Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1898-11-24

that they are true Republicans by up
holding the party ticket when headed
bv the man whom they did not want
nominated for governor We know
that the majority Of Butler county Re
pubIicans would rather see some other
of their party than II 5. Quay the next
L. 8 senator from Pennsylv and
the CITIZEN will always Try TO truth
fully represent the sentiments OF the
party majority in Butler county
The Caucus and the Man.
TO the Editor Of the Commercial
Gazette
Section 3 IF article Of the ConstItu-
ton of the United States provides that
'.tha senate OF the United States snaiI
he composed OF t-O senators from eacH
state choOsen BY the legislature thereof,
for sir wears: ard each senator shall
| have one vote The Legislature OF
Pennsylvania passed an act January H.,
1851 p. l.. 18 !, defining and regulating
the tirne and manner Of nominating and
choosing United States senator as fol
lows. Section THAT each house OF
tine legislature shall appoint one teller,
and nominate AT least One Uelscn 70 MI
the otf1ce OF senator, TO represent this state
IN the United States senate. and at least
tyo days previous TO the joint meeting
hereiaafte- mentioned. communicate 70
the other house the names OF the per
cons so appointed and nominated
"SectiOn 2-At the hour or .. IA on
the second Tuesday after the meeting
and organization Of the legislature
which, shall be chosen next preceding
the expiratioa cf the time for which any
senator was elected 10 represent TINS
state In congress. 10 wit: cI the
third Tuesday of January. If the ieglsla-
ture shall have organized previous 70
the second Tuesday. but If not 20 organ
ized. then on the second Tuesday atter
tbe Organization thereof. not counting
the day on whic1i the legislature was
organized, each house shall opfriy- by a
VIVA yoce vote Of each member present
name one person for senator in congress
from this state; and the name OF the
person 30 voted for who shall nave
majority Of the whole number OF votes
cast in each house, shall be entered On
the journal Of eacl honse by IN CLERK
thereof: but if either hossr Endi falI 10
give such majority 10 any person OF
said day that fact shall be entered on
the journal At 12 O'Clock meridian oi
the day following that on which pre-
ceedings are required TO take place, a.
aforesaid, the members OF the TWO
houses mall convepe in joint assembly,
and the journal of zach bOuse shall then
be read and if the saBe Pet-Cp small
have received a majority Of all the votes
in each house such person shall be De
clared duly elected senator to represent
this state in the congress OF the United
states; but IL the same person shall not
have received a majority Of the votes IN
each house, or If either house shall
have failed 10 take proceedings, as re
auired by this act, the joint assembly
shall then proceed to choose, by n viva
yoce vote Of each member present,
person for the purpose aforesaid, ana
the pefsop having a majority OF all the
votes Of the sal,l joint assembly. ma
jority of all the membeTs elected to
both housee being present na sOGnz.
shall be declared duly elected. and IL
case no person shall receive such uSJDT-
Ity. on the first day, the JOINT assembly
shall meet at ~ O'Clock meridian OF each
succeeding day during the session "i
The legislature and take ~ lesgf one vote
until senator shall be elected.
Section 4-When the election shall
be closed az aforesaid. tn presldent OF
the convention shall announce the per
son who shall hage received majority
of the votes aforesaid ~ sc duly elected
a senator, 10 represent this state 40 Dbr
senate of the United Statss. and he
shall in the presence of the members OF
both houses, sign four several cerfifi
cafes Of the election, attest5d by the
tellerr. one u which certificates shall be
transmitted by the president Of the
convention 10 TO the GnyFrDGf Df this
commonwealth, one 10 the person 20
elected, and the remaining two shall be
preserved among the records and enter
ed Bt length on the journal Of each
houBe."
The ffth section makes it the duty 10
certify 70 the person ~ e,ecffd and
transmit the certificate, countersignsd
by the secretary of state, 10 the proper
department at Washington.
Thus the Constitution Of the United
States imposes upon the representatives
OF the people in each state the import
ant duty Of choosing persons 10 repre-.
sent the state in the ssnaAe III the Unit
fcally defines the time aud manner Of
nominating and electing person 10 I'LL
the Office by the legislature of the state.
No doubt the framGrs OF the Constitn-
tion had in mind that tho votes OF the
members Of the legislature sieotcd by
the people in the several districts would
under ous representative form Of gov
ernment, reflect the true sentiment Of
Al. Il. 81 -. ff..E Of
choosing United States seDatos. mem
bers of the legislature being AZ they
are. the agents and representatives Of
the people. charged with the duty Of
enacting laws and executing the vii Of
the people. III niatters pertaining ~
public affairA Of tine state. The act of
assembly designed 10 carry this cCnsti-
tutiOnal provision into effect wisely pro.
vides that each member Of the legisla
turs shall exercise this high prerOgA
tive afteg organization. openly, by "A
viva voce vote ~ be entered by the clerk
on the journal Each 1g9JpbeT ~, there
fore. charged with the duty and tbe re
spopsibinty Of expressing by his vote
the instructions or prevailing sentiment
of his constituents IN the matter of
choosing United States senator. and
the evidence OF the manner cf the per
formancc Of that duty is his individual
vote entered on the journal They are
not 10 express their own Will or choice.
but the will or choice Of the people who
soDt them The responsibility attach
ing 10 the exercise Of this high preroga
tive is an indiyiJual one and cannot be
shifted. Each member must discharge
this duty with reference 70 the wisbes
Of majority Of the people Of his DIS
trict, whose agent he N. ~ his peril.
II IL "a legislative duty rather than u
political privilege and cannot bc iQnOr-
ed or performed at any other time or IN
any other manner than that prcscribcd
by the act of assembly. The people OF
each district baye right 10 express
their choice for senator - represent
the state In congress through their Tep
resentatiyes The exercise Of this right
aud power il high and honorable pre-
rogatlye and the choice Of the people Of
the respective districts cannot be walY
ed by the members Of the legislature by
acceding TO the majority vote Of n pre-
liminary caucus The nomination ana
election of person % fill the position ~
10 be made by the viva voce vote OF
each individual Wcmber Of the house
and senate after OrghuiLaLoH, openly
not secretly A member who goes INTO
a preliminary caucus ard becomes IA
honor bound 10 support the cauc ~ nom
ine. against the prevailing sentiment or
in strucuo.!s OF his constituents has vtO.
lated high ana bCporable trust. bctray
ed tha people whose servant he Is aud
Ihust DO c1sUtcd among the up,.,thiul
An agent charged with the preiornonc"
Of "A duty cOnn0t Justify or excuse