The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1894-11-22

He Wants 80 Have she old Legislature Con
y-ased and Have himself Re-~lected,
but the Consultation IL in his way Ran
som IL Bl.s The " hole story.


som Ds The hole story.
Washington PostJ
Something in the nature of a sen
satlon was created Yesterday by gos
SIP about occurrences which il wa
believed might have important bear
ing upon the political complexion Of
the next Senate of the United States.
4 long-drawn-out secret meeting oi
several prominent Democrats wa
held Monday afternoon in Senator
Gorinan' committee room in tn,
Senate wlag of the Capitol, at which
were Senators German and Ransom
Thrir conference was of the most
confidential character, and what wa,
said AMI done was kept Gloss
secret.
Inquiries about the purpose of The
conference were parried by evasive
repiIes from the gentlemen present
ali indii stlng that there was no polit
ical sig icance to the meeting
N-vert helrss, the gossip was that tht
p uspective less Of the Senate by thu
Democrats was the subject upper,
most in the minds of all the con.
ferees, aud that the talk among the
Senator's related to the possibilities
of saving The Senate to their party
during the next two years. A way
to save at least one seat had beer
suggested. And, as to it, there was
d precedent, made only a few years
ago by a Republican Senate.
i PRECEDENT CITED.
Less than decade of years age
while the Republicans had control
0f the Senate, but when their ma.
jority was small and dwindling, one
Of their number died. There re.
mained just one year of his term. II
happened that the Governor of the
State was a Democrat, and he ap,
pointed d Democrat to fill the va.
cancy in the Senate caused by the
death of the Republican. The DEM
ocratic appointee was entitled to
hold the seat ato1t a year until a
successor should have been elected
by the legislature in regular session,
and he would have 50 held the seat
but for an alleged breach of faith
by certain parties to an agreement,
under which, as the story goes, this
same Democratic Governor called an
extraordinary session of the legisla-
ture to be held IN the middle of the
year. The agreement was that at
this special session the Legislature
would not elect United States Sen
ator, but would confine itself to the
transaction of certain other business
matters specifically named. Upon
the strength of this alleged agree
ment the Governor called the legis-
lsture to meet in extraordinary ses-
sion more than five months in ad-
vance OF the time for the regular
session, and at this special session a
United States Senator, Republican
in noiit cs, was elected, and the Re,
publican Senate seated him in place
of the Democratic appolntee of the
Democratic Governor.
Here is the precedent which it was
thought would serve the Democrats
at the present time. 1t seemed to
warrant call, by the Governor OF
North Carolina, of a special session
of the existing Legislature of the
Old North State, which is strongl ly
Democratic, to elect United States
Senator to succeed Mr.. Vance, de-
ceased, in the term which continues
until March 4, 1897. This would
save to the Democrats one of the two
North Carolina Senators.
But this scheme will not work, fol-
the second article of the twenty-fifth
section of the Constitution Of North
Carolina, says: "The terms OF
office of Senators and members OF
the House of Representatives shall
commence at the time of their elec.
tion." Consequently, it is the new
Populist Legislature, and not the
defunct Democratic Legislature thai
would convene if an extra session
was ordered. This article was con
strued and sustained by the Supreme
Court of the State, IN the case o.
Aderholt VS.. Mckee, reported in th'
'SixtY-fifth North Carolina Reports.
[Since the above appeared in type
Senator Ransom has declared tina
there was nothing in the story.-ED.