Evening journal., 1896-11-11

stitution Of the United States. 10 sup
port the Constitution of the state of /
Delaware, and TO perform his duties as
speaker of the Senate of the said state /
with fidelity.
"And l. Beniah l.. Lewis, speaker of .
the Senate Of the State OF Delaware do I
hereby certify that John p DOnahoe, I
Of New Castle county; Alden p. Rich /
ardson, Of Kent county; and David O. /
Moore, of Sussex county, members /
elect and present of the Senate we're, T.
previous to entering upon any other
business, and previous to taking their
seats sworn by me, in due form of law. /
that they and each of them would re-
sDectiyloy support the Constitution OF
the United States support the COnstitu
tion Of the State of Delaware, and per-
form their duties as members Of the
General Assembly of the said state
with fidelity.
Witness our hands this lst day of
January. in the year of our Lord one
thousand eight hundred and eighty
nine. "COLEN FERGUSON,
'B. l.. LEWIS
What Is the situation 10 be this time?
Ex-Clerk Hastings, a Democrat, win
call the Senate TO order. One OF the
Democratic members viii nominate
some other Democratic member for
speaker pro tempore. Probably the
Republicans will nominate a man. The
ballot will be taken and the clerk viii
only receive and recognize the votes of
the five Democrats and four holding
over Republicans. This elects a Demo-
cratic speaker pro tempore. The same
steps are followed when It comes to
the election Of a secretary pro tempore.
Then these two Democratic officers
elect take their places, and the late
clerk steps down.
Then one of the Democratic mem
bers will move that the returns Of the
election of senators of the several coun-
ties be read. The Republicans may Of
fer their returns, but the Democrats
will be guided solely by the official re-
turns Of the several Boards of Canvass
The New Castle certificate will show
that John Pyle was elected. That from
Kent that Samuel r. Meredith was the
choice of the people, while the Sussex
county certificate will name William T.
Moore This much settled. the election
Of a speaker will be in order j. Frank
Alice and Thomas Curry, the Union
Republican claimants, may attempt to
vote, but the Democratic speaker pro
tempore will refuse to take official no
tice OF them, and nothing which they
may say or do will be recorded on the
journal of the days proceedings by the
Democratic secretary pro tempore. At
ter a Democratic speaker has been
elected, and he and the members recog-
nized are qualified, Demo-
cratic clerk, reading clerk, SER
geant-at-arms and page will be
elected by the same process. Then the
Senate win be ready for business It
will send its best regards to the House
and governor, and be officially recog-
nized by both.
Then will come the rub. Alice anC
Curry will formally file their claims tC
the seats held by Meredith and Moore
The Senate will use its own pleasure
about the time for considering them
Assuming that only one contest can bc
acted upon at a time, and that the per.
son whose eligibility is attacked, can.
not sit in his own case, and that tn,
one regular Republican, two Masse,
men and one Addicksite pull together
in the Union Republican cause, tha
will leave the Senate a tie, with th'
Democratic officers in their places
will hear the evidence adduced an,
then a motion will be made that J
Frank Alice be seated as the senate
from Kent county. The vote viii stan'
four to four, and the tie vote will caus
the motion to fail. Then Mr. Mereditl
will be in a position to vote, and MI
Moore viii refrain from voting Will
Z his case is being considered. The vot
q viii again be a tie, and the motion 9
seat Curry, Of Sussex, will fall
! Meanwhile the Democratic member
: viii have been seated in the House.
4 Then will be the time for J. Edwar
4 Addicks to form his rump legislator,
7 We doubt whether Senators Aldrichl
Fisher and Moore will follow him i
Z this attempt, but Senator Handy ma.
e This would give him a Senate consist
n ing of three men-Hanby of New Ca'
e tie: Alice, Of Kent, and Curry, of SUI
a sex; and a House consisting Of fou
y teen men, equally divided betwee
a Kent and Sussex, assuming that
lf Frank Eliason, the regular Republics
IT member-elect from st. Georges hui
dred. has the good sense to retain h
~ ~ seat as the lone Republican in the low
no chamber.
in This rump Legislature would ha'
he no standing with the governor, sta
ed treasurer, or other state department
~ It could not meet in the State Hou'
id or any other public building in Dow,
of If it were to attempt to meet in {
ur State House it would soon be clear
out, even if the National Guard had
n be called out to do it, The most tn
it could do would be to meet in sol