The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-01-16
ADDRESS TO THE PEOPLE.

Uhe DemOcrarlc SENATORS nave JuSC lSSuel
the following statement
To the People of New Jersey
ssThere has been so much partisan misrep
resentation of the attitude of the Democratic
State Senators that we deem it duty to our
constituents to present the plain statement
of the steps taken to organize the
State Senate on the ninth instant. On
that day there was in existence a
Senate composed of thirteen members. There
cannot be a time in New Jersey when there
is not Senate in existence subject if not in
session, to be called together by the Governor
The constitutional direction to the Legisla-
ture was to meet on the ninth OF January
Pursuant to that direction the nine
Democratic Senators met in the
Senate Chamber at three o'clock
The four Republican members absented
themselves until about ten minutes past
three Our position is that the nine Demo
Gratis and four Republicans were the State
Senate; that it was their duty to come to-
gether at the Senate Chamber and organize
at the time fixed by the Constitution, and
that admission to this Senate can be legally
and regularly had in but one way; that is by
the action of the Senate as a political body.
These propositions are elementary.
CONSTITUTIONAL PROVISION.
'.The Constitution provides that the Senate
shall be the Judge OF elections, returns and
one can become a member of the Senate un-
til the Judgment of that body shall have
been passed upon the returns, showing his
election, upon the election itself and
upon his qualifications. To. say
that the Senate is bound to
admit any one presenting the return OF
canvassing board is to reduce the PROPOSE
tion that the body is the judge of its own
membership to an absurdity. In the history
of the State no man has ever been admitted
to the Senate in any other way than by the
presentation of hls credentials to Senate in
session, and the acceptance of those creden-
tials by such Senate. The Senate is not
bdund to receive credentials or admit ap-
plicants at any particular time.
A COMPARISON.
"This was decided by the Senate of 1887.
whoever will refer to page seventeen OF the
Senate journal of that year will find that
thirteen hold over members of the Senate
sat in the Senate Chamber on January II,
1887. John W Griggs, Senator from Passa-
ic county, offered the following resolu-
ton ,e
Resolved, That the organization of the
Senate be postponed until tomorrow at the
hour of three O'clock P. NJ, and that we do
now adjourn to that day and hour"
This rssolution was adopted and similar
one wasfthereafter adopted each day in the
month of January, receiving the votes of
nine hold-over republicans and the oppo-
sition of five hold-over democrats During
this month of January, 1887, the Senators
elect Werts of Morris, Cranmer Of Ocean,
Gardner of Atlantic, Bogert of Bergen,
Baker Of Cumberland, Edwards of
Hudson and Rue of Mercer were
refused admission to the Senate 1t was adj
mitted by all that there could not be an
admission to membership except by the as
sent of the body On the first of February,
1881, the Republican members of the Senate
permitted its organization, the manner by
admission being illustrated by the following
extract from the minutes of that date; page
22 of journal: =:
sMr.. Griggs presented the credentials of
John j. Gardner, Senator-elect from the
County of Atlantic, which were read and
approved and the oath prescribed by law
having been duly administered to Mr..
Gardner by the president pro tenn, he took
his seat in the Senate. 1t will be
seen that credentials of the applicant
were approved by the Senate before
his admission. and this course has been
pursued always during the history of the
Senate. Being majority of the existing
Senate at three o'clock of the 9th inst, the
Democrats were not. only entitled to meet
but were in duty bound to do so, and were
invested with the power to send for absen-
tees, After the election of Presi-
dent pro tenn g recess was taken until
the arrival of the four republicans
who entered the Senate and demanded that
seven other gentlemen be admitted to MEM
bership. The credentials Of the applicants
were not submitted to the Senate, nor was
any motion made for their admission. A
resolution was adopted that all credentials
be referred to special committee.
This Is all that was done and