Of Office
the other day, Senator Henderson called
attention to the fact that his credentials
We're somewhat peculiarly worded, mas
much as they stated Mr.. Blanchard had
been appointed "a representative in the
Senate Of the congress Of the United
States" And Senator Dolph pointed
out an additional departure from pree-
dent in that the credentials stated the
appointoe had been empowered to dis
charge certain duties.
The language objected to occurs in the
second paragraph Of the credentials
signed by Gov Foster and is as follows
$50 ], Murphy J. Foster, gov
ernor of the state Of Louisiana,
by virtue of the authority vested
IN me by law, and in behalf of
the state Of Louisiana, do here
by appoint him representative in the
Senate Of the congress Of the United
States 10 fill the vacancy caused by the
resignation of the Hon. Edward D.
White, and do authorize and empower
him TO discharge the duties thereof &C
cordinC to law"
Notwithstanding the alleged Irregular
ties pointed out by Senators Henderson
and Dolph, who probably would not have
found the language at all irregular if the
appointee had been of a different political
faith, and from a northern state. the new
senator was promptly sworn in. The
Sienate's action was conclusive that it at
tached no Importance to slight verbal de
partures from the usual form of senate
rial credentials. 1t was not in Gov. Eos
ters power to vest in the new senator
from Louisiana any right or to claim for
him. or his state, any privilege not en-
joyod by every other senator. and the
Senate so understood it. Gov Foster
merely appointed him a senator of the
United States for Louisiana and stated
the fact in language a little out Of the or
binary.
Some Of our contemporaries, however,
appear disposed to attach i'm
portance to the departure from
the sterootyped form in Senator
BIanchard's credentials. 1t Is not
surprising to sec the narrow
minded partisans Of the radical re-
publican press discovering a mares
nest filed with eggs of dynamite under
the language of the credentials. But it
is surprising to find the broad-gauye
Philadelphia Ledger referring to the
matter in this wise: This language
may have been innocently employed, but
as he MIR. Blanchard comes from the
south, it is viewed with suspicion. The
constitution prescribes the duties of sena-
tors. and speaks of them as senator's, not
as Representatives in the Senate. The
latter phrase has suggestions in it Of
state sovereignty, as though Senator
Blanchard has been appointed to repre-
sent the Independent state of Louisiana
in the Senate of the United States
1t is like an echo of the old
conflict that ragged thirty or
more years ago, and was supposed to have
been settled by the wager of battle at
Appomattox"
The Ledger should know, and
does know, that it's suspicious are not
well founded. The states rights uues-
ton was not thought of by Gov Foster
when he wrote those credentials. The
conflict on that score was ended
long ago, and it will not be revived.
And the Ledger discredits its own intelli-
gence when it suggests such d thing.